After 14 years in Thailand, Singapore dad says his kids have a better life

A Singaporean father who has lived in Thailand since 2012 says he has no plans to move back, arguing that his children enjoy a life there that Singapore could not give them.

"Would I ever go back to live in Singapore after living in Thailand for more than 10 years? Well, that answer is absolutely no," Alden Lee said in an Instagram video posted on Sept. 17.

Lee, 40, first came to Thailand as a university student at a college in the Thai countryside, he told Mothership. After graduating, he spent about a year back in Singapore before returning in 2012.

He started a small business there with help from his parents and friends, and now works as a business development consultant while raising his family in the country.

In the video, he said his children live in a gated community with international schools nearby, have friends in the neighborhood and a large garden, and play outdoors every day instead of being "stuck to screens."

He also cited Thailand's "great value for money," its "friendly Thai culture" and the variety of places to explore.

He conceded that Thailand's minimum wage is low and that starting salaries come in under US$800. The daily rate ranges from 337 to 400 baht (US$10-12) depending on the province, the Bangkok Post reported.

But he dismissed the idea that Singapore offers better prospects, saying those figures are not "a measure of your career path or opportunities."

Tourists shop for street foods ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in Bangkok's Chinatown, Thailand, Jan. 19, 2023. Photo by Reuters

While saying that there are "so many ways to earn money" in Thailand, Lee affirmed he moved to the country not for money but for the life and comfort it offers.

"I think I will still make the same choice again," he added, while allowing that circumstances could change.

Lee told Mothership that moving to Thailand is a "lifestyle choice" with a slower pace, and that the language and culture take time to get used to.

"My advice is not to commit outright, but to just start with a month or two first," he said, urging newcomers to look beyond Bangkok to the country's other cities and countryside

Many commenters backed him, the outlet reported, though some argued he was comparing a comfortable expat life in Thailand with ordinary life in Singapore..