A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[rotikosong]

how do they push out thais from their own home land?

I meant figuratively. Just like how some in Singapore feel crowded-out due to increased immigration.
One Tai Yai buys a house in a tambon. Then another buys one too. Then another. Yet another rents. One day you wake up and there is a significant Tai Yai community who speak a different language.

There's a lot of Tai Yais in Mae Sai that weren't there in the same numbers 10-15 years ago.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

I meant figuratively. Just like how some in Singapore feel crowded-out due to increased immigration.
One Tai Yai buys a house in a tambon. Then another buys one too. Then another. Yet another rents. One day you wake up and there is a significant Tai Yai community who speak a different language.

There's a lot of Tai Yais in Mae Sai that weren't there in the same numbers 10-15 years ago.

Have the thais taken any sort of action towards that? You know in other countries if things like that occur there would be riots and unrest in the area which isn't like singapore since sinkies just suck it up but i'm just surprised the thais there didn't really do anything about it.

 

[Froggy]

Sawasdee krup everyone. Amaranth is a nice hotel very near to the airport. Its very new and pleasant. For those who just need a night to stay over this is a great hotel. Here's the morning view of the airport I just tool this a few minutes ago. You can see the control tower and also the main terminal building of the airport.

 

[Froggy]

Have the thais taken any sort of action towards that? You know in other countries if things like that occur there would be riots and unrest in the area which isn't like singapore since sinkies just suck it up but i'm just surprised the thais there didn't really do anything about it.

Jah its just like sinkies being pushed away by middle management Indians and Pinoys who hire only their own. You don't hear this about PRC. Do you think I am right?

 

[Alamaking]

Good morning everyone

 

[Alamaking]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u_JKbcH9dwk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Song of the day, LOL

 

[yinyang]

in Mae Sai on special visas that restrict them to living in Amphur Mae Sai only. They have a special "Mae Sai only" ID card and are not Thai citizens.

Came across (and also heard) that in border crossings like Mae Sai or Mae Sot. Local police test can be to sing thai national anthem?:p

BKK is so huge and pictures like that look like anywhere in bkk or even thailand

.

a bit unfair to expect anyone to pinpoint the correct spot.

Ah so, had us guessing. But all in the fun of guessing. Apartments like that with exteriors abound in Bkk. But I tend to see the common central "airwell" in these sort of apartments. Even on downside eastern Bangna area

 

[rotikosong]

Have the thais taken any sort of action towards that? You know in other countries if things like that occur there would be riots and unrest in the area which isn't like singapore since sinkies just suck it up but i'm just surprised the thais there didn't really do anything about it.

Good question. I don't know for sure but if I were to guess, border areas are like that everywhere. Fluid. Mae Sai has always had people from across the border: Myamarese, Chinese traders from Yunan etc

The Tai Yai don't stick out like a sore thumb - they speak Thai (because all TV in Keng Tung is Thai TV) from young and look Thai (they are the same stock as Thais). In Mae Sai, there are Myanmarese Nuea Thais as well that were separated when the borders were drawn.

 

[Froggy]

The Tai Yai don't stick out like a sore thumb - they speak Thai (because all TV in Keng Tung is Thai TV) from young and look Thai (they are the same stock as Thais). In Mae Sai, there are Myanmarese Nuea Thais as well that were separated when the borders were drawn.

for those who don't know you may think "this guy must be with NGOs or druglord" ha ha ha oh oh oh or maybe missionary wahahaha

 

[melzp]

If you want to find out about another ethnic minority that's not hilltribe - then read up on the Tai Yai - or in English: Shan.

They come from Kyaingtong or Chiang Tung or Keng Tung in Burma, which is 3-4 hours drive from Tachilek, the border town opposite Mae Sai. Today, a large number of them live in Mae Sai - to the chagrin of the Thais who are slowly being pushed out.

Most of them are in Mae Sai on special visas that restrict them to living in Amphur Mae Sai only. They have a special "Mae Sai only" ID card and are not Thai citizens.

Do u hv connection to get "mae Sai only" ID for Sgp passport holder, who can speak Shan/Thai?

 

[rotikosong]

...oh oh oh or maybe missionary wahahaha

hahaha most likely missionary most tio

 

[Froggy]

hahaha most likely missionary most tio

Ya right missionary position sure la

 

[Froggy]

KYP something I never (yes never every trip die die must go) miss while in Shanghai is to go to this Hunan restaurant. Very authentic and delicious. Not far from you but must take taxi. Its just near to Garden Hotel in Maoming Road:



http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/hunan/has/di-shui-dong/

Di Shui Dong 滴水洞饭店
2/F, 56 Maoming Nan Lu,
茂名南路56号2楼

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Good question. I don't know for sure but if I were to guess, border areas are like that everywhere. Fluid. Mae Sai has always had people from across the border: Myamarese, Chinese traders from Yunan etc

The Tai Yai don't stick out like a sore thumb - they speak Thai (because all TV in Keng Tung is Thai TV) from young and look Thai (they are the same stock as Thais). In Mae Sai, there are Myanmarese Nuea Thais as well that were separated when the borders were drawn.

