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A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand
- Thread starter Leongsam
- Start date
Kawaguchiko?
Yes. Best best la this place.
Go to mountainous area must try yamanosachi, which roughly translates as food from the mountains e.g. roots or vegetables grown on mountains. Most people think all Japanese food is fish-based; not so. Ryokans in the area will serve this. Try it.
Yes they actually served quite a lot of root and leaves based stuff dinner and breakfast in this ryokan. Crunchy stuff some of them and tasty, lady tried to explain while serving but I catch no ball.
Today's (sour?) slice of thai mango. A sour poke on making merit, by local media's editorial
passport to happiness is all you need
Bangkok Post Published: 26/07/2014 at 12:11 AM
Like a sinner praying for salvation, I pray that the Ministry of Education will launch the "good deeds passports" project before the next full moon. Kids, parents and disciplinarians are dying to wave it around like a diploma of sanity, or an amulet against ghosts and anarchism. The Education Ministry is so educated that it has tapped into the zeitgeist: moral bookkeeping, and control of the happiness barometer (check out the military carnival at Sanam Luang), will guarantee the bright future of democratic Thailand.
The passport may be just an idea, but its timing is no coincidence. This is the year when the pendulum of morality swings hard one-way. All authorities are suspended, all clocks rewound and all judgement rests on cold steel guns. In order to prepare myself, I’ve jotted down entries in my passport of good deeds — my personal diary of scruples that I fondle and treasure like eternal bliss. It’s time you start writing too. Here goes:
July 20: I burned all my copies of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
July 20: I wanted more points, so I burned all my copies of Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Ulysses (the most dangerous book, because it shatters the fossilised and baptises individualism), and all Thai journals published by mad people after Oct 14, 1973. I also burned a copy of the 1997 charter; it smelled like barbecued liberty.
July 21: I bought a lottery ticket from a blind man. I was surprised that he charged me 100 baht but thought my problems had been brilliantly solved.
July 22: Pledging solidarity, I took a selfie with a soldier at the Happy Festival at Sanam Luang. Then I condemned the US, the EU, the UN, Unicef, the CIA, the NBA, the NFL, Fifa, Nasa, the BBC, CNN, the NYT, ISIS, Asean and anyone who lacks an understanding of Thailand’s exceptionalism and our unorthodox path towards long-lasting democracy. Indonesia should learn from us, not us from them.
July 22: I read the interim charter. I praised it (moral points: 100). I killed my belief that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was going against the flow of time and history, that they shouldn’t force us to keep black caterpillars but allow them to become butterflies — crippled, cancerous, imperfect butterflies, but butterflies nevertheless. For moral points, I threw away my idea that with Section 44, which allows the junta absolute power, it’s no longer about Thaksin versus Suthep, or Yingluck versus Abhisit, or the military versus the rest, but about the way we choose to perceive the world and its governing principles, the way we decide our place in history, and whether we choose to live in the present or in nostalgia.
July 23: Abhisit Vejjajiva raised an eyebrow at Section 44: "There are questions as to why the NCPO needs the power to intervene in the legislative and judicial branches." How could he? I condemned him (moral points: 90).
July 23: I agreed with my friend that the military has to "clean house" despite having to burn half of it to kill the germs (moral points: 110). So when I read Section 48 — the equivalent of a blanket amnesty — I didn’t question my silent friend who once tore his hair and ripped his heart out against the other blanket amnesty. I went along with him and didn’t in the least suspect that while the circumstances are different, the exculpation and scot-free clause are the same.
July 24: I helped a blind man cross the road. He still charged me 100 baht for a lottery ticket.
July 24: I joined the chorus of dissent against Yingluck Shinawatra’s trip to Paris (moral points: 550). I rejected the speculation that her vacation — her flight, her exile, her last airlift out of the war zone — was a preordained affair struck among the string-pullers whose invisibility we’re subjected to endure, just like when her brother left the country years ago. There’s no script among the elites. There are no pawns on the table. There are no conspiracies, only pure good and pure evil.
