Noah sees Hua Hin with his own eyes

Disclaimer: The post below is purely Noah's thoughts and is not an accurate representation of Eddie's true feelings, though he tends to want to agree with his son.

Hello everyone, I am so angry with Daddy, but before I say why, I would like to announce to everyone that I am more than 4 months old now, and I am big and strong! Doctor says I am 95th percentile in weight (8.0kg) and virtually 100th percentile in length (68cm), whoopee, means I am a happy king-sized baby, thanks to Mummy's ceaseless care.

I am happy king-sized Baby Noah

Back to my topic, I am so angry with Daddy because he did not blog for more than a month. In his archives, May 2012 is absolutely EMPTY. How can he even allow this? Ok ya, he told me that both my grandpas came (separately), my granduncle came, my grandma is here, his director came, his company is facing some challenges blah blah blah, I understand but I cannot accept him not even writing ONE post in May! Anyway, he has finally gotten down to writing this, so I would like to share with everyone about my first trip out of Bangkok to Hua Hin, where Daddy and Mummy had their babymoon a few months ago.

This was a very significant trip for Daddy, because after working so hard in Thailand for 2.5 years, he can finally bring his staff on their inaugural incentive trip. To make things even more special, Grandpa Yii came to join us for the holiday, so it's a big big holiday for everyone. Daddy was very proud to be able to make everyone important in his life in Thailand happy all at the same time.

Yii 3G taking picture together for the first time, at Amazon Cafe on the way to Hua Hin

For me, it was a chance to go out of Bangkok for the first time after I was born. I remember hearing and feeling the sights and sounds of Hua Hin when in Mummy's tummy, but nothing beats seeing it with my own eyes right? For Mummy though, it might not have been very fun. There was a lot of packing to do even though it was only for a night. I think we brought everything to Hua Hin, like moving house!

Poor Mummy, worrying about me all the time, at least she had time to take a picture with me at the beach restaurant.

Look! Daddy was shocked when he realised that there was no space for him to sleep! Everything was about ME!

I was well-prepared for the sun, sand and sea

But I just kept sleeping at the beach in front of Khao Takiab (Chopsticks Mountain)

Daddy said that the trip was not about our family, but about his staff, because it is what they deserved, so we just followed them as they did what they enjoyed, playing football at the beach, taking pictures with foreigners, grilling seafood at night, Daddy even went to their room to play cards with them until midnight.

The next morning, we went out to visit Plearn Wan, the nostalgic weekend market aimed to copy the ambience in the eighties when Daddy was still a baby like me (that's such a LONG time ago), before heading back to Bangkok.

Daddy's favourite picture of the trip, TES Power 万岁!

Everyone loves Noah part 1: Having fun with Daddy's colleagues in the car

Everyone loves Noah part 2: This old auntie who came to Hua Hin with her family, literally persuaded Daddy into letting her hold me. Unfortunately, I was asleep the whole time and did not even manage to have a good look at her!

Aiya, why didn't they show my face? 没礼貌

Daddy says that every year, he wants to reward his staff with incentive trips, and his dream is to let them travel overseas for the first time in their lives in the next few years. I think he will need to work very hard to make it happen, but I believe he can do it.

Meanwhile, I plan to start my career in babywear modelling, so that I can help Daddy put some bread on the table. How do I look, not bad for a first time ya?

The Baby in Bangkok's maiden journey to Paradise (Park)

Baby in Bangkok, Noah Yii gives an account of his first excursion out of his apartment that is NOT to the hospital:

I have been bored at home for the last 10 weeks. Aside of my cot, my room, the toilet for my daily shower and occasionally (now more and more) the living room, I have only gone downstairs twice for strolls, both of which I fell asleep unknowingly, and a few times to the hospital (I don't like the hospital, they stick glass things into my arse and poke me with needles).

It's the second day of Songkran, I gave my indication of obedience with a high-pitched chuckle and YES, Daddy and Mummy finally decided to be brave and brought me to Paradise Park. The journey there was very exciting, because we have not experienced the annual waterfights before. The grownups looked crazy, but the kids looked even crazier! Luckily we were safely protected from the incessant water attacks inside the car, otherwise we would surely need to go back before even arriving at the destination!

