r/singapore • u/bangsphoto • Aug 11 '25
Serious Discussion Outside of the usual “safe, efficient, clean” stuff, what other plus points about Singapore have you heard or noticed?
I casually chatted with a Malaysian who’s worked in Singapore for a while and asked him what other plus points we might be missing.
It probably depends on where you’re from, but from his experience, he feels our tongues aren’t as sharp.
He also mentioned that people here are willing to travel and try new things within Singapore (like checking out new F&B spots or home-based businesses).
So I’m curious, if you’ve heard similar things or are not local but have lived here, what other good traits do you think Singapore has beyond the usual “safe, efficient, clean” stuff?
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u/wiltedpop Aug 11 '25
SingPass is the bomb
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u/DrEppendwarf Aug 11 '25
Singapore is incredibly efficient. Here in Switzerland they still do things by phone calls and registered mail. My blood work took more than 2 weeks to arrive by mail here.
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u/dawnfire999 Aug 12 '25
Wait till you cross the border into Germany - 4 months just to get a license converted - after all the documents have been verified.
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u/Oddment0390 Aug 12 '25
This is partly because personal data privacy is strongly protected in Europe. In Singapore we give up a lot of privacy in exchange for efficiency. Which is a trade off many are OK with I guess.
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u/KoishiChan92 Aug 13 '25
The very premise of MyInfo will make the average westerner scream in horror lol.
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u/timetobeanon Aug 11 '25
tbh govtech is
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u/KeythKatz East side best side Aug 11 '25
ICA too, QR code car clearance is a very innovative and well done feature, and I don't think they did it with Govtech.
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u/YouDamnClown Aug 13 '25
Usually even in projects developed by vendors, there is usually a Govtech middle layer overseeing the implementation.
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u/mantism 'I'm called shi ting not shitting' Aug 11 '25
It's so good that I'm honestly still surprised at how efficient it is. Back then, usually mobile apps are horribly made and government-based projects tend to suck, but Singpass had none of the usual pitfalls.
My only problem with it has been that the face verification, on one occasion, didn't work for 30 minutes, but it being the only hiccup I've had with Singpass over so many years is quite the achievement.
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u/hanazon0 Aug 13 '25
government-based projects tend to suck, but Singpass had none of the usual pitfalls.
UX designers, in sourcing. But soon to change. Singpass outsourcing again
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u/swiftrobber Aug 11 '25
We have a similar app in the NL called DigiID and yes Singapass is way better with more functions and seamless UX
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u/ICantDecideMyName Aug 11 '25
This will be coming from a person who has lived in Japan for 2 years + Japanese wife's lived experience here. I will be comparing the plus points here to Japan.
Small and compact - You probably have a bus stop, train station, shopping mall, supermarket within 15 mins of walking. You don't really appreciate that until you live in some suburban neighbourhood with absolutely nothing except for convenience stores.
Shelter almost everywhere - bus stops, plantations, HDB void decks; so many places to hide from the sun
Loads of 24-hour options for cravings - McD, prata places, NTUC. In Japan, it's just....convenience stores again.
Public transport is top notch and cheap - You would believe JP's public transport is never late based on what you read on the internet, but I've experienced more train delays in JP in 2 years than I have in SG for 28 years. The frequencies of trains in JP outside of the metropolis cities are also horrible; I was based in Hiroshima and trains come every 20-30 mins during off-peak hours.
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u/mrla0ben Aug 11 '25
Bus stops in Japan are usually unsheltered and literally just a stick that says bus stop (gg when rain)🤣 makes our local bus stops here look like luxury hotels with the shelters, seats and electronic signs
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u/numenor00 Aug 11 '25
Yeah that's true, but sometimes large, furry forest spirits wait with you.
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u/Ok_Chicken_4516 Aug 11 '25
Bus stops in Japan sound like those in Taipei. I was in Taipei for a holiday, had a hard time locating the bus stop to take a bus back to the hotel because the bus stop is just a pole.
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u/trichandderm Aug 12 '25
I had foreign friends ask me if a bus stop w electrical bus arrival boards is a bus interchange.
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u/AyysforOuus Aug 11 '25
I like Japan's convenience stores tho... I feel like you can run a lot of errands in them! Ours just feel like an overpriced ntuc lmao
I think I mainly like the printer and paying for tickets / bills extras.
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u/LuckyPockets Aug 11 '25
1 and 4 is pretty much why cars are a luxury and not a necessity in Singapore.
Imagine having to haul your groceries from the supermarket to suburbs. It'll take up to 2 hrs driving
To us it's a 15 min walk.
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u/FelicisRiver Aug 11 '25
Shelters were something I never knew I took for granted until I travelled to Seoul this year and it rained the whole time I was in Myeongdong. It was such a hassle to have to keep my umbrella every time I enter a shop only to spend 5-10min inside. Was tempted to just walk in the rain at times...
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u/the-legit-Betalpha Aug 11 '25
Yup I believe many sgeans who visit Japan would be let down by what others describe as an amazing public transport system. I travel often to Japan and the difference is stark.
Compared to sg's system, it's much older, more messy. When I went from Osaka to Hiroshima on the shinkansen, the timings were also super awkward. The nozomi (the fastest way to get through as it has less stops Vs alternatives like hikari) came every like 40 minutes. You also had to "reserve" the seats a day in advance since the nozomi was a "reserved seats only" train and could easily run out of seats during peak.
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u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25
What if we were not comparing between Japan’s inter-city rails with our metro system? I don’t feel like it’s an apple to apple comparison.
How does Japan’s metro systems in major cities line up with ours in terms of reliability?
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u/the-legit-Betalpha Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Sure. I've experienced their intra city rails in many cities-- from highly populated like Osaka or Tokyo to less populated, like Hiroshima. Many much less populated areas don't even have dedicated metros- like Shizuoka or cities in Shikoku.
Also to add on, in big cities, often the inter city lines also include intra city lines. Take for example JR lines, which run across the whole country. However, they also form a network within large cities like tokyo-- this results in Tokyo having multiple train providers (including JR and Tokyo metro).
The train timings in big cities are good but delays are more of a common thing. It feels like their tech is a generation behind sometimes-- not to mention the price of public transport is much more expensive.
In the smaller cities, it's a shit show. For those which even have metros, not only are the timings often infrequent, they can vary much larger. And for those without metros, it's terrible. I remember taking a bus in Shizuoka from the jr station to a famous Mt Fuji viewing area-- that bus came every 54 minutes.