July 25: I praised the decision to cut a road right through a national park. I praised the three-trillion-baht rail project. I praised institutionalised nationalism. I praised the good deeds passport project. I praised everything and deleted the meaning of "criticism" from my memory. For moral points, I’m ready to give up any idea — to denounce my inner life, to let my prejudices run deep and my intelligence run low in order to live in a happy stupor forever.
Kong Rithdee is Deputy Life Editor, Bangkok Post.
passport to happiness is all you need
Bangkok Post Published: 26/07/2014 at 12:11 AM
Like a sinner praying for salvation, I pray that the Ministry of Education will launch the "good deeds passports" project before the next full moon. Kids, parents and disciplinarians are dying to wave it around like a diploma of sanity, or an amulet against ghosts and anarchism. The Education Ministry is so educated that it has tapped into the zeitgeist: moral bookkeeping, and control of the happiness barometer (check out the military carnival at Sanam Luang), will guarantee the bright future of democratic Thailand.
The passport may be just an idea, but its timing is no coincidence. This is the year when the pendulum of morality swings hard one-way. All authorities are suspended, all clocks rewound and all judgement rests on cold steel guns. In order to prepare myself, I’ve jotted down entries in my passport of good deeds — my personal diary of scruples that I fondle and treasure like eternal bliss. It’s time you start writing too. Here goes:
July 20: I burned all my copies of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
July 20: I wanted more points, so I burned all my copies of Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Ulysses (the most dangerous book, because it shatters the fossilised and baptises individualism), and all Thai journals published by mad people after Oct 14, 1973. I also burned a copy of the 1997 charter; it smelled like barbecued liberty.
July 21: I bought a lottery ticket from a blind man. I was surprised that he charged me 100 baht but thought my problems had been brilliantly solved.
July 22: Pledging solidarity, I took a selfie with a soldier at the Happy Festival at Sanam Luang. Then I condemned the US, the EU, the UN, Unicef, the CIA, the NBA, the NFL, Fifa, Nasa, the BBC, CNN, the NYT, ISIS, Asean and anyone who lacks an understanding of Thailand’s exceptionalism and our unorthodox path towards long-lasting democracy. Indonesia should learn from us, not us from them.
July 22: I read the interim charter. I praised it (moral points: 100). I killed my belief that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was going against the flow of time and history, that they shouldn’t force us to keep black caterpillars but allow them to become butterflies — crippled, cancerous, imperfect butterflies, but butterflies nevertheless. For moral points, I threw away my idea that with Section 44, which allows the junta absolute power, it’s no longer about Thaksin versus Suthep, or Yingluck versus Abhisit, or the military versus the rest, but about the way we choose to perceive the world and its governing principles, the way we decide our place in history, and whether we choose to live in the present or in nostalgia.
July 23: Abhisit Vejjajiva raised an eyebrow at Section 44: "There are questions as to why the NCPO needs the power to intervene in the legislative and judicial branches." How could he? I condemned him (moral points: 90).
July 23: I agreed with my friend that the military has to "clean house" despite having to burn half of it to kill the germs (moral points: 110). So when I read Section 48 — the equivalent of a blanket amnesty — I didn’t question my silent friend who once tore his hair and ripped his heart out against the other blanket amnesty. I went along with him and didn’t in the least suspect that while the circumstances are different, the exculpation and scot-free clause are the same.
July 24: I helped a blind man cross the road. He still charged me 100 baht for a lottery ticket.
July 24: I joined the chorus of dissent against Yingluck Shinawatra’s trip to Paris (moral points: 550). I rejected the speculation that her vacation — her flight, her exile, her last airlift out of the war zone — was a preordained affair struck among the string-pullers whose invisibility we’re subjected to endure, just like when her brother left the country years ago. There’s no script among the elites. There are no pawns on the table. There are no conspiracies, only pure good and pure evil.
