Deciding to Move - Pull Factors

I then went on a road trip to various parts of Thailand with the missus (who is Thai btw). Travelling by car gave us the flexibility to stop at anywhere along the way or to stay longer at a certain place if we liked it. We went to several provinces; some were tourist spots so they were more developed while others were tiny towns with small populations. It was not until we reached Chiangmai that we felt right at home.

Chiangmai is situated about more than 700km from Bangkok and is a culturally rich city in Northen Thailand. It has developed rapidly in the past few years and the place appealed to us for many reasons:

• It is modern but more laid-back than Bangkok. The city is well connected by roads and highways and there are several major shopping centres here at the moment.
• There is a vibrant nightlife scene with little of the sleazy type.
• While modern, it has also many natural attractions such as waterfalls, hot springs, mountains, nature parks, and flora and fauna.
• There are also many man-made attractions such as night markets, extreme sports, zoos and parks featuring tigers, monkeys, snakes, elephants, and crocodiles.
• It is culturally rich with many festivals and structures such as modern and ancient temples.
• Various types of Thai and international cuisine are readily available.
• Modern healthcare facilities.
• Lower cost of living than Bangkok.
• Nice weather. The weather is cool in the months of Dec to Feb.

So when we saw an apartment for sale at a price that we knew that we could pay it off right away, coupled with the factors above, it was a no-brainer decision.

Looking back, the actual move was not that difficult - that involved mostly financial, administrative, and logistical issues. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was mental, I had to convince myself that it could be done. This was because I did not know anyone around me (from my family, friends, and acquaintances) who had ever done this and also, the years of Singaporean social conditioning was advising me to give it up and play it safe.

But I did not let it go and in 2011, I took a deep breath and took the plunge and today,  I am glad I did. I am enjoying a higher quality of life here than I ever could in Singapore and it appears that I am not the only one who thinks so. For I have met other Singaporeans who have settled here and not one of them have expressed a desire to return to Singapore.