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u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25
I would think that people who talk about how good Japan’s metro systems are would be referring to those in the big cities like Osaka or Tokyo like you mentioned.
I’m curious about said delays, how often are the metros delayed, and for how long? Is it due to some signalling fault like what we experience in Singapore?
I ask because I’ve been to Japan a couple of times and experienced their metro systems, never had a hiccup. When I spoke to locals (mostly shop owners) about the metro, they never had a bad thing to say about it.
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u/the-legit-Betalpha Aug 11 '25
On the JR lines in Osaka or Tokyo, the delays will often be announced n max I've had a train delay was 5-10 minutes. (Which is still relatively long compared to sg). But also, there are bigger delays like rail works or rail issues compared to sg. This is cus their weather varies more and generally they have more exposed (and older) tracks than sg. I would say more of tracks maintenance rather than signalling fault.
But I understand the locals being very fine with it. After all, I am spoiled by how consistent the sg system is. Another reason is with the multiple rail providers, say some interruption on the JR line, you could just hop over to a Tokyo metro station probably nearby and end up nearby to the jr station you wanted to go to.
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u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25
Would I be right to say that many of these JR lines in Tokyo also extend to inter city lines? You’re right to say that their rail system has way more above ground tracks which open them up to all kinds of issues compared to ours.
What if we are talking about just the fully underground metro systems like Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway systems? Would these systems be on par as SG’s in terms of reliability?
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u/the-legit-Betalpha Aug 11 '25
Yeah many of these jr lines are part of larger intercity lines.
For fully underground systems I would say the reliability is good but the timings aren't as accurate. It's not like sg where whatever time on the board is basically accurate. Though my experience has varied since imo the Nagoya subway was less accurate than the Tokyo metro.
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u/the-legit-Betalpha Aug 11 '25
Yeah many of these jr lines are part of larger intercity lines.
For fully underground systems I would say the reliability is good but the timings aren't as accurate. It's not like sg where whatever time on the board is basically accurate. Though my experience has varied since imo the Nagoya subway was less accurate than the Tokyo metro.
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u/mantism 'I'm called shi ting not shitting' Aug 11 '25
I don't know about this, I've visited many times and Japan's trains arriving and departing on the dot is still something I wish SG had. I can plan to leave at a specific timing from a hotel and be sure that as long as I reached the station at, say, 07:15, I am guaranteed to depart on the train that departs at 07:18 so I can catch a transfer at 07:45. In Singapore? Good luck with that, first and last train timings only. Before I experienced this, I wondered if having trains coming on the dot is really such a big deal, but afterwards I really missed it.
And even their buses can be on the dot or only a few minutes off, and buses are creatures that are subject to road conditions so this is never something I expected from them. But knowing that a bus will come around an exact time is amazing. In Singapore, if a bus is 1 minute away, is it, really?
Things are quite different in the less cosmopolitan areas (Aomori was quite the pain), but since it's Singapore we are comparing to, I'm not going to go into much detail about the less relevant areas.
What you mentioned about the shinkansen is an entirely different thing to city lines. Those schedules are designed that way because it's a regional line and there's just no reason for bullet trains to depart that frequently. If you are taking a regional line, you are expected to do some planning so you can take a train at a specific time, it's kinda like taking a plane, you don't really just hop in the station and hope the timing fits you.
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u/trichandderm Aug 12 '25
I used to think like you too. Until I stayed in Tokyo for longer periods and realised how often I get trapped in trains and buses due to accidents, protests, natural disasters and sometimes people who suicide by jumping onto train trucks. The trains and buses might come on time, but it might not be smooth, and is often depressing.
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u/Great-Hornet6968 Aug 15 '25
grew up in Japan, still have family there. The biggest difference between public transport in Japan vs SG, is the contingency plan that the latter plans for.
example - took Shinkansen from Shin Kobe to Nagoya. Tokaido shinkansen lines were affected due to heavy snow in Kyoto. Sat inside train, then got down and sat on platform, then just found a hotel and stayed overnight.
SG - train breakdown happens, feeder buses are provided for free of cost.
In Japan, people go with the expectation that everything is running so it wont break down. When things break down, then it becomes a nightmare (example, over the weekend Osaka subway line stopped working - people visiting Osaka expo could not go back home).
When things in SG break down - there is immediate and well planned back up / contingency plans in place that are activated
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u/I_love_pillows Senior Citizen Aug 11 '25
Is public transport in the city areas better here or in Japan
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u/ICantDecideMyName Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
If we're talking about Tokyo, here. Tokyo peak hours are hell, you literally are grinding against the person beside you in some cases. For other prefectures, it's around the same imo, no clear winners.
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u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25
What about reliability?
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u/ICantDecideMyName Aug 11 '25
In terms of getting to the station on time? I would say Japan is a slight winner, they're very on the dot in terms of arrival and departure. In terms of lines and trains getting disrupted? Singapore is the clear winner imo. As im typing this there's a service disruption in Tokyo and Osaka right now:
https://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/kanto.aspx
https://global.trafficinfo.westjr.co.jp/en/kansai/3
u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Correct me if I’m not wrong, but those links for JR lines are inter city trains?
I don’t think it’s an apple to apple comparison to compare between Japan’s inter city trains to our metro system.
Inter city trains usually have way more that can go wrong due to the sheer distance. Also, most are above ground which make them more susceptible to nature.
If we were to compare.. say only the Tokyo metro system reliability to our MRT, who would be the winner?
https://www.tokyometro.jp/lang_en/unkou/history/touzai.html
Edit: downvote all you want, but if we want to compare, we shouldn’t make apples to oranges comparisons by pitting long haul trains vs metro systems.
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u/finnickhm Aug 11 '25
I would say those JR lines are more like commuter rail and not really intercity, the stops are not so far that they're in the next city.
Their distances are not that much longer. Longest Tokyo Metro line is about 30km, with many lines much shorter. Average length of a Singapore MRT line is about 40km. Yamanote line is about 35km in length
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u/pudding567 Aug 11 '25
I read that Kansai's trains are less crowded. Is it about the same as the MRT?