July 25: I praised the decision to cut a road right through a national park. I praised the three-trillion-baht rail project. I praised institutionalised nationalism. I praised the good deeds passport project. I praised everything and deleted the meaning of "criticism" from my memory. For moral points, I’m ready to give up any idea — to denounce my inner life, to let my prejudices run deep and my intelligence run low in order to live in a happy stupor forever.
Kong Rithdee is Deputy Life Editor, Bangkok Post.
This country had gone to he dogs I must say. Foreign investments had literally stopped, hotels are closed, staff downsize, even factories closed, infrastructures particularly all on hold or cancelled indefinitely and even old contracts are being renegotiated by those in authority for new "benefits". The coffers are getting dry very soon. Everyone here knows but it's impossible do anything with the barrel of the gun staring at you isn't it?
Welcum to city of angels. TS is having a ball in nippon land. Bkk is a most visitor friendly place, so it's easy to do a lone ranger thing. Just be wary of guides in female form :p
You can pop over to Pattaya, and mess with our resident Chonburi fella
Auto sales drop -40% year on year, sign of lousy consumer sentiments (to 1st half 2014). And from auto manufacturing base
Thai auto sales plunge 40.5%: Toyota
Bangkok Post Published: 29/07/2014 at 08:24 PM
The Thai unit of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said Tuesday that overall auto industry sales in Thailand in the first half of 2014 plunged 40.5% from a year earlier to 440,911 vehicles.
At a press conference in Bangkok, Kyoichi Tanada, president of Toyota Motor Thailand Co, attributed the drop to the adverse effect of domestic political uncertainty on consumer buying sentiment.
Mr Tanada, however, voiced confidence that the stabilization of the political environment will translate into a recovery in the second half of this year.
The company also revised downward full-year auto sales for the industry to 920,000 units, which would be a 30.9% drop from the previous year.
Toyota, the largest car manufacturer in Thailand, said it sold 163,997 vehicles in the first six months of the year, a drop of 30.9% on the year. For the whole year, it expects to sell 330,000 vehicles, down 25.9% on the year.
Thai auto sales plunge 40.5%: Toyota
Bangkok Post Published: 29/07/2014 at 08:24 PM
The Thai unit of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said Tuesday that overall auto industry sales in Thailand in the first half of 2014 plunged 40.5% from a year earlier to 440,911 vehicles.
At a press conference in Bangkok, Kyoichi Tanada, president of Toyota Motor Thailand Co, attributed the drop to the adverse effect of domestic political uncertainty on consumer buying sentiment.
Mr Tanada, however, voiced confidence that the stabilization of the political environment will translate into a recovery in the second half of this year.
The company also revised downward full-year auto sales for the industry to 920,000 units, which would be a 30.9% drop from the previous year.
Toyota, the largest car manufacturer in Thailand, said it sold 163,997 vehicles in the first six months of the year, a drop of 30.9% on the year. For the whole year, it expects to sell 330,000 vehicles, down 25.9% on the year.
Bright spark is that train infrastructure (including HSR) projects given the green light
High-speed train gets go ahead. Two routes okayed in B741bn scheme
Bangkok Post Published: 30/07/2014 at 06:03 AM
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has approved two high-speed train projects at a total cost of 741.4 billion baht. The two routes approved are intended to serve as a transport link between Thailand and southern China.
Proposals for a high-speed train from Rayong to Nong Khai - and on to China - were first made in October, 2013, at an exhibition sponsored partly by China Railways.
Permanent secretary for transport Soithip Traisuth, however, said the maximum speed of the trains to be operated on the new routes, between Nong Khai and Map Ta Phut and between Chaing Khong and Ban Phachi, would have to be reduced to 160 kilometres per hour from 200 km/ph.
A study would be carried out to explore ways to bring the construction cost of the dual-track rail system from about 500-600 million baht per km to a range of 350-400 million baht per km, she said.
“The high-speed train dual track standards will be maintained even though the maximum speed of the trains will have to be lowered from 200km/ph to 160km/ph. This is to allow a possible shift to a higher speed train system at a later date after more investment in the future,” said Ms Soithip after meeting the military about the country’s infrastructure development scheme.
