Love for King & Country

Thais have a lot of love and affection for their King and country and this can be seen in ways such as:

Standing Up at the Cinema

Before the start of every movie in Thai cinemas, a video that pays homage to the King will be shown. On seeing this, everyone will rise to their feet. While the song ‘San Sern Pra Baramee’ (which translates to ‘Bless the King’) plays, the video will show images of the King and his accomplishments over the course of his life. Everyone is to remain standing throughout the video as a mark of respect – also, avoid talking, eating, or fidgeting. Only when the video ends can everyone relax and sit down.

It is very disrespectful if you do not stand up so do not do this. If you do not stand, you run the risk of getting into trouble with the other Thais there.

Standing in Public

The Thai national anthem is played daily, at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., throughout the country via loudspeakers in public and via the television and radio as well. If you are at a public location where you can hear this, you will see everyone standing still while the anthem plays, even in a crowded place such as a shopping mall or bus/train station.

If you are not sure what to do when this happens, just take your cue from the Thais around you and follow their lead.

Showing Respect

Thais are very tolerant and forgiving towards foreigners so do not worry if you unintentionally make a blunder or cause offence. Make an effort to show respect for the local customs and cultural practices and your actions will be appreciated.

Medication & Prescription Drugs

Unlike in Singapore, where practically anything stronger than paracetemol requires a doctor’s prescription (and often with an expensive consultation as well in the process) before it can be purchased at the pharmacy, it is much easier to buy drugs and pharmaceuticals over the counter in Thailand. In Thailand, a person who is feeling unwell will usually make the pharmacy his first port of call. Only if self-medication does not work would he go to the clinic or the hospital.

(Note: in Singapore, besides their consultation fees, doctors make money from selling medicine as well as they usually stock them in their clinics. This is one of the reasons why medicine in Singapore is expensive).

Pharmacies

A pharmacy is known as ‘raan khai yaa’, which means ‘shop that sells medicine’. Except in the rural areas, you can find a pharmacy in practically every shopping mall or in the neighbourhood all over Thailand. Pharmacies in shopping malls include Boots, Watsons, and independent stores while those in the neighbourhood have a mom-and-pop setup.

Store Setup

Most pharmacies in Thailand look the same; a glass enclosed store front, glass counters in the store, and glass cabinets (or shelves) on the walls. The sign used to indicate the pharmacy is placed outside the store and is usually depicted with:

• The word for medicine written in Thai (see pic).
• A white background with a cross in another colour (e.g. red, blue, green etc).

The Pharmacist

Most, if not all, of the pharmacists in the shopping malls speak English and will be able to give you advice on the medication that you need or are looking for. Those in the neighbourhood stores typically cannot speak English. Though they may know the names of the various drugs, the differences in the way Thais and other English speakers pronounce these names often make it hard for them to understand what you are looking for. Therefore, it is often helpful to show them a picture of the drug you need on your phone.

Medications Available

The types of medicine that you can buy over the counter include:

Antibiotics

In Singapore, antibiotics have to be prescribed by the doctor and cannot be bought at a pharmacy. In Thailand, you can buy several types of antibiotics over the counter, e.g. erythromycin, amoxicillin, doxycycline etc.

Antibiotics are known as ‘yaa khaa cheua’ in Thai, meaning ‘bacteria killing medicine’. Many uninformed Thais think that antibiotics are a cure all for various ailments; for example, if you have a sore throat – take antibiotics. If you have diarrhoea – take antibiotics. This can be dangerous as such misuse can create bacterial resistance to antibiotics in our bodies.

Birth Control Pills

Again, in Singapore, birth control pills have to be prescribed by a doctor. In Thailand, you can buy various brands of birth control pills, both local international, at the pharmacy. A month’s supply will cost you roughly just a few hundred baht.

Cough & Cold Medicines

You can buy paracetemol marketed under various Thai brands (e.g. Sara, Tiffy etc) and Decolgen for colds.

Various Ointments & Creams

You can get a wide range of these, from antihistamines to steroid creams.

