https://thaipedia.asia/en/The checked guide to Thailandenhttps://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/how-to-buy-sim-card-thailand/https://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/how-to-buy-sim-card-thailand/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe easiest place to buy a tourist SIM is the airport on arrival: AIS has a counter in Phuket Airport's baggage claim, and True-dtac runs 24-hour airport counters. Bring your passport: since 16 May 2026 SIM cards must be registered in person at an operator branch or authorised dealer, with a face check; the operators' tourist SIM pages do not describe how an eSIM is registered, so ask when you buy. Unlimited data for 8 days costs THB 499 with AIS, TrueMove H and dtac, and 30 days costs THB 1,199 (as of October 2026). 7-Eleven counters sell SIMs too: True and dtac have their own packages there, for example THB 199 for 30 days with 30 GB.https://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/thailand-arrival-card-tdac/https://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/thailand-arrival-card-tdac/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is free. You fill it in only on the Immigration Bureau's official site, tdac.immigration.go.th, within 3 days before your arrival date. If a site asks for payment, it is a copycat: in March 2026 Thai immigration said at least 10% of foreign arrivals had registered through fake TDAC sites. The card has been mandatory for all foreign nationals since 1 May 2025 (as of October 2026).https://thaipedia.asia/en/living/culture/holidays/https://thaipedia.asia/en/living/culture/holidays/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThailand's biggest holiday is Songkran, the Thai New Year, on 13-15 April: three days of water fights, banks closed, and the most dangerous week of the year on the roads, with 242 deaths over 7 days in 2026. Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of 24 November 2026, and Chinese New Year 2027 is on 6 February. On five Buddhist holy days alcohol is not sold all day; the next one is 26 October 2026, the end of Buddhist Lent.https://thaipedia.asia/en/property/guides/freehold-leasehold/https://thaipedia.asia/en/property/guides/freehold-leasehold/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTA foreigner can own a condo unit freehold if the purchase money is brought in from abroad and foreigners together hold no more than 49% of the building's total unit floor area (the foreign quota). Foreigners generally cannot buy land, so villas and houses are held through a land lease (leasehold): under the Civil and Commercial Code, no longer than 30 years, renewable for no more than another 30, and only if registered at the Land Office. A '90-year lease' is not guaranteed by law, and neither a 75% quota nor 99-year leases had been enacted as of October 2026. This page explains the rules and is not legal advice.https://thaipedia.asia/en/travel/phuket/excursions/similan-islands/https://thaipedia.asia/en/travel/phuket/excursions/similan-islands/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe Similan Islands are open to visitors from 15 October to 15 May, and as of 17 October 2026 the park is open with only some reefs and bays closed. A trip from Phuket takes 10-12 hours: hotel pickup around 6:00, over an hour's drive to Thap Lamu pier in Phang Nga, then 1-1.5 hours by speedboat, according to Phuket Tour and Love Andaman. The boat visits 3-4 islands: Ko Similan with Sail Rock, Ko Bangu, Ko Miang and Ko Payu. The national park charges foreigners THB 500 per adult and THB 250 per child.https://thaipedia.asia/en/khao-lak/https://thaipedia.asia/en/khao-lak/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKhao Lak is a stretch of Andaman coast on the mainland in Phang Nga province, not an island and not part of Phuket: its beaches run along Highway 4 from Nang Thong north to Bang Sak in Takua Pa district, with Khao Lak village and Thap Lamu pier just south in Thai Mueang district. Phuket Airport (HKT) to Nang Thong Beach is 75.7 km, about 70 minutes without traffic by OSRM routing. It gets 1.7 times Phuket's rain, 3,873 mm a year on Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) 1991-2020 normals at the nearest station, Takua Pa, and the driest months are January and February. As of October 2026 the Similan Islands are open from 15 October and DNP announcements of recent seasons also give 15 October-15 May for the Surin Islands (check the DNP order for the 2026-2027 season).https://thaipedia.asia/en/data/https://thaipedia.asia/en/data/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThis section collects the tables we publish with a primary source and a date. The main one is Phuket weather by month: Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) normals for 1991-2020, checked on 2026-10-17 and due for update on 2027-04-15. Treasury condo valuations for Phuket subdistricts are calculated from the 2024-08-05 snapshot: the island-wide median is THB 48,250 per m², a figure used for taxes and fees, not a sale price.https://thaipedia.asia/en/living/https://thaipedia.asia/en/living/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTSince 15 September 2026 the 60-day visa exemption is gone: travellers from 60 listed countries, including the UK, US, Australia and EU states, get up to 30 days. For longer stays many people choose the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): 5 years, up to 180 days per entry and at least THB 500,000 in the bank (as of October 2026). Below is everything we have published on living in Thailand: visas, money, health, safety and