The Nong Khai-Map Ta Phut route will be 737km in length and cost 392.5 billion baht while the Chiang Khong-Ban Phachi route will be 655km long and cost 348.8 billion baht.
The construction of the two routes will begin next year and should be completed by 2021. The construction of these two high-speed train routes is part of the eight-year infrastructure development scheme beginning from next year until 2022.
The working group comprising the National Budget Bureau and the Transport Ministry will next work out a budgetary plan for the projects.
The group, chaired by NCPO deputy chief ACM Prajin Jantong who oversees economic affairs, is expected to come up with a conclusion on the funding sources in a month.
The urgent projects were intended to improve connections within the country’s transport network which includes the gateways to border trade, key cities, Bangkok, its surrounding provinces, seaports, airports, and cargo rail transport centres, said Ms Soithip.
A state source said the routes are in line with a proposal by China which wants to link its lower southern region to Southeast Asia via Thailand.
The high-speed trains will be strategic routes for China to gain more economic influence in the region.
During the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, China proposed to invest in the high-speed train projects for Thailand but it requested land and property management along the tracks.
Aside from these two high-speed train routes, Ms Soithip said, six more dual-track rail routes have also won approval by the NCPO in the same urgent package.
These six routes will receive a total construction budget of 117.4 billion baht.
Another route from Chachoengsao to Kaeng Khoi in Saraburi was pending a bidding process and scrutiny by the junta’s committee asked to examine the public sector’s spending, said Ms Soithip.
Apart from constructing the rail routes, the urgent infrastructure development plan also includes plans to buy 106 new locomotives, said Ms Soithip.
Twenty new locomotives have already been purchased and they are expected to be shipped to Thailand by next month, while 86 more new locomotives will be purchased later, she said.
As for the development of the highways, a number of major highways will undergo a renovation plan. They include Highway No.4 (Krabi-Huay Yot), Highway No.12 (Kalasin-Somdet) Highway No.304 (Kabin Buri-Pak Thong Chai), Highway No.314 (Bang Pakong-Chachoengsao), and Highway No.3138 (Ban Bung-Ban Khai).
The construction of four electric rail routes in Bangkok, meanwhile, will be finished within the next three years, said Ms Soithip.
The 23km Purple Line (Bang Yai-Bang Sue) should be completed by next year. The 27km Blue Line extension (Bang Sue-Tha Phra-Bang Khae), the 12.8km Green Line (Bearing-Samut Prakan), and the 26km Red Line (Bang Sue-Rangsit) are all expected to be completed by 2017.
The other electric rail route projects are still pending either the bidding process or the pre-bidding preparation process which includes an environmental impact assessment.
Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said Tuesday it had opened the bidding envelope submitted by MHSC Consortium, the sole contender in the contest to supply the electric system and electric trains for the Red Line. The MHSC Consortium offered 49 billion baht, which was considerably higher than the median price, set at 28.8 billion baht, said Phakorn Tangjetasakaw, deputy governor of the SRT. MHSC Consortium consists of Mitsubishi Heavy Industrial Ltd, Hitachi, and Sumitomo Corporation.
The SRT is expected to take one month to consider whether the offered price is reasonable and if so, the SRT would next seek approval for the proposal from both its board of directors and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Further approvals from the Transport Ministry and the junta will be needed. JICA has provided the loans for the construction of this particular electric rail route.
Barring any further problems, the entire process should take about six months, said Mr Phakorn.
High-speed train gets go ahead. Two routes okayed in B741bn scheme
Bangkok Post Published: 30/07/2014 at 06:03 AM
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has approved two high-speed train projects at a total cost of 741.4 billion baht. The two routes approved are intended to serve as a transport link between Thailand and southern China.
Proposals for a high-speed train from Rayong to Nong Khai - and on to China - were first made in October, 2013, at an exhibition sponsored partly by China Railways.