Brand Name Drugs vs Generics

The generics of many well-known drugs can be bought in Thailand. They are marketed under different brand names here and are usually much cheaper than the brand name drugs - due to government price controls and the fact that  many are produced locally (possible due to expired patents).

You can find out the name of these generics with a little research online. Storing a picture of it in your phone for showing it to the pharmacist will make it easier for him to find you what you are looking for.

Other Sources

If you cannot find what you want outside, you can go to the doctor at a hospital for a prescription as or try the pharmacies located there. But note that drugs prices here are usually higher as compared to outside stores and it is common for them to provide only brand name medications.

Drugs Safety and Efficacy

Generally, drugs in Thailand are genuine and will work as they should. This is true even if you had purchased them from the small neighbourhood shops.  However, complaints about fake drugs or inefficacious drugs sometimes do occur but could be partly due to improper storage of the drugs (i.e. not storing them in a cool, dry place, exposing them to heat and humidity), causing them to spoil or deteriorate.

If you are concerned about drug safety, buy only from the well-known pharmacies or those located in the shopping malls. Be sure to check the expiry date of the drugs and store the medication (especially ointments and creams) in the refrigerator if necessary.

Controlled Drugs

While you can get a wide range of drugs at the pharmacy, certain drugs that are considered dangerous, e.g. morphine, are regulated more strictly and may be more difficult to find here.

Thailand takes a hardline stance on drugs. Contrary to what many people think, you cannot buy your way out of every trouble in Thailand; not every policeman can be bought (you might even end up with a bribery charge against you in the process), or they may simply take your money and put you away anyway. Many foreigners have been put in prison for drug trafficking and even for recreational drug use. So do not abuse drugs and stay far away from people and places that you know drugs are present.

If you have a condition that requires you to take controlled medication, make sure that you have the original prescription bottle and doctor’s prescription/documentation with you when you are travelling abroad. Having these on hand will save you a lot of trouble with government officials should they find these controlled drugs on you and they start asking questions.

Car Parking in Thailand

In Thailand, especially in the cities, parking spaces can be difficult to find due to the large number of cars here, so much so that you can see indiscriminate parking practically everywhere. Because of this, many people have the impression that there are no parking regulations in Thailand. However, the fact is, there are parking regulations here, just that as they are seldom enforced, many people think they do not exist.

Parking Regulations

To know whether you can park at a certain spot, take note of the painted markings on the kerb or on the road:

• A kerb painted with red and white markings means no parking at all times (see pic).
• A kerb painted with yellow and white markings means no parking is allowed but you can stop for a while to load/unload goods or to pick up/drop off passengers.
• White rectangles painted on the road indicate designated parking spots (see pic), subject to time constraints indicated on signs nearby (note: these signs may not be in English).
• Smaller white rectangles painted on the road indicate designated parking spots for motorcycles (see pic), again, subject to time constraints indicated on the signs.

Be careful when parking outside shops and businesses as many Thais do not take kindly to non-customers parking there, even though the area outside is often common property. Be prepared to get a stink eye from the owner of the establishment if you choose to do so.

Penalties

If you park in the wrong place or exceed the time allowed, you may get fined with a parking ticket. You will need to pay the fine at the police station. Take note that the police have been known to wheel clamp illegally parked vehicles. Only when the fine is paid will the police remove the clamp.

Parking Charges

One great thing about Thailand is that many places, including shopping centres, offer free parking. Contrast this to Singapore, where roadside parking costs about SGD 1.00 (about 25 baht) per hour and a typical shopping centre may charge about SGD 1.20 (about 30 baht) per hour for daytime parking and SGD 2.14 (about 53 baht) per entry after 6pm.

Some places, such as private property spaces converted into parking areas, may charge a small fee for parking, from 10 to 20 baht or more. They are usually located near busy places such as nightspots and markets and are indicated using simple signs painted in Thai or English. The charge can be on a flat fee or time based basis. For flat fee parking, the payment will usually be collected from you when you alight from your car. For time based parking, instead of collecting payment upfront, they will give you a slip with your entry time written on it and you will have to make payment just before you leave.

