A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[Froggy]

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Au...1&pub_date=20230214123000&seq_num=18&si=44594

China's Great Wall targets 50% growth in Thai sales this year
Local EV production to start in 2024 as automaker bets big on expanding market

Great Wall Motor's Ora Good Cat is the top-selling electric vehicle in Thailand. (Photo by Yohei Muramatsu)
YOHEI MURAMATSU, Nikkei staff writerFebruary 11, 2023 02:23 JST

BANGKOK -- China's Great Wall Motor aims to increase sales in Thailand by 50% this year over 2022, the privately owned automaker said on Friday, while also planning to launch local production of electric vehicles in 2024.

GWM sold 11,616 units in Thailand during 2022, more than triple the previous year's tally, for a market share of 1.4%. The company targets sales of 18,000 vehicles in 2023, with plans to introduce five new EV and hybrid models in the country.

More than one-third of the units sold in 2022 were of GWM's Good Cat, a compact electric vehicle under the Ora brand. The Ora Good Cat was the leading EV in Thailand by new registrations last year, with a 39% share, according to local automotive media.

The Good Cat is marketed in other countries as the Hao Mao and the Funky Cat. Sales of the car were suspended in Thailand due to production delays, but the company will resume accepting reservations. It aims to sell 5,000 units here in 2023.

Thailand has provided subsidies and tax incentives for the car on the condition that it be produced locally in the future. Good Cats currently are imported from China.

GWM plans to invest a total of 22.6 billion baht ($675 million) to renovate a plant in Rayong, an eastern Thai province, that it acquired from General Motors in 2020. The company already has invested 12 billion baht. Production of the Good Cat is slated to begin at the facility in the January-March quarter of 2024.

The automaker uses Thailand as a production base for Southeast Asia, exporting vehicles from there to neighboring countries.

GWM also intends to begin sales in Thailand this year of a coupe-type EV called the Ora Grand Cat, also known as the Lightning Cat in some markets.

"Thai people have a keen interest in EVs, and we predict that the market size in 2023 will expand [50%] from last year," Narong Sritalayon, managing director of Great Wall Motors Thailand, said at a news conference.

 

[Froggy]

One of my favourite places for breakfast is this countryside eatery by a canal

Went there this morning with my truck

Parked directly in front of the shop

Rustic and cozy setting

"Krapow moo sap khai dow" - Thai basil with minced pork and an egg (55 baht)

Shrimp tomyam (70 baht)

Sardine with Thai herb salad (70 baht)

Each dish is freshly cooked when you order. Its delicious fulfilling and great environment for having a relaxing breakfast. Total cost $7.60

 

[daryl76]

One of my favourite places for breakfast is this countryside eatery by a canal

Went there this morning with my truck

Parked directly in front of the shop

Rustic and cozy setting

"Krapow moo sap khai dow" - Thai basil with minced pork and an egg (55 baht)

Shrimp tomyam (70 baht)

Sardine with Thai herb salad (70 baht)

Each dish is freshly cooked when you order. Its delicious fulfilling and great environment for having a relaxing breakfast. Total cost $7.60

this is on the outskirts????

 

[Froggy]

this is on the outskirts????

Yes indeed

 

[daryl76]

Yes indeed

saw many eateries like this while otw to kanchanaburi.... too bad we couldn't just stop as and when we want to

so year end planning another trip there, this time self drive, hahahahah got good recommendations pls share

 

[Froggy]

saw many eateries like this while otw to kanchanaburi.... too bad we couldn't just stop as and when we want to

so year end planning another trip there, this time self drive, hahahahah got good recommendations pls share

Yes sure. When the time come let me know.

 

[Froggy]

I had to make a trip to the southern province of Ranong to attend a funeral. Ranong is about 600km away and require about 8 hours to drive there therefore will do it slowly in two days. Left on Wednesday and stopped at Chumphon.

Novotel Chumphon

The room

Went to a beach restaurant opposite the hotel. Known as Mae Mai.

First 3 dishes

Somtam

Southern Thai wild vegetables

Kale with salted fish

Prawn tomyam

Soft shell crabs

Deep sea pomfret - 1kg

Dinner

This meal costs only 2,400 baht or $93

 

[Froggy]

Next morning before leaving Chumphon for Ranong, had breakfast at a local dimsum place.

Name of restaurant is Hor Jiak meaning delicious

Dining

Pick what you want

The kitchen

Ready to steam and fried

Breakfast ready

Bak kut teh

Fried dimsum

 

[Charlie99]

Very reasonable, at less than SGD100 for that dinner or yours.
The cost of restaurant reals appear to be cheaper or much cheaper than similar meals in Singapore and Toronto.

 

[Froggy]

On Thursday last week I arrived in Ranong, my first trip to Ranong. Checked into this rather new hotel

Very bright and nice room

The spacious toilet very well designed

 

[Froggy]

I like the hotel breakfast simple yet comprehensive

 

[Froggy]

Visited a cafe in Ranong beach

 

[Froggy]

Had a great seafood dinner at a restaurant in Ranong


Steamed egg

Grilled squid in sweet sauce

Deep fried prawn in tamarind sauce

Mixed vegetables and chicken

Soya sauce groupa

Deep sea pomfret steamed with sour plum

 

[Froggy]

Friday 6.30am morning walk in the main street of Ranong

Old building 1959

Chinese school

Many shops still not open

Classic shopfront

Old walkway

Waiting for the ride to school

Everyone seemed to be looking at their phone

Morning delivery

Ranong main market, lets go in to take a look

Morning pick

Fresh fish from the boats

Waiting for customers

Meats

Provision shop

Vegetables

Unloading

Alms

Dry stuff

 

[Froggy]

After the long morning walk chanced upon a dimsum shop Chill Chill

Dimsum refrigerator

Morning fix, traditional black coffee

Ordered century egg pork porridge

Some dimsum

 

[Froggy]

Taking a Night Walk Along Ranong's Short Walk Street

 

[Froggy]

At Ranong I went to a beautiful cafe in a SHELL gas station.

168Cafe

 

[Froggy]

My second morning in Ranong I discovered a traditional porridge shop

Was told they've been in business for more than 30 years. Shop opens 5am and closes when sold out which is about noon.

The stall

Dining area

Menu on the wall

Owner preparing food

Food preparation

Porridge

Pork rib soup

Coffee and fritter

My rice noodle with pork

Porridge and pork rib soup

 

[Froggy]

Was told Ranong is also popular for muslim food especially roti, so on the day I was to leave Ranong I went in search of roti for breakfast.


The Muslim Shop

Menu

Stall

She is making roti

The kitchen

Full house

My breakfast that costs $7.00