Bought New Monthly Disposable Contact Lenses

Just got a year's supply of monthly disposable contact lenses yesterday as well. I am very short-sighted (more than 600 degrees in each eye) and hate wearing glasses so this leaves me with contact lenses as the only solution (of course, Lasik is always available but I am not going for surgery unless necessary). 

I was not familiar with the brand above but the optician recommended it to me a couple of years ago. I was using Bausch and Lomb soft lens previously but was having trouble with dry eyes as the lenses were apparently too thick for me. I got started on this brand and the problem cleared up promptly. I have also never had any problems with it to date. 

I got them at a great price as well. 12 pairs of lenses for about 2250 baht (about SGD 90) as compared to what I used to pay in Singapore at the optical shop - SGD 160 to 220. I think there are some great deals to be found on online optical stores as well but if you are one of those people who prefer not to shop at these places for one reason or another (e.g. not IT-savvy, cannot be bothered to find out your required measurements, do not trust online stores etc), stocking up on your lenses overseas is another option.  

Minoxidil in Thailand

Battling male pattern hair loss is a much cheaper affair in Thailand than in Singapore. I just got a new month's supply of minoxidil (30ml bottle) from the pharmacy today. The price - 170 baht (SGD 7). I used to buy my minoxidil from the pharmacies in Singapore and it cost about SGD 60 onwards. And this is for generic brands and not even famous ones like Regaine. 

If you need products for treating hair loss (e.g. Propecia, Proscar, Nizoral shampoo, minoxidil), these are much cheaper in Thailand than in Singapore. 

Thai Ingenuity: Maximising Cargo Space on Goods Vehicles

Shipping goods by road via pickups and lorries is an inexpensive and efficient way of transporting many types of goods in Thailand. And since the drivers are often paid by how much cargo they move rather than a flat rate per trip, it makes sense for the drivers to load as much cargo as they can per trip so that they will maximise their earnings.

The platform on the back of the vehicle is lowered to create more space. 

The goods are often stacked high up on the backs of these pickups and lorries and metal cages are usually used to create more storage space as well as to keep the cargo in place. Ropes and other implements are often used to hold the cargo down for added stability. 

Thai Ingenuity: Tyre Crash Barriers

Here is an easy and inexpensive way of making vehicle crash barriers – just get some old tyres, paint them in bright colours, and then hang them up!  

Roti Prata vs Rotee

About Roti Prata

Roti prata is one of the signature dishes of Singapore. It is a round pancake-like flat bread that is cooked over an oiled flat grill. Roti means 'bread' and prata means 'flat' in the Hindi language. It can be eaten at all times of the day but many people tend to eat it for breakfast or supper.

The standard roti prata is made up of fat, eggs, flour and water. It is sold mostly by Indian Muslims at coffeeshops and hawker centres around Singapore. It is usually eaten with a vegetable/meat/fish-based curry on the side while non-spicy eaters often eat it with a sprinkling of sugar on top. Variations of the standard roti prata include prata cooked with cheese, onions, bananas, chocolate, eggs, and even durians.

About Rotee

Thailand also has her own version of roti prata. Thailand’s roti prata is simply known as ‘Rotee’ and is a popular street food. It is usually eaten together with a choice of different toppings such as corn, eggs, honey, chocolate, raisins, and bananas.

However, a big difference between roti prata and rotee is that, while both are fried in oil, rotee is usually served with a generous sprinkle of sugar and condensed milk on top, regardless of which topping you choose – while sinfully sweet and delicious, it is definitely not recommended for those who are watching their calories!

Japanese Food - Yayoi at Central Festival

Had Japanese food for dinner with the missus at Yayoi Japanese Restaurant at Central Festival yesterday. The food was average but it was sure value for money. The entire meal plus drinks cost about 820 baht (SGD 33).

Started with a salmon salad.  

Some sushi...

A shrimp tempura set. 

A beef bento set. 

The King's Royal Project

Dropped by the King's Royal Project shop on the way home from the Doi Kham temple today. This is one of my favourite places for fresh produce as the items are really fresh and reasonably priced. 