Special Parking

Cars are usually ‘double parked’ (i.e. side by side) in Thailand. However, when the lots allotted for double parking are full, motorists that come after will usually parallel park in front of the double parked ones so as to maximise space. These parallel parked cars will have their gear stick in neutral so that the driver of a double parked car can then push the parallel parked ones in front of his car out of the way when he wants to exit the lot.

This system only works on flat land, not on slopes. And though it might seem rather chaotic and dangerous to some, it is actually rather efficient and works well as everyone knows what they are doing.

Petrol Prices

Car prices in Singapore are among the highest, if not the highest, in the world. Adding to the woes of motorists here are high petrol prices – so much so that some civic minded individuals have taken it upon themselves to monitor the changes in pump prices over the years and make the information available to everyone. Some of these sites include:

• http://www.chenlim.com/fuel/
• http://www.cozylittlehaven.net/petrolsg/
• https://www.facebook.com/PetrolWatchSingapore/

Crude Oil Prices vs Petrol Prices

Contrary to what some people think, a reduction in crude oil prices does not result in a reduction in petrol prices by the same percentage. This is because crude oil is a raw material and petrol is just one of its by-products, and petrol prices are also affected by other factors such as:

• Refining costs
• Marketing costs
• Shipping & distribution costs
• Corporate profits
• Government taxes.
• Demand & supply
• Oil contracts & futures

As a guideline, the U.S. Energy Information Administration has estimated that crude oil prices make up 71% of the price of petrol.

Quick to Go Up, Slow to Come Down

People have noticed that petrol companies are quick to match price increases whenever oil prices surge and slow to reduce prices whenever oil prices dip. At the time of this post, even though oil prices have gone below USD 30 a barrel for the first time in the past 12 years (and prices are expected to go even lower), motorists in Singapore have not seen really significant reductions in petrol prices even though crude oil prices have tumbled over the years.

For example, crude oil prices were trading at an average of over USD 100 per barrel in 2011 and less than USD 30 in 2016. But in the chart above, you can see that Caltex 95 was going for SGD 2.07/litre in 2011 and SGD 1.91/litre in 2016.

Ease of Comparison

Most of Thailand’s petrol stations have a giant billboard at their entrances that shows the current prices of the different grades of petrol. This allows motorists to compare prices across different pump stations easily, even if they are speeding along at 80km/h.

Few of Singapore’s petrol stations have this billboard at their entrances. The only ways a motorist can get information on current petrol prices is to go online in advance or drive into a petrol station and ask.

Confusing Petrol Prices – Singapore

Unlike in Thailand, where what you see is what you get when it comes to petrol prices, you will probably need a Phd in rocket science in order to calculate the final price for your petrol in Singapore. This is because, depending on which credit card and loyalty card you use as well as how much petrol you pump at each station, you can get discounts of up to 20% off the initial price. This complicates matters as the station with the cheapest stated price may not be the cheapest when you factor in all of these aspects.

So if you go to a station where you do not have their preferred credit card or loyalty card, tough luck, you will have to pay more for you petrol and the petrol company gets to make extra money off you.

Singapore vs Thailand

For an idea of how expensive petrol in Singapore is, Caltex 95 is currently going for SGD 1.91/litre (THB 47.75) in Singapore and THB 23.50 in Thailand. Even if you apply the maximum discount of 20% on the Singapore price, it will come to 38.20 which is still 62.6% higher than the price in Thailand.

Assuming the refining costs, marketing and distribution costs etc, are similar for both countries, where do the additional 62.6% profits go to?

Pretty Lady to Pour You a Drink?

