Motorcycles in Thailand

One of my favourite things about living in Thailand is the popularity of the motorcycle. Motorcycles are the primary mode of transport for a large percentage of the population and they are such fun and great value!

Should I get a Motorcycle?

'I'm in Bangkok' - no

'I'm in the provinces' - yes

I would recommend that anyone who lives in the built up areas of Bangkok should avoid riding a motorcycle unless they are an experienced rider. The sheer number of vehicles on the road in Bangkok combined with the erratic driving style seen in Thailand make it a far too dangerous proposition. The public transport system in Bangkok is developed that I would just stick to this really.

If you live in the provinces however riding a motorcycle is a completely different proposition. Once you leave Bangkok you'll find that not only does the population decrease dramatically but you'll find that there are less cars and more motorcycles. This means that the risk of an accident involving another person is far less then in the city and that most accidents are either a fault on the riders part or from bad road conditions. Transport links in the provinces are not very developed and you may find that a motorcycle is your only way of conveniently getting out the town in which you live. 

(Honda Wave)

Why not buy a car?

'Its too expensive & I don't know how long I'm staying for' 

Cars in Thailand are expensive and I mean really expensive. The price of a new car in Thailand can be double what you would pay for the same car in Europe. The used car market is even worse. Thai people typically do not like to buy used things so the used car market isn't as developed at what you would find for example in the UK. If I wanted to buy a 10 year old runaround in the UK I would look on auto trader or check out Ebay and be able to find a car for around £400 - £800. I have seen absolute wrecks advertised in Thailand for four times this amount. In a country with no reliable MOT like testing procedures I would stay well clear!. I also imagine that selling the car at short notice would be very difficult if you had to leave the country for whatever reason. Selling motorcycles is far easier.

If you have the money and plan to stay in Thailand for the long term then purchasing a new car might be a decent investment because they do hold there value fairly well. The other alternative is of course a motorcycle. 

Do I need an international motorcycle licence?

'yes and no'

Officially you should be in possession of a valid motorcycle licence to drive a motorcycle in Thailand. You can use your international driving licence or you can take a motorbike test in Thailand and obtain a Thai drivers licence. In reality though I don't know anybody who actually has a valid motorcycle licence. The vast majority of people including myself had never ridden motorcycles before they came to Thailand. 

I have never once been asked to produce licence documentation when renting a motorcycle either short term or long term. I do have a valid UK car licence which I will produce if requested by a policeman and this has always been sufficient for them. I would imagine that in the highly populated expat areas of Bangkok & Phuket they might be a little more switched on to the different categories of licences and possibly inclined to use this information to make a little extra money on the side. In the provinces however they're very unlikely to stop foreigners, even if they are clearly breaking traffic laws. 

Should I buy or rent?

'If you are staying for more than six months' - yes

'If you are unsure of your short term plans' - no

There is an old saying that renting is just throwing money onto the fire and this is also the case with motorcycles. I rented an automatic Honda click for about 18 months for 2000 baht per month. This works out at a total of 36,000 which is almost the price of a brand new bike! The reason I was hesitant to take the plunge and purchase my own bike was the convenience that renting gave me. 

The standard price of renting a motorcycle is around 2000 baht per month for automatics and between 1500 - 1800 for manuals. This includes insurance and often doesn't require a deposit either. The main advantage to renting the bike is the flexibility you have to change the bike or leave at short notice without having to deal with the headache of selling your bike beforehand. 

The sensible option for anybody who is planning to stay in Thailand for the medium or long term is to buy a motorcycle. The price of new motorcycles is significantly cheaper than in the west and can be seen as a real bargain. You can get a decent spec automatic Honda Click for around the 50,000 baht and a manual bike for even cheaper than this. The used bike market, unlike its car equivalent is plentiful and extremely good value. I've noticed that manuals bikes tend to dominate the used bike market and are often the preferred choice of the Thais due to their reliability and economical running costs. 