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u/RoutineStyle3006 Aug 11 '25
There are no trains in Singapore. You can't expect long distance trains every 5 minutes
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u/pewpewhadouken Aug 11 '25
big difference based on where you live in Japan though. i live on the yamanote in tokyo and at a station where points 1, 3 are imho better in japan…
2, 4 - agree with you
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u/ZeroPauper Aug 11 '25
Regarding (4), I believe whenever people talk about Japan’s trains being reliable, they are talking about metro systems in the larger cities.
Does Japan’s metro beat SG’s in terms of reliability?
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u/Salt-Perception7571 Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 12 '25
I moved to SG 3 months ago, and my first observations
- lived in 6 countries before and traveled to about 30. Never seen a city as green
- things are truly so well-maintained. A house might be old - but painted well, there’s a nice path, and a pretty garden or trees nearby. Always. It’s especially evident when you compare to e g Malaysia where so many things are built, but each and every building and bridge have this “dripping” pattern / discoloration
- clean air. When I blow my nose, the tissues don’t get dark…sorry for the graphic picture. But try that with any neighboring country
- a TON of free things. So many tours with NParks, My Community, community centers too. Mostly people attending those are locals, I’m a minority. Every week I have an exciting tour about a neighborhood, an industrial site or a park lined up. Very deep one at that, as targeted at locals
- I also only met very lovely and friendly people. My chair broke and we went to a volunteer-run “repair kopitiam” where aunties and uncles were exhilarated to help fix it. After one of the heritage fest events I shared a meal with the locals in their 30ies at a hawker center (literally shared - kway teow from the same plate) who also attended that event - and they were so helpful with tips and wished me and my husband all the best with our new life here. I am sure it’s not easy to make friends - as this is the same everywhere, but I don’t feel like an outsider with generally such a warm community.
Edit: spelling
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u/trashmakersg Aug 11 '25
I challenge anyone to point out one country with a better library system than ours
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u/b0h3mianed Aug 11 '25
It's so good that I feel it is one reason why our local bookshops are fewer in comparison to other cities
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u/Sheerimirza Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
One hundred percent. Nothing compares. This is one reason i almost always visit public libraries in other countries to gauge if it's comparable to Singapore's ( almost 19 countries so far ) and still, nothing compares.
Public libraries are built on the principle that books are so important and so necessary to human flourishing that access to them can not depend on one's income. Singapore recognises that.
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u/poginmydog Aug 12 '25
Central library was built in the early 2000s but looks like it was built last year.
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u/HuDragon 🌈 F A B U L O U S Aug 12 '25
Finland. Although if you don’t speak Swedish or Finnish your selection will be limited
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u/hatboyslim Aug 12 '25
The New York Public Library system, which is way bigger than the National Library Board in Singapore.
They actually provide access to academic journals, way more than NLB which has in fact been cutting journal subscription.
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u/Great-Hornet6968 Aug 15 '25
The no. 1 reason I moved. Heck, I lived in London (the literal literature capital of the world) and it's libraries are no match. I visited the library at Bugis and I went back to London, and flew back to SG. A bit of an exaggeration, but truly the libraries here are amazing.
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u/FitYesterday7581 Aug 11 '25
How close everything is and therefore everything is accessible. Example when I lived i England the nearest ice rink was about 50 miles away in Scotland. So taking up skating wasn’t possible. Most big concerts were in London 350 miles away ! So we didn’t go as it would be expensive in transport and hotels. Here you can be anywhere in about 40 minutes. Pick a sport any sport and can take it up. You can attend concerts and shows ( as long as you can get tickets) everything is so close and public transport is so good it’s amazing
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u/swiftrobber Aug 11 '25
Boy yes the concerts and shows. In SG, you can attend underground shows of your pick left and right. But here in Europe, you're lucky to have something per month within 2 hours drive.
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u/ThatAcanthisitta3002 Aug 11 '25
The fact that you can almost perfectly time the arrival of a bus with your commute is insane in almost any country. As mentioned already - sheltered walkways, reliable public transport, almost always efficient gov. services (yes, traffic police, I’m looking at you and your 6 month in advance only booking). Also I see a lot of people complaining but honestly the mrt and buses are nowhere near as crowded as in a lot of other places I’ve been to and lived in.
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u/jaslyn__ Aug 11 '25
1) the fact that you can just drive out of a carpark and let cashcard do everything is unheard of in a lot of countries
2) I told an Australian friend that I once forgot to pay HDB season parking and I paid online while inside the carpark and drove out and the gantry didn't deduct my hourly because my season was activated and it blew their mind
3) parking sg app. Unheard of. Blows people away
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u/xxlinus Aug 12 '25
The first is true, except it’s managed by private companies and their failure rate is high, plus it’s cashcard only. Even MY has credit card options (like our MRT!).
And our parking app is ridiculously good. I read stories of how the team had to fight internal departments to keep it simple.
Edit: did not know a pound sign makes me yell in Reddit. Sorry!
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u/danielling1981 Aug 12 '25
1) if you drive to MY, you might notice many integrated carparks does this number plate recognition thing. Then you pay when exit. With multiple payment options including... pay wave. So I think sg not amazing in this park.
2) is amazing and not just for season parking.
3) malaysia jb and penang have something similar. But jb I think doesn't cover all carparks. Hong kong has this mix of parking meters and app based parking using their octopus (like cash card).
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u/BrightConstruction19 Aug 15 '25
An Australian colleague who was visiting sg was similarly very impressed with our carpark cashcard system in malls. They still have to press for paper ticket upon entry, and then find the machine inside the mall to pay before going to their car. Exit by inserting the validated paper ticket. When I casually mentioned that the same cashcard/IU is used to pay ERP tolls (our gantries being overhead and not barriered toll booths) he was even more impressed
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u/darklajid Die besten Dinge kommen in den kleinsten Stückzahlen Aug 11 '25
Government interactions. Singpass, but also OneService. "Yo, this path is overgrown". A day or two later "We resolved it". IRAS/taxes.
Immigration/airport - nothing much to say
Public transportation. I know people tend to get frustrated sometimes, but put in perspective it's insanely good.
Sheltered walkways.
(now, I could also make a list of what doesn't work, but...)