Known as ‘dek cheer beer’ in Thai, these lovely beer promoters can be seen in restaurants, beer gardens, pubs, and other nightspots all over Thailand. Based on the premise that pretty girls in short skirts sell more beer (apparently men are this shallow!), these lovely ladies are usually young, pretty, and are clad in a dress that bears the colours and brand of the beer they are promoting (and the dress is usually tight enough to show off their slim figure and short enough to show off their long slender legs). Unlike in Singapore, where middle-aged beer promoters are common, you will not find middle-aged promoters in Thailand.

There can be one or more beer promoters, all promoting the same brand or each promoting a different one, in an establishment, depending on how big it is. They will usually talk to you if you engage them in conversation and sometimes, if competition is stiff, they might even flirt and tease a little to get you to buy their beer or to get you to buy more.

Their job scope is rather straightforward: They take your order, bring the beer to you, pour it into a glass, and then refill your glasses with ice or beer thereafter. All you have to do is to keep chugging and they will keep pouring, which is really great. They are also a great help to restaurants as they free the waiters and waitresses from having to refill beer glasses, leaving them with time to work on other things.

While it seems simple, a beer promoter’s job is not easy. They sometimes have to fend off aggressive drunks as well as those who try to take advantage of them. They may even meet stalkers who try to follow them home. Also, contrary to what some people think, they are not prostitutes and do not sleep with customers for money although some will date customers if they like them.

Beers in Thailand

Thailand is hot and humid and drinking beer is one of the best ways to beat the heat.  Thai beers are typically lagers and you can get them easily at grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, pubs/bars/discos, and restaurants. Beer sizes include:

• Small can (330ml).
• Small bottle (330ml).
• Medium can (500ml, available only for certain brands).
• Large bottle (640ml).

As beer warms rapidly in the hot weather, many Thais put ice in their beer. Thai restaurants typically serve you the beer with ice in the glass or in an ice bucket.

Top Beers

Here are some of the most commonly drunk beers.

• Brand: Singha
• Alcohol content: 5% (was 6% before 2007)
• Brewed by: Boon Rawd Brewery

This is probably the most well-known Thai beer as it has been around since the 1930s and has been exported to many countries. It is regarded as a premium beer so it is slightly more expensive (usually about 10 baht more) than the other Thai beers. Nearly all pubs and restaurants stock Singha beer.

The image on the beer label is of the Singha, a powerful mythological lion that is found in ancient Hindu and Thai stories. Incidentally, the word ‘Singha’ in Thai, is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Simha, which means ‘Lion’. Thais do not pronounce the ‘ha’ at the end of the name so they usually call it ‘beer Sing’.

A light version, Singha Light, with 3.5% alcohol content is available as well.

• Brand: Chang
• Alcohol content: 4.2 % to 6.4%
• Brewed by: Thai Beverages

The word ‘Chang’ in Thai means elephant and the image on the beer label depicts two elephants facing each other. It is Thailand’s best selling beer and there are four types of Chang beer available:

• Classic 6.4% ABV
• Draught 5% ABV
• Light 4.2% ABV
• Export 5% ABV

A thing to note is that the fancy name Chang Export does not mean that the beer is produced for export to another country. Chang Export is produced using 100% malt, so technically, it is malt liquor and not beer.

Chang beer may not be as well known abroad as Singha but it is very popular in Thailand. However, you may not find it in the more upmarket establishments. In Chiangmai, it is often marketed aggressively with special price promotions at pubs frequented by youngsters.

• Brand: Leo
• Alcohol content: 5%
• Brewed by: Boon Rawd Brewery

Made by the same guys that brew Singha, Leo is a cheaper alternative to Singha and is usually sold at about the same price as Chang. As it is a ‘budget’ beer, you will seldom see it in the more upmarket establishments but it is very popular outside of the big cities and with the ladies due to its smooth and pleasant taste.

Fun fact: Leo in Thai means lion but the beer label shows a picture of a leopard.

• Brand: Heineken
• Alcohol content: 5.4%
• Brewed by: Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Company Limited

Perhaps the most well-known and distributed beer in the world, Heineken is brewed in Thailand under license by Thai Asia Pacific. It is widely available here and is generally more expensive than the other beers.

