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Step by Step: Phuket’s soaring costs squeeze expats and locals alike
Step by Step: Phuket’s soaring costs squeeze expats and locals alike
OPINION: Phuket and Thailand, once an oasis for budget-conscious expats seeking an idyllic escape, now face a harsh reality. The cost of living has skyrocketed since 2022, squeezing not just frugal expats but also Thai households already grappling with stagnant wages and high inflation. This isn’t just about cutting back on beachside cocktails; basic necessities like food are becoming increasingly expensive.
Step by Step: Why are we still building apartments in Phuket?
Step by Step: Why are we still building apartments in Phuket?
OPINION: Phuket’s skyline is rapidly transforming. Cranes pierce the azure sky, and billboards plastered with nonsensical promises of luxury living sprout like weeds. But beneath the veneer of a booming development market, a disquieting question lingers: why are we still building apartments in Phuket?
Step by Step: A domestic tourism revolution for a sustainable future
Step by Step: A domestic tourism revolution for a sustainable future
OPINION: Phuket has long been the tourist magnet of Thailand with its beautiful beaches, world-class dining and vibrant party culture. However, the very elements that fuelled its success now threaten its future. The island faces the ever-growing challenge of overtourism, where the sheer volume of international visitors strains resources, damages the environment and dilutes the cultural fabric.
Step by Step: Paradise lost, capital gained?
Step by Step: Paradise lost, capital gained?
OPINION: The news last month that Thailand’s government is seriously considering relocating the capital city due to rising sea levels has sent shockwaves through the nation. The catalyst for this dramatic proposition? Bangkok, the current capital and Thailand’s beating heart, is sinking.
Step by Step: The ‘Dine and Dash’ debacle
Step by Step: The ‘Dine and Dash’ debacle
OPINION: Phuket, a haven for beach club nightlife and a culinary adventure ground, now faces a concerning trend: the rise of ‘dine and dash’ incidents.
Step by Step: Paradise lost in a sea of empty homes?
Step by Step: Paradise lost in a sea of empty homes?
OPINION: The recent revelation by Thailand’s Agency for Real Estate Affairs (AREA) that a staggering 1.3 million residential units sit vacant nationwide, valued at a hefty B2.6 trillion, raises a critical question: How does this national trend impact Phuket, a tourism haven known for its property boom?
Step by Step: Thailand’s looming crisis ‒ Sugar and a changing lifestyle
Step by Step: Thailand’s looming crisis ‒ Sugar and a changing lifestyle
OPINION: Thailand, a nation renowned for its vibrant street food culture and dynamic flavours, faces a concerning trend – nearly half of the capital’s population is now considered obese and the number of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is rising at an alarming rate. 
Step by Step: Reimagining paradise through the ‘Phuket Model’ and a reformed Senate
Step by Step: Reimagining paradise through the ‘Phuket Model’ and a reformed Senate
OPINION: Phuket tourism industry, once a picture postcard paradise synonymous with clear waters and serene smiles, now finds itself at a crossroads. Recent incidents of tourist-related crime have cast a shadow on this economic powerhouse, prompting a crucial reevaluation of how Thailand manages its most valuable asset: its visitor experience.
Step by Step: Why Phuket needs a shift to quality tourism
Step by Step: Why Phuket needs a shift to quality tourism
OPINION: Talk to any local expat about life on the island and within the first few sentences we guarantee a gripe about traffic or overdevelopment. Expats and locals alike love living in Phuket with its beautiful beaches, lush rainforest and cosmopolitan vibe. However, the island’s undeniable beauty has come at a cost. Unbridled mass tourism has cast a shadow over paradise, leading to environmental degradation, infrastructure strain and a dilution of the very essence that attracts tourists in the first place.
Step by Step: Phuket’s autonomy gamble, a boon or bust for tourism?
Step by Step: Phuket’s autonomy gamble, a boon or bust for tourism?
OPINION: Phuket Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas is awaiting a decision from Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on whether the island will be granted ‘Special City’ status in line with Bangkok and the economic autonomous region (EEC) of Rayong, Chon Buri and Chachoengsao.
Step by Step: Is Phuket’s property bubble about to burst?
Step by Step: Is Phuket’s property bubble about to burst?
OPINION: Phuket’s property market has been a scene straight out of a gold rush. Just last month, a beachfront villa in Kamala sold for a record-breaking B180 million, snatched up by a Hong Kong investor who, according to rumours swirling around cocktail parties on the island, never even set foot on the property.
Step by Step: Will the Russians stay or go?
Step by Step: Will the Russians stay or go?
OPINION: Phuket has long been a magnet for expatriates seeking paradise. More recently, though, a new wave has washed ashore – Russians seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine. You can’t miss them; visit a beach, shopping centre or restaurant and you will be inundated with white linen shirt-wearing giants with strong jawlines and stern expressions.
Step by Step: The Phuket transformation
Step by Step: The Phuket transformation
OPINION: Phuket has shed its image as a serene haven for retirees and embraced a vibrant spirit, transforming into a playground for the thrill-seeking and party-loving crowd. Gone are the days of quiet contemplation; instead, you can’t help but stumble into a ubiquitous beach club named after a random female name (Nora, Xana, Maya) pulsating with music, where podium dancers grace stages amidst white linen-clad clientele indulging in overpriced cocktails.
Step by Step: Phuket, is it time to think about a Plan B?
Step by Step: Phuket, is it time to think about a Plan B?
OPINION: Phuket has long been high on many tourists’ bucket lists with its beautiful beaches and vibrant tourist scene. However, the island faces a pressing need to move beyond tourism as its sole economic driver.