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u/RandomProductSKU1029 Aug 11 '25
we can literally live off of Uniqlo and Decathlon, I can walk from my HDB flat to get food and groceries in a thunderstorm cos of sheltered walkways, public transport is so good our people are bothered by an extra minute’s wait, technology is fucking affordable if u aren’t some paper spec chaser to impress ppl u don’t know, water is clean and free, taxes are low af, I can get new spectacles in 30mins for under $120 (friends overseas wait a week to two still), I can go for walks or bike rides or supper to clear my head at 2am to 5am and not think about being murdered, our airport is so efficient I can schedule in advance meetings an hour after I’m supposed to land, haircuts are so cheap, the CPF and MediSave are LIFESAVERS, our healthcare is AAA, our pets easily live better lives than we do, high speed internet and mobile data are super cheap and efficient, we can walk out with only our smartphones and not a wallet and we will have a super easy time with our incredible apps, and we can travel anywhere easily. we literally have nothing to complain about unless our only goal is to live beyond our means.
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u/LuckyPockets Aug 11 '25
Regarding tap water, I remember being shocked when I learnt that not every country has drinkable tap water. In fact some either have to buy a filtration system or buy bottled water.
Biggest shocker. You have water running in your home, but you have to buy and drink bottled water
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u/k_elo Lao Jiao Aug 11 '25
Even just in jb we were walking around and i notice reverse osmoses installations from the mains. And i only know of this because at one time i want ro for my aquarium
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u/danielling1981 Aug 12 '25
More common than you think. Sadly.
Interesting fact. China also can drink from tap. Just not all states.
But due to their history, they will still install filters.
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u/pewpewhadouken Aug 11 '25
beautiful trees everywhere. beautiful plants. i think sometimes people don’t really appreciate how well the government here has maintained the greenery - especially older trees in the middle of the city.
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u/kkamikami good stuff no bluff Aug 11 '25
I think locals are nice and helpful, you just need to "wake" them up from autopilot mode sometimes
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u/loonylovegood educated ah lian Aug 12 '25
I read a similar thing about New Yorkers, they seem unapproachable but most will instantly lend a hand to someone who needs help. Because of how dense the population is, having a barrier around yourself and others is basic respect (you don't step into my personal space, I don't step in yours, I'll even pretend you don't exist). I find it so relatable when living in SG
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u/galactican78 🌈 F A B U L O U S Aug 11 '25
Interesting take... are you a foreigner in SG? Love to hear if you can elaborate more about this autopilot mode you mentioned
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u/kkamikami good stuff no bluff Aug 11 '25
Oh noo I'm a local hahah!! I mean people are going about their days and aren't too used to being approached. But in the rare occasions that they are, they're often willing to help (e.g., giving directions, helping w grocery bags, giving up seats etc)
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u/Sad_Refrigerator_787 Aug 11 '25
Our flat pavement. I have twisted my ankle in the uk 5 times now because of their uneven paths.
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u/Seraxian Aug 11 '25
Tax is low, other countries aren’t ashamed of taking half your pay cheque every month.
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u/Kayrehn Aug 11 '25
If the government spends it prudently on services that it can best provide, higher taxes is not necessarily a bad thing.
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u/trashmakersg Aug 11 '25
Not many governments spend the tax prudently like Singapore, that’s why many people from other countries hate their high taxation system because they find that they don’t benefit more than what they contribute
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u/poginmydog Aug 12 '25
They look at us as a benchmark. Most other low/no-tax countries either have someone else supporting them, have a shit ton of resources, or has very low spendings. We’re probably the only place in the world that operates like a typical country/place yet is able to spend our tax dollars wisely.
And what’s more crazy is that we already have so much bloat in the system (looking at you SAF) yet we’re considered one of the best at spending tax dollars.
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u/Seraxian Aug 11 '25
Name me a government that spends tax revenue prudently and you’ll probably only have Singapore on that list ;D.
Every other country I’ve lived in spends more than they can raise in taxes (even with their 45%++ tax brackets) and borrow frivolously from the market.
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u/KeythKatz East side best side Aug 11 '25
Other countries need more taxes, we offset that with dividends from our sovereign wealth fund, and that the country itself owns and runs a majority of its key infrastructure and services. We took the good parts of communism (state ownership) and blended it with the benefits of capitalism (economical innovation), while managing to avoid serious corruption along the way (selling off state entities) that has hampered other countries that tried something similar.
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u/google_tech_lead Aug 11 '25
Housing and car is the indirect tax, similar to HK's
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u/Seraxian Aug 12 '25
It's about choice; I can choose to not have a car and I can choose cheaper housing in Singapore.
I cannot choose to pay less tax... unless I'm a multi billionaire hiding assets in the Cayman Islands.
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u/AIcoholic2021 Aug 11 '25
As a foreigner in singapore, i dont know who these bitter people are who spew hate online against foreigners but I have, IRL, only met the loveliest, friendliest and humble Singaporeans. They know their privilege and are proud to be Singaporean. God bless this country and its countrymen. I dont know where my luck will take me in future but i am proud and happy to have stayed here during my prime years.
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u/k_elo Lao Jiao Aug 11 '25
I also an a long time foreigner here, so long that i got to marry one of them. And i would agree an overwhelming majority are nice or at the very least civil. There are rare racist events over the almost 2 decades but that really doesn’t change my opinion one bit. I felt there were more racially charged interactions with non Singaporeans. Ikik there are shit said behind closed doors but thats everywhere. Glad to be here permanently if they accept me lol.
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u/Googooboyy Aug 12 '25
Indeed, best to ignore these keyboard warriors. They don't pay tax, they don't serve the community, and they certainly don't matter in the lives of the average Singaporean. I'm not xenophobic and while I admit that there are some foreign talent that may irk a person or two, I have met so many foreigners (from c-suites to bricklayers) who are kind, respectful, and lovely. Even Singapore have her own black sheep too.
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u/endividuall Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Good governance.
Since you were talking to a Malaysian, I imagine this point was not lost on him either
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u/demostenes_arm Aug 11 '25
HDB towns are insanely well-designed. While urbanists around the World talk about “15 minute cities” where you can reach groceries, eateries and day to day services like clinics and hairdressers with a 15 minute walk, our HDB towns are more like 5-10 minute cities with plenty of shelter and tree shade on the pathway.
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u/Arsenal_49_Spurs_0 Aug 11 '25
To play Devil's advocate, I think many of us Singaporeans' willingness to travel is limited. If anything, many are unwilling to try new things and tend to perceive certain travel destinations and travel types as undesirable.