Actually, I believe I have been ready to go out long ago. What else can babies like me ask for? We don't need money, we don't have jobs, we can't talk. All we need is a simple cuddle to keep us happy, and we will sleep, poop, eat, sleep, poop and eat again, ALL of which I did at Paradise Park. I realised that Daddy is a popular man, because every shop we went into, the people inside seemed to know him and were very excited that Mummy and I came, as if they had been waiting for us for a long time. I especially enjoyed it when a little girl kept looking at me while I was pretending to sleep in that bright shop that sells a lot of bags.

Daddy says this shop is a Royal Project started by a kind  Princess to help the poor, I want to marry a kind Princess too

See, I looked so relaxed when Daddy was feeding me, I treat the mall like my own backyard

*facepalm* Of all shops they brought me to the tupperware shop, boring or not

Come on man, a picture in front of a row of yellow ATM machines? You can do better than that!

So, as you can see, my maiden leisure trip was not very exciting, but it made Daddy and Mummy quite satisfied because they ate seafood and ice cream, though I think they would have enjoyed it more if I did not  insist they feed me just as their food arrived.

It was more fun when I arrived back home, because I had a good time playing with the results of Mummy's retail therapy:

Look, I'm juggling with my new cartoon face towels!

How about posing with the cat and fish key pouch?

I wonder when I will be going out again. I am sure looking forward to it, but please, no more tupperware shops!

The Stranger looks back at some of his major milestones in Thailand

Hello everyone! Friends in Thailand have mostly switched into their holiday mode, because tomorrow is Songkran! A festival that has a similar significance as our Lunar New Year. For foreigners, it is more popularly known as the Water Festival (泼水节), where everyone will strut to the streets with their bazooka-esque supersoakers and engage in epic waterfights for 3 full days. This is a special experience for me, because though I have been here for 4 calendar years, it is my very FIRST Songkran! I need to thank little Noah for this, as if he was not so small and fragile, I might have left Thailand for a getaway already, since this is the only long holiday we have here in Thailand every year.

I still remember someone asking me, "So what have you achieved during your time in Thailand?" during her visit last month and I was unexpectedly dumbfounded. I do not know whether it was because I felt that my achievements were so obvious that they do not need elaboration, or was it because I was suddenly reminded that what I had done so far is actually not a big deal. During this special time, while my warehouse team is busy taking stock of our goods, I would like to also do a stock-take of my few little milestones/events that happened here in Thailand that made my time here so very special.

*******

Came to Bangkok alone to open a branch for my main office. It was a really really difficult time man, with the language and cultural barriers. The struggles to hire suitable people, the manual labour moving goods box by box in and out of the shophouse, the late nights in the office, the loneliness, the wandering across a good half of Thailand looking for customers etc.... I really did not know how I managed to survive that period. But oh well, hopefully that's all in the past now.

*******

Stumbled through the state of emergency, one which involved protesters spilling their own blood around, and culminating in a military crackdown and the sacrifice of a few popular shopping buildings downtown.

*******

Dipped my hands into streetside vending, making and selling floral floats during the annual Loy Krathong, fully experiencing how locals make a living with nothing much more than a portable table and a pair of skilful hands.

*******

Witnessed an interesting general election that might have already changed the political landscape of Thailand forever.

*******

Towards the end of my time at the little shophouse where TES began its operations, I was extremely excited as I opened my doors to my beloved brothers from secondary school. It would be a great pity if they missed this milestone of my life, but they didn't.

*******

We moved!! From a little shophouse, to a relatively big warehouse. This was probably the very first time I felt genuinely proud of what I managed to achieve in my young career.

*******

After 2 years, finally moved into a place where I can call my own. It felt good, really good.

*******

But the challenges will not stop coming. I had to guide my company through the most catastrophic floods Thailand has experienced in the last 50 years. It was a taxing, tumultuous time, but because of God's endless grace, we pulled through largely unscathed.