Other Beers

Other beers that you might see in your local 7-Eleven or supermarket include:

• Brand: Archa
• Alcohol content: 5.4%
• Brewed by: Thai Beverages

Reviews for this beer are mixed but are generally more on the negative side.

• Brand: Cheers
• Alcohol content: 5.6%
• Brewed by: Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Company Limited

Reviews for this beer are mixed but are generally more on the negative side.

• Brand: Beer Lao
• Alcohol content: 5%
• Brewed by: Lao Brewery Company

The best selling beer in Laos, Beer Lao is brewed in Vientiane, Laos and has a unique taste as it is brewed from local rice and overseas malt.

• Brand: Tiger
• Alcohol content: 5%
• Brewed by: Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Company Limited

A Singaporean beer brewed under license by Thai Asia Pacific, this beer is not as commonly seen as the others but can be found at supermarkets and selected restaurants and pubs.

• Brand: Siamsoto
• Alcohol content: 8.0%
• Brewed by: Siamsoto Brewery

This is actually rice wine and not beer, but is worth a mention here as it is often put together in the same chiller compartment as the other beers, with the result that many have mistakenly bought it for a test drive (I have been guilty of this as well! And at 25 baht for a big bottle, it sure looks like a better deal than the other beers).

Drinking Siamsoto has been likened to drinking rocket fuel – it has a strong flavour that many have described as being foul and repulsive. As such, some drinkers will add mixers, such as soft drinks and fruit juices, to make it more palatable.

Beer Pricing

Leo and Chang are usually sold at the same price point (about 55 baht or SGD 2.20 for a big bottle) while Singha is slightly more expensive (about 65 baht or SGD 2.60). Heineken is the usually the most expensive (at about 85 baht or SGD 3.40).

Hours When Alcohol Sales are Restricted

According to Thai law, alcohol cannot be sold (unless you are buying in wholesale quantities) at retail shops, such as 7-Elevens and supermarkets, between the hours of 2pm and 5pm, then after midnight until 11am the next day. However, you can still drink in public during these hours.

If you are really desperate for a beer during these prohibited hours, the neighbourhood grocery store or the mom and pop stores are usually more than happy to sell it to you.

Days When Alcohol Sales are Restricted

There are certain days of the year when alcohol sales are prohibited. These include election days, Buddhist holidays, and on other days such as the birthdays of HM the King and Queen.

How strictly this law is being enforced varies by place (tourist spots and the rural areas are likely to be more lax) and the day (the law may be more strictly enforced on Buddhist holidays) so do not be surprised if you find pubs and discos closed on these days.

Options Beyond Singapore

Having lived here for some time, I was humbled when I realised that, like many Singaporeans, I had many misconceptions about Thailand (no thanks to erroneous information from ignorant people and government propaganda). The more I got to know the place, the more I realised how little I actually knew – about the things around me and about the world in general. Although she has her merits, I also began to see how overrated Singapore really is.

Safety

Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world with low crime rates. Many Singaporeans have quoted examples like the ones to show how safe Singapore is, but I think these are overrated:

• Being able to walk on the streets at 3am and not getting mugged.

I have gone club hopping in Thailand and returned to my room smashed drunk at 5am many times before without incident. Anyway, seriously, how often do you go home at this time of night? Also, just as you will not go into any dark alleys at night in another country, would you go into the back alleys of Geylang or Little India at this time?

• Being able to go out or sleep in peace without having to worry about your home being burgled.

Every condo and most housing developments in Thailand are looked after by 24hr security. Guards will patrol the compound throughout the day and night.

• Being able to reserve a seat or table in restaurants/cafes/food courts using a cellphone or handbag.

This is a distinctively Singaporean trait and a really anti-social act.

• Being able to leave your belongings, such as your handbag/cellphone/laptop unattended in a public place for short periods of time.

This is a dumb thing to do.