Permanent secretary for transport Soithip Traisuth, however, said the maximum speed of the trains to be operated on the new routes, between Nong Khai and Map Ta Phut and between Chaing Khong and Ban Phachi, would have to be reduced to 160 kilometres per hour from 200 km/ph.
A study would be carried out to explore ways to bring the construction cost of the dual-track rail system from about 500-600 million baht per km to a range of 350-400 million baht per km, she said.
“The high-speed train dual track standards will be maintained even though the maximum speed of the trains will have to be lowered from 200km/ph to 160km/ph. This is to allow a possible shift to a higher speed train system at a later date after more investment in the future,” said Ms Soithip after meeting the military about the country’s infrastructure development scheme.
The Nong Khai-Map Ta Phut route will be 737km in length and cost 392.5 billion baht while the Chiang Khong-Ban Phachi route will be 655km long and cost 348.8 billion baht.
The construction of the two routes will begin next year and should be completed by 2021. The construction of these two high-speed train routes is part of the eight-year infrastructure development scheme beginning from next year until 2022.
The working group comprising the National Budget Bureau and the Transport Ministry will next work out a budgetary plan for the projects.
The group, chaired by NCPO deputy chief ACM Prajin Jantong who oversees economic affairs, is expected to come up with a conclusion on the funding sources in a month.
The urgent projects were intended to improve connections within the country’s transport network which includes the gateways to border trade, key cities, Bangkok, its surrounding provinces, seaports, airports, and cargo rail transport centres, said Ms Soithip.
A state source said the routes are in line with a proposal by China which wants to link its lower southern region to Southeast Asia via Thailand.
The high-speed trains will be strategic routes for China to gain more economic influence in the region.
During the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, China proposed to invest in the high-speed train projects for Thailand but it requested land and property management along the tracks.
Aside from these two high-speed train routes, Ms Soithip said, six more dual-track rail routes have also won approval by the NCPO in the same urgent package.
These six routes will receive a total construction budget of 117.4 billion baht.
Another route from Chachoengsao to Kaeng Khoi in Saraburi was pending a bidding process and scrutiny by the junta’s committee asked to examine the public sector’s spending, said Ms Soithip.
Apart from constructing the rail routes, the urgent infrastructure development plan also includes plans to buy 106 new locomotives, said Ms Soithip.
Twenty new locomotives have already been purchased and they are expected to be shipped to Thailand by next month, while 86 more new locomotives will be purchased later, she said.
As for the development of the highways, a number of major highways will undergo a renovation plan. They include Highway No.4 (Krabi-Huay Yot), Highway No.12 (Kalasin-Somdet) Highway No.304 (Kabin Buri-Pak Thong Chai), Highway No.314 (Bang Pakong-Chachoengsao), and Highway No.3138 (Ban Bung-Ban Khai).
The construction of four electric rail routes in Bangkok, meanwhile, will be finished within the next three years, said Ms Soithip.
The 23km Purple Line (Bang Yai-Bang Sue) should be completed by next year. The 27km Blue Line extension (Bang Sue-Tha Phra-Bang Khae), the 12.8km Green Line (Bearing-Samut Prakan), and the 26km Red Line (Bang Sue-Rangsit) are all expected to be completed by 2017.
The other electric rail route projects are still pending either the bidding process or the pre-bidding preparation process which includes an environmental impact assessment.
Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said Tuesday it had opened the bidding envelope submitted by MHSC Consortium, the sole contender in the contest to supply the electric system and electric trains for the Red Line. The MHSC Consortium offered 49 billion baht, which was considerably higher than the median price, set at 28.8 billion baht, said Phakorn Tangjetasakaw, deputy governor of the SRT. MHSC Consortium consists of Mitsubishi Heavy Industrial Ltd, Hitachi, and Sumitomo Corporation.
The SRT is expected to take one month to consider whether the offered price is reasonable and if so, the SRT would next seek approval for the proposal from both its board of directors and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Further approvals from the Transport Ministry and the junta will be needed. JICA has provided the loans for the construction of this particular electric rail route.