*******

This is by a fair mile, the most satisfying milestone that happened here in Bangkok. To have my dear little Noah born safely in Thailand, and to live every single day looking forward to going home to my wife and son. What more can a man ask for?

So happy holidays everyone. Stay safe, don't drive if you over-indulge in alcohol, and remember to ziploc all your valuables before you go out!

The Stranger in Bangkok becomes the world's best Pediatrician!

Updated 6th March 2014

These couple of days, I have been reading many posts related to breastfeeding in a blog train started by Madeline of www.madpsychmum.com. Being the husband to a mummy who is valiantly still breastfeeding our little Noah at 25 months (even though the weaning process has slowly but surely started), many thoughts went through my mind while going through each and every heart-felt post.

I wanted to write something, but the topic is too delicate for me to write anything in full that will be both representative of what I feel and also sensitive enough for everyone to read, because even though I would like to see myself a supportive husband, I will probably never be able to fully understand the mental, emotional and physical strains my wife had to go through to make it happen. 

Then, I tried to recall what happened when this journey started. I remembered my wife struggling between recovering from her C-section operation and trying to produce sufficient milk for Noah, culminating in Noah having to be hospitalised due to jaundice believed to be partially due to insufficient milk intake.

It eventually got better, very much due to my wife's persistence and the encouragements of a new pediatrician and a BF consultant at the hospital, and Noah was soon growing big and strong from his full supply of BM.

All of a sudden, I remembered writing a post dedicated to our pediatrician, which managed to amuse my wife a little when she read it. Some of you might find such doctors slightly inept, but no matter what you think, we are extremely pleased with the positive energy he generates and he will continue to be Noah's doctor for the foreseeable future.

I hope this post adds some light-hearted humour to the blog-train, and serves as a form of encouragement to every couple who is fighting this lifelong battle of parenthood, especially if your child is still a little baby. I would love to hear your comments on whether you feel that my model answers are what I consider, world's best! So here goes:


Noah promoted me from Eddie to Daddy just 2 months ago. In all fairness, I am still a greenhorn, inexperienced and imperfect. However, having changed a Pediatrician and being absolutely amused by our new one, I have completely understood how to become the perfect Pediatrician. Using this standard parents' Q & A, I will show you how....

As parents of tiny babies are usually overworked, tired, depressed and the mother still recovering from the physical trauma of the delivery process, it is absolutely important to begin with a burst of positive energy. I consider this half the battle won, so I greet every parent with my million-dollar smile!

Hello, how are you, oh your baby is so cute!!!!!!!!!!

1. My baby cries a lot, is there any problem?

Looking serious for a while...

Ans. The baby cannot speak, its only form of communication is to cry, so there is no problem!

2. I am having difficulty breastfeeding, can you help me?

Ans. Really? From your baby's weight gain, you are doing a great job! I am not a breastfeeding consultant, I will help you make an appointment with her later. But remember, formula is NOT POISON.

3. I only give my baby milk now, do I need to feed him water?

Ans. Does your baby pee well? Is his pee deep yellow or brown, if no, it's ok! Milk is 80-90% water, if you feed him water, you might as well feed him milk, right?

4. Are there any side-effects with vaccinations?

*forgotten most of the side-effects already

Ans. Of course there are, but PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE! Go back and do your research, ask your friends about the side-effects, you can make your decision the next time.

5. How many time should my baby poop per day?

*forgotten the number already

Ans. When taking care of the baby, look at the baby, don't look at the number. If the baby never poop for 2 days but looks healthy and happy, it's ok! 

6. Is my baby gaining enough weight? How much should he be gaining per month?

*forgotten the number already

Ans. As I said, look at the baby! If he pee ok, poo ok, happy everyday, don't worry! Most important is to have a happy and healthy baby.

7. How many ounces of milk should my baby drink everyday?

Ans. Again, number number number. When taking care of baby, look at the baby, don't look at the number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that the bombardment of questions have been taken care of, I usually do a very routine check on the baby before sending them off in my usual up-lifting way: 

You are doing a WONDERFUL job, KEEP IT UP!!