Some think that Singapore’s safety is due to strict criminal laws and an efficient police force. But I think that it is due to the small size of Singapore more than anything else. Singapore’s small size makes it easier to monitor individuals, set up CCTV cameras in every corner, and limits the space a criminal can escape to. The high population density also makes it more likely for a criminal to be spotted. Bigger countries like Thailand have a harder time controlling crime as a criminal knows that he can commit a crime and escape to another province, into a rural area, or into the woods the same day, without anyone knowing. Hence, he will be emboldened by this sense of security.

The low crime rate in Singapore might not reflect the actual situation at all. Crimes can be marked down in severity or an offence may be deemed as not a crime, depending on how the police categorizes an offence. For example, to the surprise of many people, voluntarily causing hurt is a non-arrestible offence, meaning to say, if someone were to punch you in the face tomorrow, the police is not going to arrest your attacker even if you report the case. So naturally, these have a direct impact on crime statistics. More tellingly, the ‘four floors of whores’ in Singapore is still doing a roaring business and mainland Chinese immigrants are openly peddling pills and other sex enhancement products along Geylang Road.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that, ever since Singapore started attracting poor and poor quality immigrants to work and settle here, crime have actually increased and many of these crimes are committed by these new immigrants. With anti-foreigner sentiment on the rise, the media often avoids mentioning the nationality of an offender in their news reports (but the name is often a dead giveaway).

So while Thailand is more dangerous than Singapore, as long as you exercise common sense and observe the basic safety rules, it is still relatively safe here.

Singapore is a Multi-Racial Society

Not many countries in the world have a multi-racial society, so this is something that is special about Singapore, or rather, used to be special. Used to because in recent years, many new immigrants from China, Philippines, Vietnam etc have been added to this mix, so much so that true born and bred Singaporeans are in real danger of becoming the minority in Singapore.

So while the government still depict the original four races of Singapore in their propaganda, society has become more fragmented than before.

Shopping

Singapore is touted as a shopper’s paradise. But then again, whatever you can get here, you can get it in Thailand and probably at a lower price too! It is no wonder many Singaporeans go crazy over the shopping in Thailand. And the popular places that most of them know, e.g. Pratunam, MBK, Central World, Siam Square/Centre, Siam Paragon etc, are just the tip of the iceberg.

Food

Besides shopping, Singaporeans go crazy over the food in Thailand as well. Besides Thai food (which already has a very wide selection from the southern, central, northeast, and northen parts of Thailand), many types of international cuisine (Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, Mexican, Arab etc) are now available as well to cater to the increasing numbers of foreigners going to Thailand.

Even at tourist prices, food and drinks in Thailand are still cheaper than in Singapore, especially the seafood. And, just like Singapore, food is available around the clock.

Nightlife

Thailand has a more vibrant and exciting nightlife scene than Singapore - from pubs, karaoke bars, restaurants with live bands, discos with live bands, clubs, to hostess bars, massage establishments, and agogo bars.

Prices for beer and liquor are much lower than in Singapore as well. For example, a small bottle of beer in a tourist bar would cost between 80 to 120 baht (about SGD 3.20 to SGD 5.00). The same beer would easily cost about double the price in Singapore.

Transportation

There is an extensive bus and train network in Singapore. The buses cover practically every corner of the island and are air-conditioned and comfortable. As the trains are managed by people with no relevant experience and credentials, they are prone to breakdowns these days and be prepared for a squeeze if you decide to get on one.

Taxis are available as well but can be difficult to get, especially during peak hours and holidays. Although they run on meter, the additional surcharges are many and confusing, so much so that I have given up trying to understand how they work. Starting fare is from SGD 3.00 onwards. During peak hours, be prepared to pay about 25% on top of the metered fare. After midnight, be prepared to pay about 50% on top. Booking a taxi over the phone incurs another SGD 2.00 to SGD 3.00 extra.

Cars in Singapore are one of the most expensive in the world. Be prepared to pay SGD 100,000 to SGD 120,000 for a Toyota Altis, usable for only 10 years, according to government regulations.

