Wolf Money/Bargain(5 things you need to know about Phuket, Thailand again and again)
I am back from Thailand. I have decided to ditch the air for a sea route due to the incident-prone trip I had two weeks ago. I was joking with my wife, we should have waited in Thailand for the ship to sail us back to Singapore. This time there were no “Train to Busan” or “Red Eyed Curse” to contend with.
Geographical and economy
The Island of Phuket is located at the Andaman Sea, just at the tip of The Straits of Malacca. The country welcomes close to 10 million guests each year with the Russian and the Indian making up the top two spots of visitors. The land size of Phuket is close to the former size of Singapore. The Island is currently close to 80% of Singapore’s land mass. The main exports are cashew and topical fruits, including durian and pineapple. Patong Beach and Wat Chalong are among the most popular tourist attractions.
Tom Yum Criuse
I find the 4-days and 3-nights cruise by Dream Cruise value for money. It is perfect for those looking for a short getaway from Singapore. I don’t usually go on a sea trip given our horrendous experience crossing the Irish Sea twice onboard a roll on roll off vessel from Scotland to Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland to Wales. The waves were smashing against the window panels of the ship. My wife and I had a “dizzying experience” which resulted in having two Singapore icons, “The Merlion” on board. This time there were no such issue. I actually enjoyed the cruise. The seas around South East Asia were a lot calmer. In total, we spent $573 per person with port charges and gratuities included for the 4-days 3-nights cruise to Phuket. We had a lot of food which we could never imagine. There are 3 main meals and 2 snack breaks. The staffs were generally friendly and welcoming. The tax free shopping at souvenir shop was a mixed bags. A T-shirt can cost as little as $20, but a tin of Ricola sweet costs as much as $23 which would normally cost less than $4.50 in your neighbourhood supermarket. A lanyard costs as little as $0.50, but a Citizen watch costs more than the retail price even after a 50% discount. The prices are all over the place.
Resolute of the Phuket People
The People of Phuket left a deep impression especially my tour guide, a local Phuket native, had her story told. Covid 19 decimated the Thai economy, more so for the Phuket islanders, which rely entirely on tourism for their livelihoods. When Covid struck, the locals had no jobs. My tour guide has been in her profession for more than 30 years. Now in her 50s, would go fishing to catch her next meal everyday. She had no idea whether she can find her next meal. She is thankful the tourism boom is back. I find her story inspirational. When the chips are down, the people of Phuket keep calm and go fishing. I like the way she handled the late comers, “You give me a reason to exercise more” with a smile.
Cash crop
One of the main products in Phuket is Cashew. We did a cashew factory tour. It was very educational to hear the guide explained the process of extracting the nut. Cashew grows easily in a topical environment. What makes Cashew expensive was the man hours required to separate the nut from the poisonous shell. It has to go through boiling and drying to remove the toxin. Cashew contains a natural toxin called urushiol. It belongs to the same family as the poison Ivy. The toxin can burn the skin and cause irritation to the throat when in contact. Cashews cost more than 8x the price of peanuts due to the complexity of extracting the fruit. Visitors to the factory can buy some cashews, which comes in various favours.
Making luck at the table
I am seriously bad at table games. I ended up being the loser most of the time. This time round, it was no exception. After a few games, I lost a grand total of $100. 😅I was lucky to get off the ship with a small loss. I came across many seniors losing their entire capital. A few of them I saw had empty wallets. I find gambling in the blood of most Chinese, that might be the main cause why many Chinese get into debt. It is the Chinese belief to “try luck” in everything they do. Many seniors were struggling with their Zzz monsters in the wee hours of the morning to make luck at the table. As wisdom goes, the house always wins. I realised very early I could never get rich from any form of gambling. It is seriously addictive to be gambling. It is one of the most difficult addiction to kick. You can read my previous blog, how gambling destroyed my ex-neighbour. One may lost track of the dollars spent on gambling. Jackpot machines were crowded, and baccarat tables were always full. If one is going on a cruise, gambling shouldn’t dominate the itineraries. One way to limit your gambling loss is to bring as little cash on board. Free Membership perks is one way the casino draws you back. The perks are dependent on you having good playing records. The free cruise and free meals might have been paid for during your last visit on the cruise. I am not a big fan of gambling due to the house odd advantage. Seeing my cash taken in by the croupier was heartbreaking, even though I have lost thousands in the stock market before, having real cash removed right under my nose is a big psychological barrier for taking bigger bets. The casino will never be afraid of the gamblers winning their money. They are worried the gamblers will never visit them again.
I saw very few young adults around the tables. Maybe the younger generation is turning their back on casino gambling. Why bet hundreds at the table where the crypto market moves in thousands or tens of thousands?
The cruise is a welcoming break. There are plenty of activities on board the cruise. One downside is the limited time spent in Phuket. We would have preferred a few more hours. I believe 2025 will be a great year to book a cruise as competition from Disney Cruise is likely to draw more people to the newer ship. The competition for vacation dollars will intensify. Tom Yum Cruise for you? ⛴️
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