No wonder I am the best and most popular Pediatrician in the world.

I dedicate this post for Madeline's initiative to collate stories from heart-felt mums in their BF journeys to encourage others who are facing similar challenges. Click here to read all their excellent stories.

Survival tips in a foreign land part 3: The 2 capital Ps... Patience and Perseverance!

This is my 100th post! Coincidentally, though google stats show that I have broken the 10,000-hit barrier quite a while ago, my blog-counter finally shows more than 10,000 hits! It took Stranger in Bangkok more than 2 years to reach this milestone, but an average of between 10-20 site visits a day is really quite encouraging for a low-profile blog like this one, and this is one of the main reasons why I keep this blog going amidst my busy schedules. I would hereby like to thank everyone who have been supporting this blog all along and long may it continue. What I promise will be many more interesting insights into my life in exotic Thailand.

Now that all the thanking is done, I shall continue with part 3 of my series of survival tips, and this is an important one. I call it the 2 capital Ps, namely Patience and Perseverance.

The Stranger in Bangkok's survival tips in a foreign land part 3: Patience and Perserverance

1. Patience 

Visiting a foreign country without a tour guide is already a headache. You need to plan your own route, book your own hotels, arrange your own transport etc. It is enough work to discourage many from travelling. What about trying to live long-term in a foreign country? The challenges cannot be underestimated.

First and foremost, in order to successfully settle down on foreign soil, patience is a key virtue. Coming from Singapore, at least when I was living there, it was a country known for its obvious efficiency. The subway comes on time with minimal breakdowns (this might no longer be the case), there are few traffic jams and people are generally programmed to be highly efficient, be it in government organisations or private sectors. You could renew your passport online, register a company in a matter of minutes and get internet wired in your home within a week of moving in. These are things we take for granted until the day we leave.

Not many countries are half as efficient as Singapore, and I do not only mean comparatively lesser developed countries. I had an ex-colleague from the Netherlands telling me it takes weeks to get his internet hooked up back home and another friend complaining about needing to queue for a week to see the doctor in Ireland to get a cure for her flu. Not fun isn't it?

In Thailand, I have learnt to expect delays for everything. Things do not get done the first time. Be it making curtains at home, getting your visa extended at the government office or getting forms submitted at the port to clear your company's goods etc., it would be some sort of a miracle if it's completed at first try. Because of the severity of traffic congestion here, it is also unreasonable to expect people to be punctual for their appointments. If you are not patient enough and cannot tolerate inefficiency, your life will be miserable day-in day-out, and I can assure you that you will not be here for long.

2. Perseverance

This virtue is closely related to the previous one, because perseverance in abundance helps you to be more patient. You might say, " Isn't patience and perseverance important virtues even if I am back home?" Certainly! But you will need much bigger serving of each in order to thrive in a foreign environment.

Remember, you are not home anymore. If you have not read my previous tips and have not set up a proper local social network nor brought your family here, you have virtually no help. Do you think you could get your brother to pack dinner for you, your mum to post a letter for you, or your grandmother to help babysit your child for you while you watch a movie? Throw all that out of the window please. Every single thing needs to be done by you, you and yourself. There is no longer any help from close ones, in fact, you need to be even more motivated to settle all problems quietly as you do not want the folks at home to worry about you. Even if you are badly ill, you will have to crawl your own way to the clinic to get yourself a remedy. You will feel lonelier than ever.

At the office, do you think you could get away with passing a job to a colleague while things go wrong? The very person who put you there most likely did it so that you could clear all the shit in the company. Don't even try to do it, you HAVE to do it, that's what you are there for.

All these challenges means that you must persevere. If you fail, try again, and again, and again, by yourself, until you find a solution. Focus on the result, on what you want to achieve and work towards it, not letting anything sway you or get you down. This gutsy single-mindedness will get you very far.

In 2009, I came to Bangkok with 2 bare hands and managed to create something out of nothing. Many more obstacles lie ahead of me, but with a lot of patience, stubborn perseverance and God's infinite grace, I am confident I can eventually overcome them. You can do it too.