transport.https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/central-pattaya/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/central-pattaya/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTCentral Pattaya (Pattaya Klang, พัทยากลาง) is the middle of Pattaya Beach around Pattaya Klang (Central) Road, next to Walking Street, in Nong Prue subdistrict. It is the densest part of town: within 1.5 km of Central Pattaya mall OpenStreetMap shows 10 malls, 10 markets and 3 hospitals. It suits people who want to live car-free with everything nearby, and not those who need quiet: Walking Street and its nightlife venues are 1.4 km away. PCD's sea water index for the middle of the bay was 77.6 ('fair') in a single July 2025 sample, which is not a swimming certification, and the median Treasury condo valuation for Nong Prue is THB 39,600 per m² (snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPattaya is a resort city in Chonburi province on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand, about 150 km from Bangkok. Since 1978 it has been run by a special local government, Pattaya City: 208 km² including sea and Koh Larn island, with 116,100 registered residents in December 2025. It is driest from December to February (12-20 mm of rain a month) and wettest in September and October (TMD normals 1991-2020). In 2025 the tourism ministry counted 27.7 million visits to Chonburi province, 10.7 million of them by foreigners.https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/jomtien/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/jomtien/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTJomtien is the beach area in the south of Pattaya City, in Nong Prue subdistrict, 6 km from Pattaya Beach beyond Pratumnak hill. The city describes it as the quieter beach, with shade trees, water sports and seafood restaurants along a 3 km beach road. It suits people who want to live by the sea 11 minutes' drive from the centre; the U-Tapao airport terminal is 37 km away, Suvarnabhumi 127 km. The median government valuation of 49 condos with Jomtien in their name is THB 39,600/m² (Treasury Department, snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/na-jomtien/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/na-jomtien/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTNa Jomtien is the subdistrict south of Jomtien, just outside Pattaya City in Sattahip district, with 17,164 registered residents in December 2025. It suits people who want a quieter, less built-up coast than Pattaya and who fly via U-Tapao, whose passenger terminal is 33 km or 37 minutes away. It does not suit anyone who needs a hospital or an international school nearby: the nearest inpatient hospital is 9 km away and the district has no international schools. The median government valuation of its 60 condos is THB 42,000/m² (Treasury Department, snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/naklua/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/naklua/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTNaklua (Na Kluea, นาเกลือ) is the northern subdistrict of Pattaya City: the town grew out of the fishing village of Naklua, and it is home to City Hall, the Lan Pho market and park, and Wongamat Beach. It had 46,185 registered residents in December 2025, and the median Treasury valuation of its condos is THB 47,100 per m² (snapshot 2024-08-05). It suits long-stayers who want a calmer base than the centre with hospitals close by: Bangkok Hospital Pattaya is 3.6 km from Lan Pho market. It does not suit anyone who wants to live a short walk from the bars of the centre: Walking Street is about 10 km away.https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/pratumnak/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/pratumnak/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPratumnak is Khao Phra Tamnak hill and the neighbourhood around it between South Pattaya and Jomtien, in Nong Prue subdistrict of Pattaya City. The hilltop viewpoint looks over the whole of Pattaya Bay, a city park sits at its foot and Wat Phra Yai temple on its slope. It suits people who want to live by the sea 4 km from the centre and 4 km from the city hospital; the U-Tapao airport terminal is 44 km away. The median government condo valuation for Nong Prue is THB 39,600/m² (Treasury Department, snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/wongamat/https://thaipedia.asia/en/pattaya/wongamat/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTWongamat (Wong Amat, วงศ์อมาตย์) is the beach and condo strip at the northern end of Pattaya, in Naklua subdistrict, reached via Soi Naklua 16. Pattaya City Hall calls it a 'hidden beach' with a natural shoreline and fresh seafood sold by local fishermen. It suits people who want to live by the sea away from the nightlife: Walking Street is 6 km away, U-Tapao airport 47 km and Suvarnabhumi 123 km. The median government valuation of condos in Naklua subdistrict is THB 47,100 per m², above the Chonburi median of THB 35,300 (Treasury snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/ban-tai/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/ban-tai/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBan Tai (บ้านใต้) is a village and beach on the south coast of Koh Phangan between Thong Sala and Haad Rin, in Ban Tai subdistrict (5,257 registered residents in December 2025). Thong Sala pier is 4.8 km and 8 minutes away, the private Phangan International Hospital 1.8 km. Both of the island's Ministry of Education licensed international schools are in the subdistrict. The area suits families and long-stayers; it does not suit anyone after beach parties at the door or a condo.