The main problem with purchasing a motorcycle seems to be the paperwork which goes with transferring the bike into your name. The general requirement appears to be a non immigrant visa and proof of your address. I have heard conflicting reports about whether or not a work permit is required but I'm sure there are ways around these requirements if needed. I was lucky enough to have a coordinator from my agency to help me with the motorcycle registration process and I would recommend that everyone uses a Thai native to help them with the documents as this will make the whole process much easier. 

The other main problem with buying a motorcycle is that if you need to leave you are left with the burden of selling this bike. Most things in Thailand are sold through word of mouth and unless you can sell it to one of your farang buddies generating leads for your bike can be tough. If you sell to a Thai they are likely to try and play on your ignorance and get a lower price especially if they think you are a 'rich' farang who doesn't need the money anyway. I know a number of people who had to sell their bikes at well below their intended sale price due to time constraints and a lack of buyers. 

(Honda Click)

Automatic vs. Manual 

'if you're only going to drive in town' - automatic

'If you're planning on doing long trips' - manual 

If you've decided to buy a light motorcycle your first decision will be whether to get an automatic or a manual bike. Automatic bikes are very easy to ride and all the rider has to do is regulate speed with the throttle and break accordingly. Automatic bikes are highly recommended for new riders. My first ever bike was a automatic Honda click and despite having three minor scrapes it was the safest option for me in the beginning. The automatic bikes are fun to drive around town but are not as ideal for long distance riding. They drink petrol far quicker than their manual counterparts and the parts for them are generally more expensive. 

The manual motorcycles you commonly see in Thailand, such as the Honda waves aren't really manual bikes at all. They are actually semi automatics as there is no clutch to control. These bikes are sometimes referred to as 'four steps' because all the rider has to do is switch between the four gears using the step pedal on the side of the bike. Although the initial learning time is slightly longer than with the automatics they are still really easy to ride. The toughest part initially is probably knowing when to change gear because the bikes usually don't come with a rev counter so you must train your ear to listen to the engine. 

The manual bikes are like workhorses. They are strong, reliable and economical. I currently own a Honda Wave 110i and I get almost double the petrol efficiency that I used to get with my old Honda Click. The bike feels far more stable at faster speeds and the parts are extremely cheap due to the fact that they are literally everywhere. I would highly recommend a manual bike to anyone who is planning to go on road trips as these bikes will perform much better over long distances than their automatic cousins. 

Thinking of getting a bike?

Go For It!

If you are thinking of getting a motorcycle and are mature enough to take all the proper safety precautions I say go for it!. It won't take long for the motorcycle bug to bite you and you'll have the freedom to explore what you want, when you want, how you want - bliss!

ASEAN Common Time (ACT)

In 2015 the ASEAN group of nations will officially come together to implement the ASEAN free trade area. This is essentially a trading block which in theory should allow each member country to benefit by standing together with its neighbours in areas of trade and commerce. The concept is similar to the EU and the EEA and such as was experienced in Europe its is likely that its implementation will be rolled out slowly over many years. 

The issue of free movement of labour and capital will probably become a contentious issue as the union progresses and there have even been talks of a common currency being implemented at some stage. One of the most interesting changes that has been discussed is the implementation of a common time zone which would be used throughout the ASEAN region.

ASEAN common time or ACT is seen as a way to increase commerce between member states as they strive to develop the ASEAN economy. The most discussed option is to align all the ASEAN member states to the GMT+8 time zone. This is the time zone which is currently used in Singapore and Malaysia two of the most developed countries in the region. This is also the timezone which is used by mainland China and its special administrative zones, which are an important trading partner for the region. 

There have been arguments against the implementation of a common time zone from member states particularly Myanmar and the furthest eastern islands of Indonesia. The concept on the whole however does seems to make sense, at least economically, although there may well be agricultural implications. It would not only benefit trade between the member nations but would also better facilitate trade with China, a trading partner who is likely to be vital for ASEAN over the coming decades. 

