Would You Work In Singapore?

[wasabi]

Like many I would like to live in Thailand full time. I've tossed around the idea of being an English teacher but it's not my first pick and I've found any other employment options are few and far between. I've tossed around the idea of working in Singapore given the strong economy and proximity to Thailand. But after having been to Singapore and feeling impressed but not yearning to live there full time I had decided to just stick with my current set up here in the USA. Just out of curiosity I did a search in Singapore for jobs I could potentially do once again. I'm a portfolio accountant with an emphasis on performance analysis and financial software administration. and again I easily found about 5 jobs I'm well qualified for. I did this about a year ago and found similar jobs, I even applied to one but did not get a response. I figured me living in the USA qualified or not, probably greatly diminished my competitiveness. My guess if I upped my effort or somehow relocated to Singapore I could get a job.

I'd be close to Thailand but Singapore is no Thailand. Would you do it?

[blizzard]

it doesnt matter what we would do would it.

it matters what you want to do.

plus you dont give enough info, what $s you talking about,etc.

[solo siam]

Couldn't you fly over every week.

[blizzard]

they got brothels in singapore too.....................lol.

[funfun]

Couldn't you fly over every week.

sounds good, finish work 4.00pm fri,to bkk for about 7/8pm, party in bkk till monday morn, 67 bkk about 8/9 singapore

airasia cheap as chips!

[blizzard]

doesnt sound like much fun to me!

once a month maybe!

[funfun]

doesnt sound like much fun to me!

once a month maybe!

depends on how much he likes thailand, and how much he dislikes usa!

one a month maybe better if he likes singapore, me personally found it ok!

a "I'm a portfolio accountant with an emphasis on performance analysis and financial software administration"

never had a job like that, thank god, but,

is that somthing that could be done via the internet? ie with you in thailand?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Like many I would like to live in Thailand full time. I've tossed around the idea of being an English teacher but it's not my first pick and I've found any other employment options are few and far between. I've tossed around the idea of working in Singapore given the strong economy and proximity to Thailand. But after having been to Singapore and feeling impressed but not yearning to live there full time I had decided to just stick with my current set up here in the USA. Just out of curiosity I did a search in Singapore for jobs I could potentially do once again. I'm a portfolio accountant with an emphasis on performance analysis and financial software administration. and again I easily found about 5 jobs I'm well qualified for. I did this about a year ago and found similar jobs, I even applied to one but did not get a response. I figured me living in the USA qualified or not, probably greatly diminished my competitiveness. My guess if I upped my effort or somehow relocated to Singapore I could get a job.

I'd be close to Thailand but Singapore is no Thailand. Would you do it?

With that background you'd still contemplate English language teaching LOL

[LadyinRed]

I would do Singapore for a few years if the money is right.

[GuestHouse]

I've worked in Singapore on two one year assignments and on numerous extended (up to three month) business visits. My wife and I have thoroughly enjopyed our time there.

However, if your dream is to live in Thailand I think you need to do the maths to see if you can afford to live in Thailand long term.

If not stick to working where you maintain your career exeperience and earn a good rate.

Dreams have a habbit of changing, so don't go committing to a life that you might later want while missing out on other opertunities.

[GreenShone]

Like many I would like to live in Thailand full time. I've tossed around the idea of being an English teacher but it's not my first pick and I've found any other employment options are few and far between. I've tossed around the idea of working in Singapore given the strong economy and proximity to Thailand. But after having been to Singapore and feeling impressed but not yearning to live there full time I had decided to just stick with my current set up here in the USA. Just out of curiosity I did a search in Singapore for jobs I could potentially do once again. I'm a portfolio accountant with an emphasis on performance analysis and financial software administration. and again I easily found about 5 jobs I'm well qualified for. I did this about a year ago and found similar jobs, I even applied to one but did not get a response. I figured me living in the USA qualified or not, probably greatly diminished my competitiveness. My guess if I upped my effort or somehow relocated to Singapore I could get a job.

I'd be close to Thailand but Singapore is no Thailand. Would you do it?

Go for it mate. Singapore has Orchard Towers (equivalent to Nana Plaza). Besides, it's a stone's throw away from Thailand and only 2 1/2 hours away from Thailand. That's not a very bad deal.

Might be wise to consider your earnings in singers first though. Housing and the standard of living is a bit higher in singers.

[Captain Chaos]

This is a definite 'one size does not fit all' type subject, but for what it's worth, here's my 2 satangs...