Survival tips in a foreign land part 2: Family!!!

Aside of setting up a local social circle, your life in your new adopted land will never be perfect without your family. No man/woman is an island, there is only so long you can enjoy life as a lone-ranger, away from direct communication with your closest kins.

Some might ask me, since family is so important, why is the only the 2nd most important tip in your series? Well, put it this way, living in a foreign land is not as direct as one thinks it is. A lot of non-family-related issues have to fall in place before you can really decide whether you are willing to call this place your new home, a place where you will live your everyday life with your family. Stay tuned for the final 2 instalments and you will understand what I mean.

The Stranger in Bangkok's survival tips in a foreign land part 2: Family

In this day and age, technology can help us tremendously to keep in touch with almost anyone we want to. The world has literally shrunk. It takes only hours to fly from between countries and a few taps on your mobile phone to reach the ones you miss the most. It is no longer difficult to keep in close contact with your loved ones, even if you are geographically thousands of miles apart. Of course, the out-of-sight-out-of-mind rule stands. Since you are no longer back at home, the folks do not see you anymore and gradually they need to get on with their lives without you, so like in my previous tip, I have to emphasize again that for this to work, the initiative lies well and truly with YOU. I can't say that I am an expert at this, but I feel that I have thus far done a decent job linking with my family and friends back home over the past years, so here's to share a few of my own ways:

1. Online/Mobile chat devices

Unless you are going somewhere so undeveloped that having frequent access to internet is not possible, you cannot be forgiven if you do not capitalise on modern technology to keep in touch with family and friends. When smart phones were not available, Skype, MSN, QQ, Yahoo! Messenger, Facebook (did I miss anything) join the world together. Because of the nature of my job, I am fortunate enough to be online most of the day, and thus find it absolutely no problem communicating with anyone I want to. In fact, I don't  feel isolated at all though I am away.

For those who do not have my luxury, you can't run away now that you hold a smartphone in your hand. Ridiculously powerful apps like Line, Whatsapp, Facetime, Tango etc. allow you to interact with anyone, anytime, anywhere. Poke your head into all the group chats with your friends/cousins, and if there isn't one yet, set one up and invite everyone in! Buy a smartphone for your Dad and Facetime him whenever you want. Life away from home will never be the same again.

2. Blogging

You might or might not embrace this way of communication, but it has worked brilliantly for me (using this blog you are reading now) and some other friends of mine. The reason why I highly recommend blogging is because some stories are worth sharing, but you can't possibly repeat it a thousand times for every different person. By putting them on your blog and updating frequently, even if your family members cannot locate you, they will always have a place to go to to read up on your latest exotic adventures.

3. Make it a point to visit your family frequently

Yes, I know you are busy. I know you are an important figure in your company. I know all the documents require your signature. I even know the people in your adopted country could not care less about Chinese New Year or Christmas, those periods are in fact the busiest time in your company and you really do not want to take leave.

Think again.

Your parents are getting old, your grandparents, even older. Your wife/husband visits your Facebook page a few times a day anticipating status updates. Your kids are growing at an alarming pace irreversibly, getting used to living life without you. Are you sure you don't want to pay them a visit?

4. Get your family here!

Once you have made up your mind that this is the place where you will live in for the immediate future, your next biggest task will be to get your family here. By that, I mean at the very least your spouse and your dependent children (Single folks, if you would like to fulfill this condition by marrying a local spouse, I have no objections either). This is not easy. There is too much to give up back home: your spouses' job (and fantastic income), your kids' stable education, your beautiful house etc...... but if you have decided to get married and live the rest of your lives together till death does you part, isn't it illogical if your career takes over death's duties and keep you apart?

Warning: If you are starting to feel that being apart from your family is actually good, please submit your resignation letter immediately, go home and do something about it.

Trust me, I have been through it before and my family is still adjusting to life in Thailand. A lot has been given up, but we are simply doing our best to make our marriage work. Making the decision to give birth to our son in Thailand with no relatives here to support us is a big step, but one we have bravely taken to make sure that our little family stays together all the time.