From a personal point of view I would love Thailand to move to the GMT+8 time zone. I can't speak for those who live in the north of the country but those here in the south would only see benefits. In Thailand if you leave work at 5 o'clock you only have about an hour of daylight left to enjoy. I really love that extra hour of daylight that you get when you visit Malaysia or Singapore. It really makes your day seem longer and more valuable, much like summer in the UK when it gets dark really late. 

I hope we will see ASEAN common time in the future at GMT+8 so we can all start enjoying more daylight in the evening!

Five Disadvantages of Spending Christmas in Thailand

In my previous post I wrote my top five advantages of spending christmas in Thailand. The idea of spending the christmas period in a tropical country can certainly sound idilic. Whilst there are many benefits to being in Thailand over the holiday period there are also many disadvantages. These are my top five disadvantages of spending christmas time in Thailand.

1. Family

The chances are that if you are spending the christmas period in Thailand you are probably away from most of your family who are spending christmas time together in your home country. Christmas is traditionally the one time of the year that all family members come together at the same place at the same time. If you are away in Thailand it can leave you feeling slightly out in the cold and as good as friends are they can never really compare to spending the holidays with your family. 

2. Food

A huge downside to spending christmas in Thailand is missing out on all that yummy home cooked christmas food. Roast turkey, potatoes, stuffing all those traditional christmas comforts and traditions - forget about it!. The best you can hope for is to try and make your own christmas dinner using extremely overpriced import food from luxury retailers such as tops. In the provinces you can forget about getting anything even resembling a christmas dinner at a restaurant but if you head up to Bangkok i'm sure you could find a restaurant doing christmas roasts aimed at the tourist market. Hardly the same though is it? 

3. Work

If you are like me and you work in Thailand then the chances are that you will have to go to work on christmas day. Thailand isn't a christian country and you'll find that most Thais will be completely oblivious to the fact that it's christmas or maybe not even know what christmas is!. You should be able to wangle a day off of work providing your boss isn't too mean or you can just pretend that you're a diehard christian and you need to go to church on christmas day (that always works!!!)

4. General Sense of Missing Out

If you use social media you will find that most of your friends back home are posting about how they are preparing for christmas and how exciting everything is. At the same time you look around and everything is normal, no references to christmas and life going on as normal. This can easily make you loose your christmas spirit and be tempted to simply 'not bother with it this year'

5. Homesickness 

I'd imagine that christmas is the number one time that expats feel homesick which is the reason that so many of them decide to go home over the holiday period, even though practically it's probably the worst time of the year to do so. I think the reason that we feel particularly vulnerable to homesickness at this time of year is that all of our memories, traditions and cultures are bought to the forefront of our minds. This can lead us to look around at our current alien surroundings and think 'why the hell am I here?'. If you are particularly prone to homesickness I would suggest that you stay away from trying to recreate a traditional western christmas and embrace the change. I'd say head to the beach, eat exotic food and create unique christmas memories - everyone at home will be well jealous! 

Five Advantages of Spending Christmas in Thailand

Christmas is an important time of the year for many people. It is the time of the year when people return home to their family and partake in age old christmas traditions. Many expats however will be spending the christmas time in a foreign country away from their families and whilst this may sound a little depressing there are actually a number of advantages. These are my five top advantages of spending christmas time in Thailand. 

1. The Weather

The obvious advantage of spending christmas in a tropical country is the weather. Whilst your friends and family at home in blighty are dealing with the cold temperatures, overcast skies and general dreary conditions you are sunning it up in 30C heat. Head to a beach enjoy the sun, take some pics, send them home and make everyone really jealous!

2. Lack of Stress

Thailand is a buddhist country, it is not christian and for all intensive purposes does not celebrate christmas whatsoever. Whilst you may see a christmas tree in the local department store, it is more of a marketing ploy by the large companies to sell a luxury western ideal. The vast majority of Thai's don't know anything about christmas and have little interest in it. This means that you're not going to be invited to an endless string of christmas get-togethers and you can focus on those who are important to you the most. It also means that instead of having to buy presents for everyone you know, you could just give them a cheap christmas card and a sweet from an assortment box and they'll be over the moon! 