I lived and worked in BKK for just under 5 years. I'm an accountant by profession and held a finance director position with a subsidiary of a western MNC. Got married to a Thai whilst I was there. Due to a number of reasons (too boring to go into here ) I re-located to Singapore in late 2006, where I again hold a senior finance position with a western company.

Positives: Singapore is light years ahead of most of its neighbours in terms of infrastructure, education standards, lenient tax regime, and foreigner friendly visa / work permit regulations ... and yes, there are lots of things to do outside work, if you're prepared to go look for them. If the OP has some credible, relevant finance experience, I believe he'll find far more employment opportunities in Sing' than in Thailand. Once you're on the merry go round, it seems easy to stay on, and lots of people move to Thailand or similar once they've made a big enough pile of cash in Singapore (I'm planning to be one of them )

Negatives: Singapore is small and relatively expensive (by regional standards) so you need to be on 'decent' money to make it worth your while, the locals can be a bit hard work at times, most of my friends remain in BKK, and of course my wife's family are there too. The 'weekend commute' sounds great in principle but in practise it means a late and tiring arrival into BKK on a Friday night. Taking a long weekend every 2 or 3 weeks is more manageable.

Singapore: Best option for me - won't suit everybody though, so the OP would really have to invest in an airfare and a few weeks accomodation and make his own mind up...

CC

[wasabi]

The reason I was contemplating teaching English is it seems to be the easiest job to get in Thailand and hopefully I could switch to something closer to my present career after being on the ground. Also I have a degree in English, however I usually hate mentioning that as it encourages others to pick apart every grammatical mistake in my posts! I sort of lucked into a good finance job 6 years ago which is how I ended up doing my present job working for a major endowment. I'm confident my present skills would enable me to do all sorts of work in Singapore but it may be a challenge to get a foot in the door as always. I did once ask my current employer if my job could be done remotely, they said yes but I have to be in the same time zone, which knocks SEA out of contention.

I agree with what others say about dreams having a way of changing, I occasionally think romantically about how the experience of living in Thailand would offset the low wages but I'm sure as I got older and want to retire (I'm 32) I might wish I had earned a bit more. Someone mentioned wages, if I did live in Singapore I'd just want a salary that allowed me to save as much as I can now while budgeting in an occasional trip to Thailand, so the cost of living would factor in. I go to Thailand three times a year now so that expensive would easily be lowered even if I quadrupled the frequency. I live in San Francisco, quite an expensive place so hopefully finding a comparable or lower cost of living won't be that hard. I realize Singapore is more expensive but if my wages offset that, it's ok.

I've been to Orchard, actually went with a Thai girl I was dating at the time who came to Singapore with me, but all she did was gripe about missing Som Tam and strangely I missed it and the street vendors hawking junk as well. I was only in Singapore for 3 days but I generally found the people less friendly and the farangs I came across more stuck-up. It just overall seemed less fun and carefree than Thailand, most likely the differences in affluence between the two places factor in. But if frequent trips to Thailand is a realistic option I think I could handle that. And I'm not claiming to be an expert on Singapore after only a 3 days visit, just expressing my first impression.

Captain Chaos I gather you presently live in Sing' How long have you been there and how often do you go to Thailand?

[Captain Chaos]

Lived BKK Feb 02 - Oct 06, then moved to Sing' Nov 06. Go to BKK for a long weekend (Friday night - Monday morning) usually every two weeks or so.

My wife (who is Thai) enjoys Singapore (particularly the wide range of food ... Malay, Indian Muslim etc) but she also likes to have a weekend in the mothership fairly regularly. Just like Thailand, Singapore is more rewarding, and the people open up more, if you take the time to get out of the expat areas a bit. Hanging out on Orchard and the main city area is kind of like the Sukhumvit Road in feel, and whilst I like it there, I don't spend all my time there!

Hope this helps

CC

PS. If you want decent Som Tam go to the Thai-oriented shopping centre at Golden Mile Complex rather than Orchard Towers!

[backflip]

"...t's a stone's throw away from Thailand and only 2 1/2 hours away from Thailand. That's not a very bad deal."

Not a bad deal, at all. But your geography leaves a lot to be desired.

OP, how old are you? You don't know where you want to live. You don't know what to do. Have you discussed any of this with mom and dad? Moving out of the basement of their home will be a different experience.

[wasabi]

"...t's a stone's throw away from Thailand and only 2 1/2 hours away from Thailand. That's not a very bad deal."