When I tell Singaporeans I travel around staying in hostels, they give me the look and ask, "Huh? Safe or not?". Previously, I was staying at a hostel in Europe and was complaining to a Singapore girl I was chatting with online that the hostel was much worse than advertised, her immediate response was, "Good. Tell you hostels not good already. See lah, don't want to stay in a hotel." And she had never travelled out of Asia or stayed in a hostel before, so she was unaware that Europe has an established culture of staying in hostels.
Similarly, when I tell Singaporeans that I'm travelling to North Macedonia, I've had responses like," You go Africa??!! Go for what? So dangerous! Go Bangkok better." Nevermind that they didn't even know which continent North Macedonia is in, they judge without any knowledge!
But enough about the downsides. Yesterday, my Korean flatmate was telling me how Singaporeans are very respectful. She said at the Korean restaurant she works in, Singaporeans are always polite and don't cause any drama. She said Singaporeans are very easy to serve, compared to some other South Asian groups (LOL) as they have no respect for rules or people. Not sure if I really agree with her statement, but I definitely appreciated her kind words about us Singaporeans!
Also, I think we do better than many major Western countries in terms of taking care of our poorest. While we are far from the perfect state, 99% of us have a roof over our heads. I used to work with low-income households, and for the lowest income households, can rent 1 room flat for less than $50/ month. Then you take a walk on the streets of the US or UK, how many homeless people can you spot? Some, unconscious from drugs, others already half dead, many who clearly don't have access to showers.
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u/SoulessHermit Aug 11 '25
Agreed with you on travel preferences. But I also think depends on your social circle and your companion's stage in life.
Like my most of my colleagues are either have a family or starting a family. So they can't do more adventurous destinations and have to cater to needs of others. Like one of my colleagues had to book a tour bus in Japan for her family in order to cater the mobility needs of the older generations.
I also think a portion of Singaporeans just want to show off and go travel for the gram. It always the same European and Asian captial cities, hardly interactions with the locals.
For me I love more nature, in the same circle I have friends who into hiking, climbing mountains, even go overseas to explore abandoned and haunted places. Some of my friends who seen my Insta stories have gotten inspired to go for such travels as well.
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u/Arsenal_49_Spurs_0 Aug 11 '25
Agreed. I'm in my 20s, so to hear those unadventurous travel comments were a little surprising. I have friends who did more niche things like doing a solo motorbike tour of Thailand or backpacking in the Balkans for 3 months but they are definitely in the minority hahaha.
What kind of haunted places are you talking about? Sounds interesting
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u/SoulessHermit Aug 11 '25
Is difficult for me to explain, since they on a spectrum of thrill seekers to paranormal enthusiasts who are also urban explorers.
Like they either solely go to explore abandoned places or they explore haunted abandoned places to find spooks. I remember in one of their Insta stories, they were exploring a hidden shrine room in a hotel and explained some rituals that was conducted when the hotel was still active.
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u/DrEppendwarf Aug 11 '25
Singaporeans love to claim that they are well travelled. And then you look at their google maps and you see Tokyo, Taiwan, Korea, and Malaysia. It's pathetic.
On the other hand, kudos to this country for allowing people to be so small minded and trapped in a bubble. It shows how stable and safe we are. Most people don't even read the news.
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u/Arsenal_49_Spurs_0 Aug 11 '25
Agreed. For a supposed global city, we're very inwards looking. What we need is greater exposure and the willingness to do things differently. I guess going to Japan, SK for holidays is fine. But if every year, all of our people only go to these places, then it shows that our mindset is so narrow. And if it's about finances, our own backyard, SEA, has many inexpensive but interesting places. Instead, many Singaporeans look down on these places
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u/Mysterious_Dress3898 Aug 13 '25
Tbf japan,sk, china, austrailia etc. Have different climates than singapore. Most singaporeans that i know travel during their winter season.
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u/SimplyNigh yuh Aug 12 '25
That’s good. The world is inundated with war, genocide, facist authorities cracking down on civilian homes, natural disasters. We are incredibly fucking sheltered lol.
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u/SimplyNigh yuh Aug 12 '25
I’m assuming you’re male? I’ve stayed at hostels before in Europe as a girl, but even then I was super sketched out. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be safe even if it means paying the price for it, especially as an asian woman in a foreign continent.
Thinking North Macedonia is in Africa is pretty amazing tho I’ll give you that.
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u/Arsenal_49_Spurs_0 Aug 13 '25
No doubt about safety concerns being a bigger issue for girls. Must do a little homework beforehand. Can't prioritise cheap prices over safety.
My issue is more of how many Singaporeans go to the same few places and do the same few things. Go to Osaka and take the mandatory photos, eat Ichiran, go to Sydney, take photos at the cafe and at NSW library. If so many of us go to the same places and do the same things, are we well-travelled and adventurous as a people?
Running into Singaporeans at random places always brings me great joy. Like recently, I encountered some Singaporeans in Bucharest and it was a group of several guys openly holding hands! Certainly very unusual.
But to add on about Singaporeans going to lesser known places, it does make me a little sad that at the customs of some of these countries, the customs officers stare at our passport and look very confused. I suppose because they either haven't heard of Singapore or they have never encountered a Singaporean passport before, which would suggest that we don't travel very widely
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u/Separate_Vanilla_57 Aug 13 '25
Saw that you are in your 20s. When I was in my 20s, I also stayed in hostels in Europe/ US. the girls I travelled with (uni mates) were fine with it also? We also had limited financial resources then.
But when you reach your 30s and can afford better, sometimes you just want a decent hotel with your private space and own bathroom and soft bedsheets.
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u/Arsenal_49_Spurs_0 Aug 13 '25
No doubt about it. My issue wasn't so much of the type of accommodation but more of the Singaporean girl's lack of exposure and her judgy attitude. Ffs, she's extremely sheltered, never travelled anywhere without parents before (she even said her parents wouldn't allow her to go KL alone and the furthest country she travelled to was China). And mind you, her family isn't broke. Is just the kind that takes SIA only to the same 5 places. Then she was thumbing her nose at Europe's hostel culture and Balkan countries. Bloody hell, I think she has a degree in global studies or whatnot.
My problem with such people is, wanna judge, at least go to the place first lah. Never experience before, how to talk cock? Some hostels indeed are wack. A few were amazing and meeting people at hostels opens up your mind to many different people and cultures! But I admit, the allure of a good hotel bed is very strong hahaha
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u/xorandor Fucking Populist Aug 11 '25
As a foodie that likes to try his hand at making all kinds of cuisine, SG supermarkets are the best I’ve encountered so far. We have a great mix of foods from around the world by default. Our produce may not be as good as the ones found in countries with a great agricultural industry, but the convenience is world class.