There are public buses and trains in Bangkok. Many of the buses are still non-air conditioned, presumably to keep costs low. The trains run on a network that covers all of the major areas pretty well and while crowded at peak hours, it is not as bad as in Singapore.

Taxis mostly run on meter although you may run into a cheeky driver once in a while who tries to scam you. If you should encounter this, just decline his offer politely and hop into the next taxi that comes along. Although there is a phone booking service, I have never used it as taxis are plentiful in Bangkok at all times of the day (and night). The starting fare is about 35 baht (about SGD 1.40) and there are only the highway tolls and minimal surcharges to contend with, even after midnight.

The ubiquitous tuk tuks complement the buses, trains, and taxis. They are useful for when you need to get to somewhere near in a hurry. But take note that the breakneck way the drivers usually drive at can be nerve-wrecking. Most of the drivers will try to scam you as well by charging you a higher price than a taxi ride for the same distance.

Car prices in Thailand are reasonable. A brand new Toyota Altis costs about 600,000 to 700,000 baht (about SGD 24,000 to SGD 28,000). You can use the car until it falls apart.

In the other provinces such as Chiangmai, even though there are tuk tuks and pickup taxis, they mostly operate in the city areas. As a result, most people will have at a motorcycle and car to move around on or at the very least, a motorcycle.

Housing

80% of the population stay in government built Housing Development Board (HDB) flats in Singapore. A typical 3-room flat (that comes with a kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms) costs between SGD 250,000 to SGD 450,000, depending on various factors such as the number of years left on the lease (yes, these flats are 99 years leasehold), location, proximity to amenities etc. An average Singaporean is expected to spend 30 years of his/her life paying off the mortgage.

In Chiangmai, you can get a studio or one-bedroom unit in a decent condo from 1.8 million baht (about SGD 72,000) onwards. The unit is freehold and fully furnished to boot. Landed property are more expensive and they range from 2.0 to 25 million (about SGD 80,000 to SGD 1 million), depending on various factors such as the size of the unit, location, construction, and how luxurious the development is. But even a typical unit at the lower end is freehold and it is a detached unit (some might call it a bungalow) with a garden.

Foreigners cannot buy land in Thailand but in Chiangmai, condos and houses can be rented for between 10,000 to 15,000 baht (about SGD 400 to 520) per month.

Utilities

In Singapore, water from the tap is safe to drink. In Thailand, you can also get safe (and probably even cleaner too!) drinking water from the tap, simply by installing an inexpensive and compact water filtration system under your sink.

The cost of water and electricity in Thailand is low as well. For example, my utilities bill per month is about 300 baht (about SGD 12) for water and 2200 baht (about SGD 90) for electricity (and this is based on using water and electricity as much as I want, leaving the water running while showering, leaving the air conditioner on the while day etc). In Singapore, be prepared to pay at least double the amount.

Healthcare

Singapore healthcare is not in the best of state right now; high costs, shortage of beds, shortage of nurses, and shortage of doctors. Many people I know have a personal horror story involving high hospital bills or having received poor quality treatment at a government hospital. The recent Hepatitis C outbreak scandal which led to seven deaths did not help to improve public perception either.

Healthcare in Thailand is a little unusual. Unlike Singapore where there are clinics, catering to minor ailments, operated by general practitioners in almost every corner of Singapore, there are very few clinics in Thailand. Thais go to hospitals for practically all ailments that cannot be cured using self-medication. Despite this, there is never a shortage of beds although, they are facing the same nurse and doctor shortages.

Comparing the state of healthcare in both countries, although I would still come back to Singapore for treatment for major illnesses, I like Thailand’s healthcare system because:

• There is never a shortage of beds (maybe there is, but I have never experienced it).
• Hospital facilities and amenities can range from the basic and minimal to the top of the range (with your own mini fridge and microwave in the room), depending on cost.
• I am usually able to see the doctor within 30 to 60 mins within an appointed time. In Singapore, be prepared to wait for more than an hour after the appointed time.
• For admission, the fastest I have ever reached the ward (from registration to doctor’s check to going to the ward) was 30 mins. In Singapore, be prepared to wait hours or even until the next day.
• The nurses and doctors are all Thais (Singapore has imported nurses and doctors from other countries and I do not trust their skills and credentials).
• A comprehensive hospitalisation plan that costs about SGD 1000 per year covers all hospitalisation costs. I do not have to pay for anything out of my pocket except a small amount for medicine from the pharmacy.