Not a bad deal, at all. But your geography leaves a lot to be desired.

OP, how old are you? You don't know where you want to live. You don't know what to do. Have you discussed any of this with mom and dad? Moving out of the basement of their home will be a different experience.

I'm 32 as mentioned, and after considering teaching have decided to stick with finance which I've done for 6 years. I want to live in Thailand but feel it's economically not viable, my parents are passed away but I am confident they would encourage me to pursue my dreams. Singapore might be the most realistic way to pursue them. Singapore is not my top choice but 2.5 hours is a lot closer to my #1 choice than I am now. Thanks for your concern.

Edited July 23, 2007 by wasabi

[roietjimmy]

At the age of 32, your first consideration should be income. There are hundreds of US MNCs doing business in southeast asia. Suggest you continue searching for job opportunities with them and applying for those of interest to you. At the moment, the three countries that seem to be getting the most attention/investment from MNCs are Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and China.

[Captain Chaos]

I'm sure that's a deliberate mistake by roietjimmy

Agree with his comments nonetheless - income must be maintained thru the OP's 30's - this is the key earning period (I'm 37 btw)

Singapore at 2.5hrs is a lot closer to Wasabi's target location than where he is now, and gives the opportunuity to maintain income at approximately western levels. Most importantly this is the one place you can come in on a 30 day "visa", find a room, and look for a "local plus" position in the knowledge that not having a work permit will not be a major hindrance...

Of the others, China (incl HKG) has lots of opportunities but my personal experience is that returning Chinese expats or at least strong Chinese language skills are preferred. Vietnam is motoring along but reckon the most likely option there is to persuade a company in your home country to drop you in as an expat. Like Thailand, I've found most Malaysian opportunities are strictly local terms these days ...

CC

[fletchsmile]

Yes definitely I would. It will also allow you to check out more about the realities of your dream:

I went to work there just before hitting 30, with a background in a not dissimilar field to yourself. I actually told my UK bosses anywhere in Asia except Singapore, as it had a reputation for being dull. However, when you live there and make friends, it's far from dull, and I had a great 2 years there.

The expat scene has a lot of young professionals out to enjoy life, and there are many like minded Singaporeans. As a regional hub, it also does your CV no harm at all. It’s also a great stepping stone or half way step to Asia. It's half westernized but half Asia. So a transition to Thailand, Indonesia etc would be less a cultural jump. Only drawback is it can be expensive. But again as a professional with a decent job, that's fine.

People sometimes accuse Thailand of being xenophobic. I don't fully agree with that, but I can see where it comes from. Singapore actually wants and encourages foreigners with decent professions. Getting a work permit is easy for skilled people. It's also very easy to do all the things people want to do in life: buy a home, car, be accepted etc. Although cars and property are expensive, interest rates are low.

I made a lot of friends in Singapore from many nationalities. I've met more people who I could really call true friends among the local population than in my time in Thailand. In terms of the fairer sex, I found Singapore easier to make real female friends of all nationalities, including Singaporean. Taking it a step further, I met far more girls who could have been girlfriend (and possibly wife) material, despite the smaller population. This also applied to Indonesia, and a lesser extent Korea. I also had more male local friends in Singapore than Thailand.

To balance that, I'd say every country has a range of type of people. There are a lot of people I like in Thailand, tho a larger proportion are expats than compared to life in Singapore. I am married to a Thai, and have a Thai daughter, and am very happy with her. It's just that there seemed to be more of my type of people in my late twenties/early thirties when I was in Singapore - particularly among locals. Culturally I believe it's tougher to be accepted in Thailand, and I'm not sure you're ever allowed to fit completely - At least in the eyes of many of the population. To sum up, in 2 years I met more potential partners than 6 years in Thailand. I happened to find my soul mate in Thailand, although I think Singapore has the odds more stacked in your favour of doing so, particularly for young professionals.

Check out Robert Walters and Michael Page as recruitment agents. Their websites have a whole host of info.

I don’t see much risk in a move to Singapore, either personally or professionally. People can and do get lost in Thailand tho’. Although Thailand can be a good place to live, there are more risks. Singapore is a great base. From there you can check out many of the other countries in the region and get to know them better. You may find as you learn more about Thailand and the other countries, another suits you better, or even Singapore does.

Lastly you might find it's more important what is inside you, than what is outside in a country. Both Singapore and Thailand can give the opportunity to challenge yourself on these thoughts - as they're both different to where you come from.