Li Li celebrating her first birthday with little Noah!

If I can do it, so can you.

The Stranger in Bangkok's survival tips in a foreign land part 1: Building up a social circle

Ok guys, I believe it is time to stop making fun of my own son on my own blog and prove that life is almost all, but not all about Noah.

I have wanted to do this series of blogposts for a long long time, but never got down to doing it. I have been in Thailand across 4 calendar years now, from 2009 to 2012, braving riots, military crackdowns, rowdy elections and catastrophic floods, evolving from a bare-handed single young man into a thirty-something year-old Daddy of the cutest boy on the planet. Although I do not have any significant achievements of note, just being here and surviving till now should have prepared me sufficiently well to give tips and hints on how to survive in a foreign land.

After brainstorming, I have decided to split this into 4 separate posts so as not to overwhelm anyone. All 4 points are VERY IMPORTANT, I will start with what I feel is the least crucial and end with most crucial. All points apply to EVERYONE planning to go to ANY country, but since I came to Thailand after spending almost all my 28 previous years in Singapore, my examples would be more appropriate for people who move from a more developed country to a lesser developed one.

The Stranger in Bangkok's survival tips in a foreign land part 1: Building a social circle

Now that you are in a foreign land, you need support. Regardless of how many expat dollars you are grabbing or how many staff you have in your office, you will need real, sincere care and support from the heart, from people whom you can call your friends, not your subordinates. Your employees can be the best from the land, but there is a limit to what they can do for you, because even if you open your heart to them, they might not open theirs to you. At the end of the day, you are a foreigner who has most probably been put into the company to watch over them. There will come a time where you realise that throwing money at people might not solve your problems anymore. This is the time when you need to be pro-active and build up your own social circle. This might not be easy, but remember one thing, that every bit of positive energy you expend for this cause is not wasted.

Tip 1: Join a Chamber

Join a Chamber? What Chamber? Simple. Expats from each country would likely have set up their respective Chambers of Commerce to link businesses from their homeland together. For me, I chose to become part of the Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce here in Bangkok. Through this organization, I got to know lots of people who have spent decades building up their success stories in Thailand as foreigners. There is lots to learn, lots to admire, and more importantly, lots of friends to know. You will also get to know legal advisers, headhunters, bank managers, property agents etc. who would pop out of nowhere in the future and solve your problems at-hand. You network is your net worth. This is a good way to start.

Tip 2: Keep in close contact with friends/friends' friends who happen to be here

Globalisation is amazing. I have friends whom I know who are now residing in Brazil, France, Sweden, USA, Mongolia, Laos, Netherlands, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and even India. No matter where you are posted to, if you look hard enough, I am sure you will find a friend or acquaintance there, be it someone posted there, or some exchange student whom you studied with in the past. Track them down, link up with them and never break the link. Chances are, they will eventually become your best pals and your greatest support.

In your homeland, friends are taken for granted. You only go out with your best pals and leave the rest alone. This is due to the fact that we assume we could meet up with anyone anytime. Sadly, we end up losing touch with most of them, turning into strangers though living in the same city. In a foreign country however, you will tend to keep in closer contact with the few fellow countrymen you know (who else can understand you better than them?). When you feel lonely and helpless on a Christmas Eve, they will be the ones who show up at your doorstep with a roast turkey and warm your heart.

Tip 3: Find a church and stay there

Being a Christian, settling down in a church is like finding a second home. Having a place to worship the Lord every week is such pleasure, so church-hopping is a definite no-no for me. You can go to a few to have a look initially, but pray about it, choose one and stay there. There is nothing better than having fellowship with a group of God-loving brothers and sisters.

To sum things up, I would just like to emphasize that in order to survive in a foreign land, it is absolutely critical that you do your best to widen your social circle LOCALLY. True friends will not flutter around you like butterflies out of nowhere, and if they do, you would do well to stay away from them.

Be pro-active, whether this works for you is totally your own call now.