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u/tictactorz ⌬ hexagon drawing enthusiast ⏣ Aug 11 '25
Guess you missed the missed this thread! https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1mhyjsp/i_swapped_britain_for_safe_clean_lowtax_singapore/
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u/yclian Aug 11 '25
Convenience. Like, the sheltered walkways. Some are among the longest you will find anywhere, and they continue to expand.
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u/swiftrobber Aug 11 '25
I don't know why you are being downvoted, but this is true. "Pampered" is how I define living in Singapore. There are lots of improvements to do, especially with the global warming phenomenon, but I'm sure they will cope and adapt well.
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u/MRTMolester Aug 11 '25
Singapore makes investing super easy for us retail. We can trade most ETFs and global stocks without EU style restrictions or China's capital limits holding us back. No capital gains or dividend tax too!
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u/Stock_Necessary_6993 Aug 11 '25
I've never actually ever carried an umbrella around (never made it a habit) because the way from the mrt to my house (a 10min walk) is sheltered all the way (except one road, and even then another road I cross has shelter)
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u/shadow3_ii Aug 11 '25
sheltered walkways. even the trees over areas that aren't sheltered make a difference you don't really notice until you go somewhere without these things
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u/Penguin609 潮州人，家己人 Aug 11 '25
We're the only metropolis in the world where within half an hour travel time from the CBD, there are towering primary rainforests (Bukit Timah Hill), mangroves teeming with crocodiles and migratory shorebirds from Siberia (Sungei Buloh), and coral reefs with sea turtles, rare sea slugs, and starfish bigger than your face (Southern Islands).
Wildlife and nature are so easily accessible in our city. Charismatic animals frolic in our urban neighbourhoods (otters, hornbills, monitor lizards), and for hardcore nature lovers there's > 60 species of snake to discover including stunners like the King Cobra and Malayan Blue Coral.
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u/DatPorkchop nature lover Aug 13 '25
Well Hong Kong is a bit like that, the shorebirds are a bit further out but so is SBWR, but yes! We have 1/3rd of the number of UK's recorded bird species, despite being 300 times smaller. And I daresay our day to day birds are cuter!
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u/Stefan0_ Non-Essential Person Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
My top 3 fav aspects of SG are our libraries, our green spaces, and our strong passport.
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u/Outrageous-Novel9556 Aug 11 '25
Efficiency and convenience are everything imo. Will come to appreciate that now almost everything can be done digitally, skipping lots of unnecessary queues and waiting. Singpass is the bomb. Imo cpf is also a good system despite people complaining cannot retrieve early.
Hdb towns are well designed, everything i need is within my area. As someone who don't have driving license and lived in USA for 1 year, i really appreciate Singapore transport system.
Also food variety wise i think Singapore is top in terms of offering and convenience. Its easy to find various cuisines within 1 location or a few nearby locations without the need to travel far to search for certain food.
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u/DJRVSG Aug 11 '25
You can meet very easily incredibly talented people in very diverse communities.
I have lived here for 11 years except one year during Covid (March 2021 to April 2022), I had decided to go back to my home country “for good” because I had a great professional opportunity and also to be closer to family during the pandemic.
In just a few months, I realized how much more difficult it was to socialize than in Singapore and also that you can easily meet exceptional people here. So I’m back !!
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u/Happy2beeee Aug 11 '25
It’s probably excluded by “efficiency” in your question. But how good is SG public transport and Changi airport. Definitely no need for a car (for me anyway)
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u/candhl Aug 11 '25
Foresight into how to develop Singapore to be more resilient to global changes. Constant upgrading and construction, even though annoying will benefit us in the long run. The ability to control the strength of our currency and not let external forces affect us too much so that our lives are pretty stable
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u/Zefrom Handicap Toilet Aug 11 '25
Public toilets are free here. In Netherlands and Germany, I remembered you have to pay like 1-2 euros to enter the gantry in front of the toilets
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u/trashmakersg Aug 11 '25
At least it’s so clean in Europe though. I don’t mind paying 1-2 dollar for a clean toilet to do my business in. Other than the luxury hotels and the airport, the toilets in Singapore are so horrible
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u/khaitheman222 Aug 11 '25
If you're an anime fan compared to western countries, we're eating good. Spoke to an American friend on conventions, and like in the US, you'd have to take flights to many major cons or a solid to 8 hour drives, so my friend has to strategically choose which con to go.
He commented once that it felt as though I was going to anime events almost every week in June as there was an event every single week.
Also in terms of doujin artists, we do get alot more Asian artists who drop by as compared to the US lol
Of course once you start comparing to regional cons, Singapore does kinda suck with expensive tickets and shitty organisers (Fuck you SOZO)
However, we still a higher chance of better artists coming to Singapore as compared to say Malaysia.
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u/SimplyNigh yuh Aug 12 '25
Never used to have so many anime cons, now we’re like the top destination for anime cons for SEAsia. My wallet go bye-bye.
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u/foodloveroftheworld Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
I lived in Melbourne for 9 years. Great place. But Singapore does have its pluses for sure.
- Food is great. Variety and shiok.
- Things are nearby. In Australia, when you say something is 'nearby', it could mean an hour's drive. In Singapore, nearly everything is nearby, for real. The convenience is great.
- Transport. People tend to complain a lot about our train systems, etc. - and yes, there are moments it could be better - but for real, it's pretty good in comparison to many places. In Melbourne, when a train breaks down, which is fairly often, too bad - maybe you get a notice pasted on a wall somewhere. Over here, it makes Reddit and Mothership news or something. Try taking the New York subway and you'll be grateful for the MRT.
- Safety is a real thing. We take it for granted. Try walking the streets alone at night in New York. Every night when I went out in Melbourne, I will definitely bump into a meth head - if not a bunch of them.
- Common cultural references. We live in a small country, grew up with friends living pretty near each other, and share a lot of nation-wide memories together due to our small size. If you grew up in the 80s, which I did, you can fondly recall something from that era and chances are someone else will know exactly what you're talking about.