Edited July 23, 2007 by fletchthai68

[fennielyn]

Hi,

I would agree with fletch for the most part. Singapore is indeed one of the safest (in every sense of the word, not merely physical security-wise) and most efficient city in Asia you possibly hope to work in as a foreigner who hasn't had much experience in Asia. The most important factor is that SG's native/first language is English and almost if not all the people you meet, from wait staff, to bathroom cleaners, to garbage collectors and retail staff are all rather proficient in the language, seeing how we were all made to study it the moment we were old enough to enter kindergarten.

That being said, yes it's a smooth transitition from farang land to SG and with probably nary a hitch, but be fairly warned that once you tire of the same routine nightlife of Clarke Quay, BOat Quay, MOS, St jame's, and a slew of other karaoke pubs and Irish pubs, there really is nothing much to do there. Wth, you can't even chew gum (unless it's nicorette) to release some of that tension your uppity-ass boss is causing you right now. Gosh, even after 10 years, I'm still griping about this non-issue. Okay, getting back to the point, I'm only saying, there's only so much shopping at Orchard or heartland malls, there're only so many movies you can take in each weekend, and only so many sessions of getting sloshed with the same group of pretentious posers night after night, (yes zouk, you're totally guilty too) without wanting to gnash your teeth and beat your chest in sheer frustration and a sense of hopelessness.

Being born and bred here in SG, there are so many things I love about this place, barring the high standards of living of course. For example, a pack of Marlboro's costs now $7.50usd here while in BKK, it was only $1.50usd. Let's not even talk about your cafe latte from Starbucks. Yes, everything is relative, of course your salary will possibly be 10x what you'll get in Thailand. And if your employer is willing to cover your accomodation here in SG, then I'd say go for it! Housing can cause one the most massive headache ever. I'm sure you already know by now how overpopulated our nation is and how land is so bloody scarce that everything has to go UPWARDS. It's certainly not cheap to live in Singapore as compared to BKK but if you're paid extremely well, then you shouldn't let this chance slip you by.

As many have stated, you're in your prime to start building your nest. There are many more things that I could tell you about my homeland, stuff that you could probably wiki or google yourself but I shan't ramble on anymore; something I tend to do without realising until my fingers start to cramp a little.

I for one, am thinking up means and ways to escape this stifling city. You, on the other hand, being the glorified farang (ooh, thai-speak ) or ang moh as they say here, will have no reason not to enjoy your time to the fullest here. 3 days you said you were here? Nah, that's barely enough to cover the Orchard road strip. You haven't even seen the surface, much less scratched it. Oh and Orchard Towers isn't the be all and end all of protitutes hangouts. If you're so inclined, please pm me and I'll let you in on all the sordid details. (My mom will kill me if she were to ever find out. )

God, I love bangkok......and I'm a girl! I can certainly see the allure for you guys. Sigh...it really is magical...

p/s The standard of pizza here pales in comparison to that you can get in BKK or NYC. So if you're a fan of that cheese-topped dough, you're in for a sore disappointment. Just a random factoid that's pretty important to me.

[trajan]

my two cents:

for me Singapore doesnt feel "Asian" any more than San Francisco is "Asian" so I wouldnt/didnt want to transfer to SG (although I had the chance with full housing allowance)... (in fact SF felt more "Asian" to me...and also had funky bits, Italian bits, Russian bits, even Japanese-Peruvian restaurants etc.)........

in addition, I really really dont like that pervasive, almost mandatory "kiasu" culture there (and, sorry, the Singlish accent drives me up the wall)...much prefer the "mai pen rai" culture in Siam even if its less efficient and certain......life's too short....

for some reason ALL of my university classmates, grad school classmates and even work colleagues and associates of Sing' nationality are not based in Singapore, do not live in Singapore or even have any intentions of returning there... I wonder why that is.....

its a nice convenient place to pop in 2-3 times a year and shop (but the same things are becoming more and more available here in Bangkok) or chill-out or even attend mandatory seminars or meetings (and will become a bit more attractive when the casinos open...much closer than the casinos in Sydney or Melbourne and surely will be much nicer than the ones in Manila, Columbo or Genting) BUT honestly, I wouldnt want to live there full-time (working or eventually retiring)...

If I was only in it for a full-blast rat-race (for maximum accumulation purposes) I would opt for HK, NY or SF.....