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/haad-rin/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/haad-rin/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTHaad Rin (หาดริ้น) is a village on a narrow peninsula at the south-eastern tip of Koh Phangan, in Ban Tai subdistrict: Haad Rin Nok beach on one side, Haad Rin Nai on the other. The island is known for the full moon parties held here. Thong Sala pier is 11 km and about 17 minutes away, the state hospital 13.8 km. The area suits holidays and parties; for long-term living with children or for peace and quiet it is inconvenient.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKoh Phangan (Ko Pha Ngan, เกาะพะงัน) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, a 30-minute catamaran ride north of Koh Samui, and a district of Surat Thani province; in December 2025 the island itself had 17,895 registered residents. There is no airport: you arrive by boat from Samui (250-350 baht with Lomprayah) or by Raja ferry from Donsak on the mainland, about 2.5 hours. The driest months are February to April and the heaviest rain falls in October to December, 445 mm in November by TMD normals. The Treasury condominium registry lists no condos on Phangan, so housing here is mostly villas and bungalows.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/srithanu/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/srithanu/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTSrithanu (Sri Thanu, ศรีธนู) is a village on the west coast of Koh Phangan in Ko Pha Ngan subdistrict, 7.2 km and 11 minutes from Thong Sala pier. On 17.10.2026 OpenStreetMap shows 13 yoga centres and meditation schools within 1.5 km of the village, more than anywhere else on the island. The state hospital is 4.5 km away and Haad Salad beach 4.2 km. It suits long stays for yoga and sunsets; it does not suit anyone who needs big supermarkets nearby or a condo.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/thong-sala/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phangan/thong-sala/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTThong Sala (ท้องศาลา) is the main town and ferry port of Koh Phangan, on the south-west coast in Ko Pha Ngan subdistrict, which had 12,638 registered residents in December 2025. Lomprayah boats cross to Samui in 20-30 minutes and the Raja ferry reaches Donsak on the mainland in about 2.5 hours. The area suits people who want the pier, supermarkets and the state hospital (4 km) close by; it does not suit anyone looking for a quiet swimming bay outside the door.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/ao-nang/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/ao-nang/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTAo Nang is Krabi's main resort subdistrict: Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches, longtail boats to Railay and the islands, and 15,862 registered residents in December 2025. KBV airport is 27.7 km away, about 33 minutes without traffic, and the private Wattanapat hospital is 3.6 km from the beach. The median Treasury condo valuation is 47,050 baht/m² across 9 buildings (snapshot 05.08.2024). It suits a first holiday in Krabi or a winter by the sea, and not people looking for quiet or a wide choice of new condos.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKrabi is a province in southern Thailand on the mainland coast of the Andaman Sea, east of Phuket across Phang Nga Bay. It is not an island: the resort area sits around Ao Nang, Klong Muang and the Railay peninsula, and Koh Lanta belongs to the same province. It had 484,796 registered residents in December 2025 (DOPA). February is the driest month with 35.9 mm of rain under TMD normals; September and October are the wettest. The median Treasury valuation across Krabi's 20 registered condo buildings is 48,325 baht/m², almost the same as Phuket (48,250), but Phuket has 14 times as many buildings.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/klong-muang/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/klong-muang/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKlong Muang is a quiet beach on Krabi's mainland coast, 10.6 km west of Ao Nang, in Nong Thale subdistrict (11,469 registered residents in December 2025). The shore is lined mostly with resort hotels, and Tubkaek beach is next door. KBV airport is 33.5 km away and the private hospital in Ao Nang 9.2 km. The Treasury register lists 3 condo buildings in the subdistrict, median 49,600 baht/m². It suits a quiet holiday or winter stay with a car, and not people without their own transport.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/koh-lanta/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/koh-lanta/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKoh Lanta is a district of Krabi province made up of Lanta Yai and Lanta Noi islands and smaller islands nearby, with 36,656 registered residents in December 2025. The holiday beaches run along the west coast of Lanta Yai. Its dry season is deeper than the mainland's: February has 24 mm of rain over 2 days under TMD normals for Ko Lanta station. From Krabi airport to Saladan pier it is 75.8 km including a ferry crossing, about 1 hour 40 minutes without waiting. It suits a quiet winter stay, and not people who need a private hospital or a choice of condos.