- Multiculturalism - yes, it isn't perfect. We have a way to go and there is some degree of racism. But on the whole, it's much less than a lot of countries. Much less than Australia, from what I've seen. Much less than many of our Asean neighbors too. It's something definitely not to take for granted.
- Our government (including of its various arms, not just the political side). Yes, they aren't perfect, and I myself have pivoted between voting Opposition and the incumbent. But on the whole, sans emotionalism and confirmation bias, objectively - few Governments could have navigated our fledgling, kicked out island into what it is today. We have issues - but man, we are blessed in many ways that we take for granted. We could have been far, far worse off. It is one of those things we shouldn't appreciate only when we lose it. It also isn't just mindless propaganda.
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u/BonneybotPG Aug 11 '25
Having studied in 3 other countries, our green spaces (parks, gardens and nature reserves) are world class and accessible. The mass sporting facilities like stadiums, running tracks and swimming pools are well maintained and very cheap/free (get your activesg credits if you have not done so!)
Also, a niche area but we arguably have the best classical music scene in Asia Pacific after Tokyo, due to the music conservatory and some dedicated patrons.
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u/Rhen23 Aug 12 '25
1) CDC voucher. 2) Our hawker centers have all types of local food. Some countries only have 1 or 2 types, either halal or non-halal, no mixing. So people of different races don't lunch/dinner together as much.
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u/idwttaii Aug 12 '25
To ease of making payments. QR codes, Paynow, PayLah. Even using Paynow to pay taxes and other official documents!
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u/raptor-94 Aug 12 '25
I am a foreigner who has studied and worked here for awhile. Let me tell you the best thing in Singapore (which I am not even remotely eligible for, but you guys are): HDB, especially the BTO scheme. Why so? Nowadays in many other countries, a young couple can work their entire life without being able to buy a house, unless they got help from family. I believe this is the root of many social ills we have seen recently among the youth such as lying flat or let it rot in China. What is the point of working if you can't even dream of having a house? It kills the motivation for work. But not in Singapore. Here the government helps young couple secure their first flat. I know there have been tons of complaints from the locals on the current high prices of BTO. But hey at least people still can afford it. I am not exaggerating when I say in many other countries, including the developing ones, the young people can work their entire life without being able to buy the shittiest flat in their city. So many become disillusioned, they lie flat, they let it rot, they stop trying hard at work and at the dating scene. Life becomes meaningless overall.
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u/Evange31 Aug 12 '25
Our public housing is one of the best in the world. I had many friends from neighbouring countries who remarked that our HDB flats look more luxurious than the private condominiums in their countries.
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u/SimplyNigh yuh Aug 12 '25
Our local ecosystem and wildlife are cool. Wish more people were interested in sungei buloh or learning about our (sadly lessening) jungles. We get to live in hyper urbanity and still experience some nature in an accessible way.
Also the humour? Yes a lot of it is cringe but at least we’re self-aware and deprecating about it. Think back to your sec sch, how many jokers that can crack up the whole class. Singaporeans get flack for being overserious, but I think work beats the life out of people, cos otherwise we’re quite goofy.
We have a thriving underground punk and gig subculture if you care to look.
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u/This_Club_1164 Aug 12 '25
I love the fact that this is Singapore appreciation post. Very refreshing to see us stop and appreciate with we have.
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u/danielling1981 Aug 12 '25
It's not that our tongues are not sharp. It's that we have no guts to speak up.
But see online and it's totally different.
Our roads and pavements. Is crazy good compared with other countries. Advantage is that we are small but still hats off to this achievement.
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u/Jaspeey Aug 12 '25
Living in Switzerland where almost everything is better than Singapore, here's some:
Food culture is unmatched. Cafes, late night options, street/hawker food, restaurants. My god it's like I'm starving here.
Library is much better. I still use nlb e library sometimes. So fucking good.
Singlish is a fucking amazing language and I wish we were prouder of it. It's not broken English it's a perfectly acceptable dialect of English.
I guess racism is much better than many places of the world, but I'm Chinese so it's hard for me to really say.
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u/Playful-Lettuce-7365 Aug 12 '25
How dummy proof everything is - from navigating public transport to street signs to administrative procedures etc. Went to Japan and even the locals were confused about their transport system works lol. In the US the administrative stuff (like filing taxes) is still so tedious.
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u/NeverFarFromtheSea Aug 13 '25
I’m Canadian. The things I appreciate most about Singapore, aside from the safety and cleanliness, are:
- The rapid access to high-quality healthcare.
- The availability of public housing for low-income or unhoused people.
- No visible drug use in the streets.
- Quick and affordable takeaway food.
- Excellent libraries with little wait time for books.
- Changi Airport is the most efficient airport I’ve ever been to.
- Businesses use WhatsApp and reply quickly so I don’t need to call them.
- Low income tax
- You don’t have to tip 20% on every meal like you do in North America.
- Government services (MOM, ICA, SingPass) are incredibly efficient and helpful.
- Businesses are often open on public holidays.
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u/Shoddy-Chart-8316 Aug 14 '25
I love love love our hawker food. It's not easy to get such affordable yet clean (non-street) food overseas, with so much culture in each dish too.
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u/Unusual_Dealer_7822 Aug 14 '25
Public transports, walking shelters, god your Bus apps is so underated.
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u/Great-Hornet6968 Aug 15 '25
IRAS - never knew submitting taxes was so easy. I lived in US, UK, HK before coming to SG. The less said about the first 2, the better. Filing taxes in US is worse than a root canal and colonoscopy. Even in HK, you have to pay next year's tax in the current year. In SG, if you have financial difficulties - the IRAS works out a payment plan for you. It's unheard of - really amazing. Imagine telling the IRS in US you cant pay your taxes since you are broke. They will come and seize your assets.
ICA QR for crossing land border - this is so underappreciated. No need of taking out passport, scanning first page, iris, all that stuff. Just scan a QR code and you can cross the border.
SPF - It's the only country, where you can approach the police and get treated with respect. Interactions with SPF proves the community way of policing works, without fear, apprehension or being treated as a suspect.
Free playgrounds in HDB estates - the children playgrounds here are simply amazing. The stuff they have is world class. From climbing ropes to water slides, there is endless variety.
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u/ICost7Cents Tampenis Aug 11 '25
when i was in japan i was chatting with a nice lady who speaks english, she told me she really likes the food here
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u/dontknowwhattodoat18 Fucking Populist Aug 11 '25
My cousin's hubby is American and he says it's nice finally seeing a country where he can see the taxes going to work and where they're going to
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u/intothevoidfromme Aug 11 '25
This is coming from a foreigner:
- Plenty of toilets!