3. Spending time with friends

Christmas is of course a time for family and loved ones. Most expats who decide to remain in the country for the christmas period will surround themselves with their expat friends. It is likely that your group of expat friends is made up of a number of different nationalities. This is a golden opportunity to experience other countries christmas traditions without actually being there yourself. You can take the best of christmas from North America, mix it with the best of Europe, add a southern hemisphere twist and finish it off with a Filipino topping. Multiculturalism at it's best!

4. Skype Technology

The advent of technology has certainly made the world feel like a smaller place. Like most expats I will take the time to Skype with my family at christmas. We usually make the call when everyone is in the family living room together on christmas day. This gives me the opportunity to be with the family as a whole, as well as have individual conversations with each family member in turn. If you spend a decent amount of time on that Skype call you'll still feel very much part of the christmas party and you won't have to deal with sitting through a 2 hour marathon edition on EastEnders! Result!

5. Control Christmas 

Perhaps the best part of spending christmas in a foreign country which is not christian is that you can control christmas 100%. If you're a big fan of christmas you could have a huge bonanza, decorate your house and spread the christmas spirit to everyone around you and they'll love it!. If you are perhaps not so keen on the festive season then you could have a very relaxed christmas time and just take part in the traditions that you want to. If people found out that you didn't have a christmas tree in the UK you'd be seen as a miserable scrooge. If you don't have one here no one thinks anything of it. No one is going to force christmas on you! Want to have a less traditional christmas dinner? Go for it - no one will judge, remember it's only a normal day!

In my next post I will be writing five disadvantages of spending christmas in Thailand. Stay tuned! 

Krabi Airport

Thailand is a wonderful country to either visit for a short holiday or to stay in on a more long term basis. The country is famed for its hospitality being nicknamed 'the land of smiles' and this can be seen up and down the country. 

Long term expats and regular travellers will be aware however that this mentality doesn't always spread the Thai borders, in particular the immigration staff who man them. I am going to write a post in the future talking more about the land border crossings but today I want to actually take the time to praise the immigration staff and their hospitality for once!

Krabi Airport is a fairly small international airport situated in the popular southern Thai province of Krabi. The airport is situated outside of town but most people will be heading to an island or off to Ao Nang anyway. The airport offers a shuttle bus service which goes to Krabi Town for 80 baht and to Ao Nang for 150 baht. The bus is air conditioned, white in colour and has all it''s destinations clearly stated in English. I would highly recommend the bus service although private taxis and car rental services are also available at the airport. If you're really looking to save money there is a songthaew which passes the airport and goes directly into town. The problem is that you have to exit the airport and then cross the very busy road and wait for an indeterminate amount of time at the side of the road for the songthaew to arrive and even then there is no guarantee that it will. 

Krabi Airport itself is very small and easy to navigate which makes both the check in and the arrival process extremely easy. The airports international services are mainly from Malaysia and Singapore although there are also services to mainland China as well as a large number of domestic services. I imagine Krabi is seen as a really nice local getaway for Singaporeans & Malaysians with beautiful beaches and cheap seafood found in abundance. 

There was one extraordinary thing I witnessed at Krabi airport though that I have witnessed at no other border crossing either by land or air. The immigration staff were polite and courteous and not just polite and courteous they were actually welcoming, friendly. They engaged with travellers and spoke amazing English. The immigration staff at a lot borders speak in grunts, gaze through your passport as though it was something from a magical far off fairy land and then begrudgingly stamp you through. When I went through Krabi Airport recently there were three desks open to stamp passport and two officers acting as 'greeters'. They were wandering between the lines checking everybody had the correct arrival cards, lending pens and chatting with the tourists. I would have assumed they were airline staff if they hadn't been dressed in immigration uniforms. 

I would highly recommend flying into Krabi Airport if you want an easy stress free immigration experience. I think the reason the staff are so moody at the other crossing is the sheer number of people they have to deal with each day. Krabi Airport only sees a handful of international flights a day which appear to be fairly spaced out. This gives the immigration staff plenty of time to eat, sleep, watch lakorns or whatever they do. A right little easy number!