Everything Works in Singapore

It used to be held up as a testament of Singaporean efficiency – the fact that everything works in Singapore. Again, used to because this is no longer the case now. For example, getting unqualified, incompetent people to do the job has resulted in breakdowns in the public transport system and generated business losses (NOL), while getting lowly paid, poorly trained foreign workers to do the job has resulted in lowered productivity, reduced quality standards, and cutting corners (look at the poor quality of newly built government flats).

Singapore’s infrastructure is straining under the weight of too many people. The system is breaking down and it does not show any signs of getting better soon.

Corruption

As this is a sensitive topic, I shall not say much except that a search on the online forums on this topic will reveal that things are not as squeaky clean in Singapore as many think.

For Thailand, while corruption sometimes results in policies that are not beneficial to the country, a little corruption can sometimes be helpful, such as when you need to get something done or done in a hurry, or get out of a bind.

Conclusion

While Singapore is clean and safe, the average Singaporean now faces the prospect of having to take public transport for the rest of his life, continue working for the next thirty years just so that he can pay off the mortgage on a HDB flat, and then face the prospect of having to sell the same flat back to the government later on just so that he can receive a pittance every month for survival in his twilight years. He is not expected to be able to retire and has to keep working until he drops dead.

While moving is not possible or suitable for everyone, I hope the points above help people to know a little more about Thailand as well as understand that they do have options beyond Singapore’s shores.

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.

Deciding to Move - Push Factors

It is perhaps appropriate that my first few posts should be about the reasons behind the decision to move to Thailand. After all, I am a citizen of one of the cleanest, safest, and most liveable cities in the world (so they say!). So why would I want to live anywhere else, and (horror of horrors!) in a Third World country for that matter?

Like many Singaporeans, I had knowledge of only a couple of touristy places in Thailand (e.g. Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok) prior to the move. The experiences were mostly positive but superficial (nice and friendly people, great local music, good shopping, cheap and good food, vibrant nightlife scene etc). But still, these were enough to make a lasting impression.

It was only when the Government of the day started importing foreigners in by the bus, train, and plane-loads that got me thinking seriously about emigration. These foreigners (dubbed foreign talents by the Government) were no talents; they were mostly low paid workers. Businesses preferred them over locals as their pay was much lower, were willing to work for longer hours, and they also could not switch employers easily as they were employed on a contract basis.

However, the presence of these foreigners soon created problems. Instead of creating good jobs for the locals (as claimed by current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong), they competed with them for jobs. Their willingness to accept much lower pay also depressed the wages of the locals. Singapore became more crowded, public infrastructure started breaking down, and the cost of living, housing, and cars rose dramatically.

At that point in time, I realised that, as an average Singaporean, there was not much of a life left in Singapore for me. Singapore is known to be a sterile place with few things to do and in addition, I was looking at the three major commitments in a typical Singaporean's life and they are:

• Buying a HDB flat (these usually come with a 30 year mortgage).
• Buying a car (cars prices in Singapore are known to be astronomically high).
• Starting a family (the cost of raising a kid in Singapore is high).

Of course, some may argue that the above are just lifestyle choices, you can do without one or more of them. While that is true, this example shows that, unless you are a high-flyer or business owner that is raking in big bucks, simply any two of the above (or maybe even one) will keep an average Singaporean in debt for the greater part of his/her life. And, with the cost of living rising so quickly over the years, you may even need to sell your flat just so that you have enough money to survive in your twilight years.

Realising that the current situation can only get worse, I knew I had to do something quick while I still had the time, energy, and earning capability.