[Irene]

my two cents:

for me Singapore doesnt feel "Asian" any more than San Francisco is "Asian" so I wouldnt/didnt want to transfer to SG (although I had the chance with full housing allowance)... (in fact SF felt more "Asian" to me...and also had funky bits, Italian bits, Russian bits, even Japanese-Peruvian restaurants etc.)........

in addition, I really really dont like that pervasive, almost mandatory "kiasu" culture there (and, sorry, the Singlish accent drives me up the wall)...much prefer the "mai pen rai" culture in Siam even if its less efficient and certain......life's too short....

for some reason ALL of my university classmates, grad school classmates and even work colleagues and associates of Sing' nationality are not based in Singapore, do not live in Singapore or even have any intentions of returning there... I wonder why that is.....

its a nice convenient place to pop in 2-3 times a year and shop (but the same things are becoming more and more available here in Bangkok) or chill-out or even attend mandatory seminars or meetings (and will become a bit more attractive when the casinos open...much closer than the casinos in Sydney or Melbourne and surely will be much nicer than the ones in Manila, Columbo or Genting) BUT honestly, I wouldnt want to live there full-time (working or eventually retiring)...

If I was only in it for a full-blast rat-race (for maximum accumulation purposes) I would opt for HK, NY or SF.....

Well said and spot on. You took words from my mouth. The place is like a hospital full of the smell of cleanliness and yet you feel somewhat unnatural. Unlike, the Scandinavian countries, you do feel their cleanliness as natural, not imposing and sincere.

[chinthee]

my two cents:

for me Singapore doesnt feel "Asian" any more than San Francisco is "Asian" so I wouldnt/didnt want to transfer to SG (although I had the chance with full housing allowance)... (in fact SF felt more "Asian" to me...and also had funky bits, Italian bits, Russian bits, even Japanese-Peruvian restaurants etc.)........

in addition, I really really dont like that pervasive, almost mandatory "kiasu" culture there (and, sorry, the Singlish accent drives me up the wall)...much prefer the "mai pen rai" culture in Siam even if its less efficient and certain......life's too short....

for some reason ALL of my university classmates, grad school classmates and even work colleagues and associates of Sing' nationality are not based in Singapore, do not live in Singapore or even have any intentions of returning there... I wonder why that is.....

its a nice convenient place to pop in 2-3 times a year and shop (but the same things are becoming more and more available here in Bangkok) or chill-out or even attend mandatory seminars or meetings (and will become a bit more attractive when the casinos open...much closer than the casinos in Sydney or Melbourne and surely will be much nicer than the ones in Manila, Columbo or Genting) BUT honestly, I wouldnt want to live there full-time (working or eventually retiring)...

If I was only in it for a full-blast rat-race (for maximum accumulation purposes) I would opt for HK, NY or SF.....

You have some good points, as the earnings potential is somewhat less in SG than HK, NY or SF. Singapore is a personal taste thing. It's certainly the easiest place to base in Asia for many reasons. Who cares about "kiasu" locals, you will never be in their inner circle anyway. I personally favor HK, but HK has become much more China-centric and many positions require Chinese language skills. SF, NY and similar are too far away to enjoy any Asian experience in the near term.

HOWEVER, if you consider the proximity & transport costs to a place like Phuket, you could virtually work in SG and live in Phuket. Air fares are dirt cheap, quick, and you can rent a place on Phuket year round cheap enough. Live in Singapore weekdays in a serviced apartment, and spend weekends in Phuket. I did the same thing from HK, but also traveled a lot to SG. I suspect it would be easier for you to find a job in SG than HK.

The smart thing is to live under the radar in SG (that means not getting the nicest condo and partying hard with the other expats spending all your money); rather, save & invest your money, and spend your first few years in Phuket on weekends, holidays, or as you can telecommute. This arrangement would give you a reason to be in Thailand as much as possible, and to later investigate other areas to see if you like it or not.

[ballbreaker]

If your goal is Thailand I think it might happen quicker from Singapore than USA.

[trajan]

Well said and spot on. You took words from my mouth. The place is like a hospital full of the smell of cleanliness and yet you feel somewhat unnatural. Unlike, the Scandinavian countries, you do feel their cleanliness as natural, not imposing and sincere.

yes, I agree, so many things feel antiseptic and contrived....when work colleagues took me out to Clark Key (Quay?) and other places, I felt like I was in Disneyland (more specifically, Adventureland, New Orleans Square or Mickey's Toontown) ....you can only take it in very small occassional doses (not full time EVERY day or weekend)...