About the Royal Development Projects

His Majesty, King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, had devoted his time, energy, and life to improving the lives of the Thai people and the development of Thailand all these years. His extensive travels to all parts of Thailand over the years have given him first-hand knowledge of the problems and difficulties facing the Thai people. This inspired him to set up thousands of development projects nationwide with the aim of raising the standard of living in Thailand.

Since 1952, His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej has initiated more than 3,000 royal development projects in various areas including agriculture, water conservation, healthcare, education etc.

About the King’s Royal Project

The King’s Royal Project is a development project that was started after His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej visited the northen hill-tribes of Doi Pui in 1969. During the visit, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej observed that farmers there were using the slash and burn method to clear land for growing crops. This reduced the forests to ashes, resulted in deforestation, and also caused other adverse effects on the environment. He also saw that the farmers were growing poppy plants, used to make opium, which was illegal and undesirable.

His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej then started the King’s Royal Project with the intention of using alternative crops to replace the poppy plants. These crops generated more income for the farmers than poppies and helped to reduce poverty, opium production, and deforestation, at the same time.

Today, the King’s Royal Project provides high quality fruits, vegetables, flowers, beverages, sauces, personal care items etc to consumers in Thailand as well as overseas under the ‘Doi Kham’ brand - all of the produce meet Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) regulations. Not only does the project give Thais easier and cheaper access to food that were originally grown abroad only, it provides employment to thousands of Thais and is also a model of sustainable and profitable farming.

Roadside Lucky Draw

 

This is a very popular game of chance and it can be found at many roadside eateries and mom-and-pop convenience stores. Many of them have it as it is a lucrative source of side income.

The game consists of two boards - one has rows of little folded pieces of paper, each bearing a number, stapled to it while the other holds the prizes that you can win, again each bearing a number.

Every three baht (about SGD 0.13) entitles you to a try. You tear a piece of paper from the first board to reveal the number within (you can buy as many chances as you like). If the number matches any of the prizes on the other board, you win that prize. If it does not, you get nothing. Prizes range from soft drinks, beer, liquor, and cash in various denominations of up to 1000 baht (about SGD 400). If you do not like the non-cash items, you can sell them back to the shop for a lower than market price.

Winning a prize is not easy. The odds are already low to begin with and when the pieces of paper left on the board get too few (and the chances of winning get higher), the operator will replace the board with a new one and the odds of winning become low again. However, I have ever won a bottle of scotch whisky within 10 tries but soon regretted it as it tasted funny and left me with a bad headache and hangover the next day (I suspect the liquor was fake). Theoretically, it is possible to win all of the prizes left by buying up all of the remaining pieces of paper left on the board but I have never tried this.

This is a highly addictive game for many people. They will keep going back, hoping to win the big prizes, as the pieces of paper left get fewer and fewer. Singapore used to have this game back in the 80’s and before, known as ‘Tikam-Tikam’, but it was later banned, probably because of its addictive nature.

Cantonese Cuisine in Chiangmai: Dim Sum

Bought some dim sum from a roadside restaurant for dinner yesterday. The establishment was run by a Thai Chinese family and while the selection available was decent, it could be better. This was because there were many staple dim sum dishes that they did not serve – such as congee, turnip cake, carrot cake, steamed buns, lor mai gai (Chinese glutinous rice), fried spring rolls, and fried dumplings.

This being Thailand (and in Chiangmai to boot), I did not have too high hopes of finding quality dim sum. But even so, it was a disappointment. Minced pork was the primary ingredient in most of the dishes and most of them also tasted the same. What’s more, a basket of dim sum cost 40 baht (SGD 1.60). This is fairly expensive by Thai standards as you can get a plate of basil pork with rice and a fried egg for this amount.

Larb Moo - Thai Minced Pork Salad

Larb (also known as Laab or Laap) is a very popular dish from the Issan (northeastern) region of Thailand. Quick and easy to prepare, it is made from a combination of minced pork, lime juice, chilli flakes, fish sauce, and mint leaves. A well-made larb moo will have an expertly balanced blend of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty flavours.

Larb moo is usually eaten with a side of raw vegetables, e.g. string beans, cabbage, Thai basil, and Chinese coriander, and sticky rice. Thais will take the sticky rice, press it into a small ball with their fingers, and then dip it into the gravy before eating it.

Variations of the dish include larb gai (chicken) and larb neua (beef).