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/krabi-town/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/krabi-town/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKrabi Town is the capital of Krabi province at the mouth of the Krabi River: a town municipality covering Pak Nam and Krabi Yai subdistricts with 30,459 registered residents in December 2025. It has the provincial state hospital and the 100-bed private Krabi Nakharin International, piers and markets, and KBV airport is 13.9 km away. There is no beach: Ao Nang is 18.4 km, about 22 minutes. The median condo valuation is 36,775 baht/m² across 4 buildings, the lowest level on Krabi's register.https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/railay/https://thaipedia.asia/en/krabi/railay/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTRailay (ไร่เลย์) is a peninsula of limestone cliffs in Ao Nang subdistrict, Krabi province. Mountains cut it off from the road network: OpenStreetMap shows no road to Railay's beaches, so people arrive by longtail boat, usually from Ao Nang Beach. Next to it are Phra Nang beach and cave, which belong to Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park; the fee is 200 baht per foreign adult (DNP table, 2023). It suits a 1-3 day stay for the beaches and cliffs and is awkward for long stays: there is no hospital, school or registered condo here.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/bang-tao/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/bang-tao/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBang Tao is a long beach and village in Choeng Thale (Cherngtalay) subdistrict on Phuket's northwest coast, home to the Laguna Phuket resort complex. The airport is 16.4 km away, about 23 minutes without traffic. The median government valuation of condos in the subdistrict is THB 56,000 per m², above the island median of THB 48,250, and Bang Tao leads our registry for new condos with EIA approval since 2021. It suits families and off-plan buyers; it does not suit anyone after a quiet, construction-free area or a budget condo.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/chalong/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/chalong/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTChalong is a subdistrict in the middle of southern Phuket, between Phuket Old Town and Rawai: 28,794 registered residents (December 2025), Wat Chalong temple, the Five-Way junction and a bay with the pier for island trips. It suits families and long-stayers who drive: Old Town is 10 km away and Kata 9 km. There is no swimming beach. The median Treasury condo valuation is THB 51,750 per m², but only 7 buildings are in the register (snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kamala/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kamala/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKamala is a subdistrict on Phuket's west coast in Kathu district, between Patong and Surin: 18.9 km² and 7,136 registered residents in December 2025. Patong and its public hospital are about 9 km away, the airport 27.1 km, about 31 minutes without traffic. The median government condo valuation is THB 59,250 per m², above the island median of THB 48,250, and our registry lists 44 Kamala projects, 27 of them completed. It suits people who want Patong nearby but not on the doorstep; it does not suit frequent flyers or budget buyers.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPhuket is Thailand's largest island and a province of the same name in the south of the country, on the Andaman Sea. The island covers 543 km², or 570 km² with its 32 satellite islands, and has 432,464 registered residents (December 2025). The dry season runs from December to March and the heaviest rain falls in September and October, but it is hot all year, with monthly averages of 27-30 °C. Phuket airport handled 17.5 million passengers in 2025.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kata/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kata/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKata is a resort area on Phuket's southwest coast that is administratively part of Karon subdistrict and municipality, 3 km south of Karon, with two bays: Kata and the quieter Kata Noi. It suits families and buyers of small rental condos, with large projects of 130-760 units under construction. It does not suit frequent flyers: the airport is 46 km away, about 52 minutes without traffic. The median government condo valuation for the subdistrict is THB 59,000 per m², above the island median of THB 48,250.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/karon/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/karon/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKaron is a subdistrict on Phuket's southwest coast that also contains Kata: 20 km² and 7,626 registered residents (DOPA, December 2025). The municipality calls Karon Beach, a little over 3 km long, the second largest on the island and warns that waves and wind there are fairly strong. It suits people who want a resort area quieter than Patong and does not suit frequent flyers, with the airport 43 km away. The median government condo valuation is THB 59,000 per m², second only to Kamala (THB 59,250) among Phuket subdistricts with 10 or more registered buildings.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/laguna/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/laguna/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTLaguna Phuket is an integrated resort run by Laguna Resorts & Hotels, part of the Banyan Tree group, built on former tin mines in Bang Tao Bay on Phuket's northwest coast. As of October 2026 it has 6 hotels with over 1,400 rooms, an 18-hole golf course and about 3 km of beach, and the airport is 17.1 km away, about 24 minutes by car. Laguna has no subdistrict of its own; it sits in Choeng Thale, where the median government condo valuation is THB 56,000 per m² against THB 48,250 island-wide. It suits people who want to stay or live inside a managed resort, and does not suit a tight budget or a car-free life outside the gates.