There are alot of Tai Yai people in places like Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao etc

Tai Yai can pass off as Nuea Thai when Thai from elsewhere except the north.....i had a Thai Yai girlfriend who lived in Thailand for more than 10 years and to me sounds like a Nuea Thai but somehow cannot never fool any northerner.

Keng Tung is a beauitful place.....i heard they have casinos now in Tachilek already.

let's see if my few Tai Yai phrases still remember......Gor Hak. Hao Hak Su Nam Nam. Su Jon Ha Hao

 

[rotikosong]

Do u hv connection to get "mae Sai only" ID for Sgp passport holder, who can speak Shan/Thai?

I have zero connections lah. I am nobody here, there, anywhere - just an interested observer.

The way I understand it, you must have family connections in Mae Sai to get one of these IDs. First, you must get registered in a family member's tabien baan (house register) at the Amphur office. All Thais or legal residents have a tabien baan (works like the Chinese Hukou or the Japanese Koseki Touhon). Only then can you get an ID card.

I don't know what use it would be for a SG passport holder to have one of these cards. It's primarily used as a document to go back and forth over the border and you must stay/work only within Mae Sai. If you've ever traveled on the highway down south to Chiang Rai, you'd know there's 2 army checkpoints you have to pass through, before and after Mae Chan town. They check everyone on the rot tua so you'd have to take a taxi (and pay a bribe) to escape that check.

If the SG passport holder is a former Myanmarese, then he/she should tap into the Tai Yai network and ask there. As I said, some subterfuge is needed - some Thai has to claim him/her as a relative and part of their household as a first step

 

[rotikosong]

Keng Tung is a beauitful place.....i heard they have casinos now in Tachilek already.

I've never been to Keng Tung - on my to-do list along with Mong La over the chinese border there but now I hear you need to hire an official "guide" to go there. I'm waiting for Myanmar to liberalize more - it will happen by 2015. Just last week, Myanmar changed its forex BS policy so miracles do happen. In the future then, you can cross over to Tachilek, go to the airport (yes, there's an airport there) and hop on a flight to Bagan, Heehaw, Mandalay etc

I don't speak Tai Yai but I can guess when someone's speaking it. I think over in Tachilek, most of the people there are not Tai Yai but Nuea. You must've not been to Tachilek in a while - I believe the casinos opened in 2001. Anyway no loss, Tachilek while interesting, is "1-day-only interesting". And dangerous - until 2002 I believe, there was an active war going on there between Myanmar, Thai army and the Wa. Several bombs and mortar shells went off in Mae Sai. A couple of soldiers killed as well. The Wa is still there.

 

[melzp]

tks for info, ROTI. Actually, I juz want to stay long term in that area.(retire)

 

[rotikosong]

tks for info, ROTI. Actually, I juz want to stay long term in that area.(retire)

If you're over 50 (I think), then the retiree visa is an option. You have to park xxx (look it up) baht in a fixed deposit or show a recurring monthly retirement income over a certain threshold.
Or be a "student". House prices have gone up quite a bit. I know someone who paid around neung lan baht (1 million) for a 2 bedroom house near the Lotus mall. Rental (khaa chao baan) is something like 2000-3000B per month.

IIRC, back in 2003, 5 rai was like 200,000 baht 15 minutes from Mae Sai.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Yes. Very long time ago.
Back then foreigners were supposedly forbidden to enter via Mai Sai crossing......day entry only for thais.
It was an unforgetable trip....for the wrong reasons.

A group of us entered with Thai military passes issued to us sinkies soldiers stationed there....passing off as RTA personnel.....our guide was a RTA master segeant.
On our way out in the evening, 3 in our group had guns pointed to their heads and i seriously thought at least one of them was to be executed on the spot. In truth those border guards only wanted to 'archarcoal' money from the us....the 3 did not had passports with them.....ended up had their wallets cleaned out.

Was a lousy trip....went back to camp still kena disciplinary action.

I've never been to Keng Tung - on my to-do list along with Mong La over the chinese border there but now I hear you need to hire an official "guide" to go there. I'm waiting for Myanmar to liberalize more - it will happen by 2015. Just last week, Myanmar changed its forex BS policy so miracles do happen. In the future then, you can cross over to Tachilek, go to the airport (yes, there's an airport there) and hop on a flight to Bagan, Heehaw, Mandalay etc

I don't speak Tai Yai but I can guess when someone's speaking it. I think over in Tachilek, most of the people there are not Tai Yai but Nuea. You must've not been to Tachilek in a while - I believe the casinos opened in 2001. Anyway no loss, Tachilek while interesting, is "1-day-only interesting". And dangerous - until 2002 I believe, there was an active war going on there between Myanmar, Thai army and the Wa. Several bombs and mortar shells went off in Mae Sai. A couple of soldiers killed as well. The Wa is still there.

 

[melzp]

I've never been to Keng Tung - on my to-do list along with Mong La over the chinese border there but now I hear you need to hire an official "guide" to go there. I.

Get a Thai/Mandarin speaking motorsai fm that big KengTung market will do. I got one w Honda Wave125, but big fat fellow. Was slow at bends n slope.
Quarterway, I took over. Mt were high n hand got cold. Sunset, u see women bath at streams w sarongs. Vry nice sights. Mongla. look like Macau w casinoes.