Barring any further problems, the entire process should take about six months, said Mr Phakorn.
Are you referring to LOS or Spore
Many of us only go to LOS as tourists & don't see the complications of doing business there. As a tourist I've only had to face naughty massage touts, gemstone scams, aggressive lady boys,...
As a business owner are you facing problems & thinking of re-locating
This may not be a result of the coup. More likely a result of the 2011-2 first-time car buyer scheme. It cannibalized the demand from future years as well as flooded the market with used cars from defaults.
Are you referring to LOS or Spore
Many of us only go to LOS as tourists & don't see the complications of doing business there. As a tourist I've only had to face naughty massage touts, gemstone scams, aggressive lady boys,...
As a business owner are you facing problems & thinking of re-locating
I am referring to Thailand
Vehicle sales is actually a good indication of the health or growth of an economy. However in Thailand's case many businessmen use specifically the 1-Ton truck or rather the pickup truck sales as an indication as this is the work horse of many industries particularly the real sector.
Also this 1-ton truck market is separate from the past 1st time buy car scheme as the scheme only helps subcompact cars like March, Brio, Almera etc.
Allow me to provide you some statistics from the 1-ton truck sales and I leave you to make your own conclusion. (http://www.toyota.co.th/en/sale-volume.php)
2012 sales = 666,106 units
2013 sales = 578,935 units drop of 13% (protest movement stated end of Q3)
The hopful period
Jan-Jun 2012 6 months sales = 305,293 units
Jan-Jun 2013 6 months sales = 326,195 units (+8%)
Impending protest starting and finally started late September 2013
Jul-Dec 2012 6 months sales = 360,813 units
Jul-Dec 2013 6 months sales = 252,740 units (-30%)
Protests continued till coup in May
Jan-Jun 2013 6 months sales = 326,195 units
Jan-Jun 2014 6 months sales = 211,953 units (-35%)
Whatever the result the coup happened only late May so coup should not affect much. Looking at the above I believe the political turmoil started in H2 of 2013 till now could be the cause.
Another indication of the state of economy is just looking around the Suvarnabhumi Airport, very quiet most of the time.
Finally, what's to be with this country? Simply no idea however many business owners are currently finding more time to travel and golfing, nothing much to do.
Also this 1-ton truck market is separate from the past 1st time buy car scheme as the scheme only helps subcompact cars like March, Brio, Almera etc.
Allow me to provide you some statistics from the 1-ton truck sales and I leave you to make your own conclusion. (http://www.toyota.co.th/en/sale-volume.php)
2012 sales = 666,106 units
2013 sales = 578,935 units drop of 13% (protest movement stated end of Q3)
The hopful period
Jan-Jun 2012 6 months sales = 305,293 units
Jan-Jun 2013 6 months sales = 326,195 units (+8%)
Impending protest starting and finally started late September 2013
Jul-Dec 2012 6 months sales = 360,813 units
Jul-Dec 2013 6 months sales = 252,740 units (-30%)
Protests continued till coup in May
Jan-Jun 2013 6 months sales = 326,195 units
Jan-Jun 2014 6 months sales = 211,953 units (-35%)
Whatever the result the coup happened only late May so coup should not affect much. Looking at the above I believe the political turmoil started in H2 of 2013 till now could be the cause.
Another indication of the state of economy is just looking around the Suvarnabhumi Airport, very quiet most of the time.
Finally, what's to be with this country? Simply no idea however many business owners are currently finding more time to travel and golfing, nothing much to do.
Very sound analysis. Tharman going to call you up soon
30% drop year-on-year is pretty bad. GDP numbers going to be released soon, let's see.
One problem with Thailand is it is getting expensive to do business there and they are struggling to define the value-add besides price. Vietnam and Indonesia eating into their share.
Perhaps we will see a devaluation of baht to stay competitive since their interest rates are already low.
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