[trajan]

Singapore is a personal taste thing. It's certainly the easiest place to base in Asia for many reasons.

yes, absolutely great for regional head offices....great for people who've never visited Asia and could not take the culture shock....

Who cares about "kiasu" locals, you will never be in their inner circle anyway.

believe me I wouldnt want to be in those circles....but you still have to endure the pervasive behavior just by proximity....

[fennielyn]

Oh yayness, I'm already feeling less of a freak by seeing that the general concensus here is that SG basically sucks ass. Let's not sugar-coat it shall we? It's the reason why I've been wanting to run away from this place for the past 15 years of my life. I will reiterate that there are tons of stuff I adore about this place (food and family and super fast speed internet connection that never lets me down. ) But the cons seriously outweigh all the goodies. Everyone who's said that SG is a great place to work in (short-term) but not to live in is absolutely correct. I have nothing to gain by dissing my birthplace; just telling it like it is. And uh huh, the Singlish accent is extremely annoying and what's worse than that are the fake American/British accents that many hi-so wannabes/posers are using right now. I doubt anyone will know what I mean unless you're truly local and can tell the difference between an accent that's unconciously adopted through years spent in another country and one that is hastily put-on when encountering a farang. What's the point of putting on an accent when you can't even enunciate your words right? Bah.

But yea, SG is certainly worth considering if you want to be close to Thailand and yet still make the big bucks. A gentle warning; our country is known for coming up with campaigns just to make our people a more gracious, courteous bunch. And let's not forget the endless barrage of announcements at the MRT to Please keep to your Left. Our people just lack that sort of awareness. Now isn't that rather telling?

p/s The heat and humidity is more or less comparable to that of Thailand's but with less smog, it appears to be cooler somewhat. Oh, another pertinent thought just struck me, you know the *sanuk* allure that makes us want to hang around in Thailand longer? It doesn't exist here. Enough said.

Edited July 23, 2007 by fennielyn

[wasabi]

Thanks very much for all the responses. I like hearing the pros and cons. It remains a difficult decision for me. The cultural enjoyment of Thailand vs. the monetary benefit of living in Singapore, whilst trying to bridge my desire for both.

[lukez]

I have been living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia now for 1 1/2 years, and kind of have similar hopes to live in Thailand in the future.

Visiting Thailand e.g. Phuket or BKK is not a problem at all as at least from KL the Airasia tickets cost ard 70 - 150 USD return ticket. To live here it is not same as in Thailand, but "similar enough" for the time being by regards of culture and food.

In SGP the salaries are decent so you could make enough money to visit thailand regularly. In Msia the salaries are low unless you would be sent by an US company to work.

Anyway I would prefer KL instead of SGP as it is closer to Thailand and also living here is much cheaper :-)

- Lukez

[steveromagnino]

I have been living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia now for 1 1/2 years, and kind of have similar hopes to live in Thailand in the future.

Visiting Thailand e.g. Phuket or BKK is not a problem at all as at least from KL the Airasia tickets cost ard 70 - 150 USD return ticket. To live here it is not same as in Thailand, but "similar enough" for the time being by regards of culture and food.

In SGP the salaries are decent so you could make enough money to visit thailand regularly. In Msia the salaries are low unless you would be sent by an US company to work.

Anyway I would prefer KL instead of SGP as it is closer to Thailand and also living here is much cheaper :-)

- Lukez

I will go against the grain a bit, and say that for me Singapore was pretty decent; expensive but quite doable; plenty of things to do like windsurfing, sailing etc - would not be the worst place to stack up some cash, then waste a bit on trips round the place. Food is not so expensive; booze, buri and babes (if you are into that) are more costly.

Malaysia would drive me a bit bonkers; the inefficiency of Thailand combined with the accent and manners of Singapore. Hmmm. Not for me. But I will say KL as a city is a mighty nice city; not too large, good transport and cheapish food. Good

Thailand for me at least is easiest as i speak the lingo, but for a farang, I think Singapore would take you much further CV wise; then get a transfer to what career professionals would consider a backwater up in Bangkok. HK possibly even better, but Chinese is almost mandatory up there; mind you in a year mastering Thai, Chinese, Bahasa Malay or whatever is easily doable IF you want to learn.

Low tax, stack up some cash and in the meantime upgrade your education, experience and language skills. I'd be careful in coming here too soon; Thailand is already full of second rate foreigners willing to work for low pay so they can hang out in dodgy bars; get yourself into the echelon above that with some CV stacking in Singapore, THEN make the trip here courtesy of some big MNE.