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kathu/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/kathu/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKathu (กะทู้) is an inland subdistrict in the middle of Phuket, between Phuket Town and Patong, with no coastline: 34.8 km² and 33,243 registered residents in December 2025. It is not Kata Beach, which is on the southwest coast, 18.7 km away by road. Kathu suits families and year-round residents: it has three private schools on the Ministry of Education register, the Phuket campus of Prince of Songkla University and three golf courses, and Phuket Old Town is 8 km away. The median government valuation of its 27 condo buildings is THB 37,250 per m², below the island median of THB 48,250 (Treasury snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/layan/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/layan/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTLayan is the northern end of Bang Tao Bay in Choeng Thale subdistrict, and its beach is part of Sirinat National Park. The airport is 14.2 km away, about 18 minutes without traffic. Six projects with Layan in their name have received EIA approval since 2021, five of them in 2024, including Layan Verde with 774 units and completion planned by the developer for Q4 2028. It suits people who want peace and nature close to the airport; it does not suit anyone without a car, as the Smart Bus does not come here.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/mai-khao/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/mai-khao/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTMai Khao is Phuket's northernmost beach subdistrict, in Thalang district, with 14,041 registered residents in December 2025 and a beach of about 8 km in Sirinat National Park that runs from Nai Yang past the airport. The airport is 11.6 km by road, Phuket Old Town 38 km or about 51 minutes. The median government condo valuation is THB 45,750 per m², slightly below the island median of THB 48,250, but only 5 buildings are in the register. It suits people who value seclusion and a short airport run; it does not suit anyone who wants to swim at their doorstep or live without a car.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/nai-harn/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/nai-harn/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTNai Harn is a beach, lake and residential area in the south of Phuket that officially belongs to Rawai subdistrict (19,659 registered residents, December 2025). It suits long-stayers who want a quiet beach and a park near home. From May to October the surf is strong and the municipality advises against swimming, and the airport is 48 km away, about an hour without traffic. The median Treasury valuation for condos in Rawai is THB 51,500 per m² (snapshot 2024-08-05), above the island median.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/patong/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/patong/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPatong is a subdistrict and town municipality on Phuket's west coast, with a beach of about 3 km, Bangla Road nightlife and 19,638 registered residents (DOPA, December 2025). It suits people who want the beach, shopping and a hospital within easy reach, and buyers of condos for holiday rental. It does not suit anyone looking for quiet. The median government valuation of Patong condos is THB 53,750 per m² across 44 buildings, above the island median of THB 48,250, and the airport is 37 km away, about 43 minutes without traffic.https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/phuket-town/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/phuket-town/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPhuket Town is the provincial capital on the island's southeast coast: a 12.6 km² city municipality made up of Talat Yai and Talat Nuea subdistricts, with 69,690 registered residents (December 2025). It suits people who live on the island full time and want hospitals, schools, markets and Old Town nearby. There is no beach; Patong is 16 km away. The median Treasury condo valuation is THB 38,375 per m² in Talat Yai and 30,750 in Talat Nuea, below the island median of 48,250 (snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/rawai/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/rawai/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTRawai is the subdistrict at the southern tip of Phuket, covering Rawai, Nai Harn and Ya Nui beaches, Promthep Cape and nine offshore islands, with 19,659 registered residents (December 2025). It suits long-stayers who want a quieter base with boats to the islands on the doorstep. It does not suit frequent flyers: the airport is 47-48 km away, about an hour without traffic. The median government valuation of Rawai condos is THB 51,500 per m², above the island-wide median of THB 48,250 (snapshot 2024-08-05).https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/surin/https://thaipedia.asia/en/phuket/surin/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTSurin is a roughly 2 km beach and village (Hat Surin) in Choeng Thale subdistrict on Phuket's northwest coast, between Bang Tao and Kamala. The airport is 22.5 km away, about 26 minutes without traffic, and the Smart Bus stops at the beach. The median government valuation across ten condo buildings named after Surin is THB 59,750 per m², well above the island median of THB 48,250. It suits people who want a compact beach base with a park; it does not suit budget buyers or year-round swimmers.https://thaipedia.asia/en/property/https://thaipedia.asia/en/property/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTForeigners can own a condo unit freehold as long as foreign owners hold no more than 49% of a building's unit area, while land for a villa is leased for up to 30 years with a possible renewal (as of October 2026). The 75% quota and 99-year leasehold have not become law. Thailand's Treasury Department lists 286 residential condominiums in Phuket with issued unit titles (snapshot 2024-08-05). Below are the listings on sale now, shortlists, the registry and buying guides.https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/bophut/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/bophut/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBophut is a beach village on Koh Samui's north coast and the island's most populous subdistrict, with 20,521 registered residents in December 2025; it also covers Chaweng, Bang Rak, Choeng Mon, the airport and all six private hospitals on Samui. The airport is 6.3 km away and the Big Buddha 4.7 km. The Treasury registry lists 19 of the island's 27 condominiums here, with a median valuation of 45,100 THB/m² (snapshot of 5 August 2024). It suits long-stayers who fly often, less so anyone visiting in the October-December rains.https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/chaweng/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/chaweng/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTChaweng is Koh Samui's main resort beach on the northeast coast, part of Bophut subdistrict, which had 20,521 registered residents in December 2025. The airport is 5.1 km away, Bangkok Hospital Samui 2.5 km, with Central Festival and a night market close by. It is a poor pick for October to December, Samui's rainy peak, with 445 mm in November on TMD normals. The median Treasury condo valuation for Bophut subdistrict is 45,100 THB/m² (snapshot of 5 August 2024).https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTKoh Samui (เกาะสมุย) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand and the Ko Samui district of Surat Thani province. The whole island is one city municipality with 70,999 registered residents in December 2025. Its seasons run opposite to Phuket's: the driest month is February (64 mm of rain), and the heavy rain comes in October-December, 445 mm in November by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) 1991-2020 normals. From June to September Samui gets 1.9-3 times less rain than Phuket. The median official condo valuation is 46,500 THB/m² across 27 buildings (Treasury, snapshot 05.08.2024).https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/lamai/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/lamai/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTLamai is a beach and village on Koh Samui's southeast coast in Maret subdistrict, which had 9,489 registered residents in December 2025. The airport is 14.8 km away, Chaweng 9.8 km and Bangkok Hospital Samui 9.6 km. The subdistrict has two licensed international schools and, per OpenStreetMap, 10 markets. TMD's Ko Samui station sits at Lamai's latitude: February is driest (64 mm), November wettest (445 mm); Maret has just one condominium on the Treasury registry.https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/lipa-noi/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/lipa-noi/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTLipa Noi is a subdistrict and beach on Koh Samui's west coast and the island's least populated subdistrict, with 5,936 registered residents in December 2025. The Raja car ferry from Donsak docks here, running hourly from 05:00 to 19:00. The public Koh Samui Hospital is 5.7 km away and Nathon 9.0 km, but the airport is 31.9 km, about 35 minutes. The subdistrict has no condominiums on the Treasury registry, no international schools and no private hospitals.https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/maenam/https://thaipedia.asia/en/samui/maenam/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaenam is a beach and subdistrict on Koh Samui's north coast, west of Bophut, with 10,811 registered residents in December 2025. The airport is 9.5 km away, Bophut 3.2 km and Bangkok Hospital Samui 8.2 km, and Lomprayah runs catamarans to Phangan and Koh Tao from its pier and office here. The Treasury registry lists 7 condominiums in the subdistrict with a median valuation of 50,550 THB/m², above the island's 46,500 (snapshot of 5 August 2024). It suits people who want the north coast near the Phangan boats, less so anyone who needs a hospital nearby.https://thaipedia.asia/en/travel/https://thaipedia.asia/en/travel/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTOur travel section currently covers Phuket, with other Thai regions in progress. The best months for the sea are December to April: by TMD climate normals January to March are the driest, while May to October brings rain and waves on the west coast beaches. Marine national parks charge foreign visitors THB 300-500 under the DNP fee table, and the Similan Islands close from 16 May to 14 October (as of October 2026).https://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/bangkok-to-pattaya/https://thaipedia.asia/en/questions/bangkok-to-pattaya/Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTPattaya is about 143 km by road from central Bangkok, and Central Pattaya is 122 km from the Suvarnabhumi Airport terminal, about 1.5 hours by car without traffic (OSRM routes). The bus is the cheapest fast option: 144 baht from Ekkamai, 155 baht from Mo Chit 2 and 135-158 baht from Suvarnabhumi, about 2 hours on the road (Roong Reuang Coach, October 2026). Train 283 leaves Hua Lamphong at 06:55 every day, takes 3 hours 39 minutes and costs 31 baht (State Railway of Thailand).