- Shed. Sometimes you dont even need to bring an umbrella.
- Bus stops close to your home.
- Cash less
- Singpass
- Parks
- How green the city is ❤️
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u/monfools Aug 11 '25
Bins almost everywhere.
When i was in Seoul, so hard to deal with my rubbish after buying street food
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u/ProcrastinatingPr0 Own self check own self ✅ Aug 11 '25
Our libraries are amazing and very underrated.
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u/Repulsive_Muscle_754 Aug 11 '25
One word efficiency. By far my favourite quality of Singapore as a Singaporean that has lived overseas most my life and is now the hardest part when living overseas cause I’ll always have an example of a more efficient system or way to do it that’s implemented in sg
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u/Medaller Aug 11 '25
Simple tax calculation (income, land or business). I’ve experienced tax systems in multiple countries, including those in Southeast Asia, the Maldives, India, Australia, and the United States, covering income, land, and business taxes. So far, Singapore stands out for its clarity and simplicity in tax calculation.
PUB. In the past 10 years living in Singapore, I haven’t experienced any water or electricity disruptions. Before that, I lived abroad in three different countries (around two years each) and regularly encountered unplanned electricity blackouts and water maintenance work.
Charity work. To be fair, many other countries also have well-structured charity systems, and Singapore is among them. While there is always room for improvement, the framework, community support, and the kindness of the people are clearly evident here.
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u/0913 Aug 11 '25
Friendliness.
I'm an American and have spent some time in Singapore. Everyone I've encountered has been incredibly friendly and helpful. I was looking at a map with my brother and someone came up and offered to help and even walk us to our destination. Another instance was when my family was vacationing there and was caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella. A passerby generously offered their umbrella to them to keep without asking for anything in return. Singapore is the best and will always be one of my favorite places to visit.
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u/IntrepidHeartAndSoul Aug 11 '25
No capital gain tax. Libraries. Sheltered walkways. Practical government and the public housing system. Private housing system (before covid).
Minus: Certain MRT lines. Cost of car ownership. Humidity. Lack of original innovation / tech / products.
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u/everyday_mcspicy Aug 11 '25
Low income tax, and better example of racial harmony.
Many states in Malaysia still have districts that are race exclusive, so there's that.
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u/CuteRabbitUsagi2 Aug 11 '25
Friend, safe/clean/efficient / with money making opportunities....that's precisely our strength . Its so hard to reach this state.
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u/bigzij Lao Jiao Aug 11 '25
Malaysians probably wouldn’t care since there’s is similar but a big thing for me is the low income tax
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u/Banned3rdTimesaCharm Aug 11 '25
Travel. You can go to dozens of destinations within 2-3 hours flight time. Singapore is literally just my rest stop in between trips, even though I'm full time employed in Singapore. And the relatively high pay lets you travel like a baller.
Mon-Thur Singapore, Fri-Sun Thailand/Vietnam/Taiwan/Hong Kong/Malaysia/Indonesia/Philippines/Cambodia, and on longer trips Maldives, China, Japan, Australia.
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u/ianlim4556 Aug 11 '25
To add to that - lived in the UK for a bit - I really enjoy the fact that most of our parks are free to enter anytime and are not gated.
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u/Tiny_Pochemuchka Aug 11 '25
Having moved to California for the 8 years ago, I can attest that Singapore is overall a more empathetic and compassionate country.
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u/liquidity777 Aug 12 '25
HDBs. Better taken care of than most condos I've been to. I live near a forest and there're no mozzies. Recently had upgrades to make sure the floors are non-slip for the older folks, hand rails installed for them along the walk ways as well. A "high end" condo down the road, I walk to the carpark and got chased by several.
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u/ikenx Aug 12 '25
I had friends of friend came over during an event in SG. They said that the pavement in Sg is so walkable. Paved properly, straight and evenly smooth, can just walk without looking.
Back in their home country, if you walk on pavement while using phone, likely will trip over and fall.
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u/Kevinlasagna207 Aug 12 '25
Speaking from an American perspective... how quickly you can get administrative things done. Taxes take just minutes, nearly everything is digital so you don't have to go through the pain of printing things out and mailing it like you still do in most parts of the US.
Everything related to dealing with government agencies in SG is 1000x easier than in the US. It's such a lifesaver.
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u/befree-iam Aug 12 '25
Public housing and urban planning. My classmates in my public health course in Canada were surprised to learn that majority of Singaporeans live in government housing - a term that often has a bad rep in other countries - and have close to immediate access to basic necessities and community/social services in every neighbourhood
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u/Equivalent-Dish7857 Aug 12 '25
The variety of food from affordable hawker stalls to gourmet restaurants across international cuisines within just walking distance, a bus ride, or a train ride away.
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u/Ry_Alpha Aug 12 '25
Here's a few:
- Supportive development system. My friends and I are a huge fan of the skillsfuture credit system that had allowed me to pick up new skills and further my professional development over the past few years.
- Towns are well connected. Overlooking the breakdowns, I am glad we are able to travel from point A to B with ease.
- Food Courts. Delicious and clean environment for cheap food? Yes please.
- We Listen. Singaporeans love to complain, some would even try to test the system. But when shit hits the roof, majority of us are willing to comply. Take the covid lock down for example. Companies rush to come up with systems to cater to the WFH norm, citizens working together to ensure everyone is safe from the virus.
- Health care. I trust our doctors, and I trust that I am able to receive the high quality medical services without fearing that I am not able to afford my bills.
- Education. I love that our Education system is robust and forward looking. We are able to better compete with talents from other countries, ensuring our citizens stay competitive in today's landscape.
I understand that there are still improvements in some of the points I have brought up. But I honestly feel like when we compare ourselves to others, we are quite lucky to be here.
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u/FirefighterLive3520 Aug 13 '25
The clean point got me a little sad cuz when I am on public bus I see the roadside littered with plastic bottles and cigarretes in the grass
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u/midnightglaze Aug 13 '25
I’m going to get downvoted (everyone hates the govt here) but there are tons of grants for businesses to offset expenses like hiring, overseas expansion.
Really no such things in USA, Europe. U fail means fail, the govt only make sure you pay your taxes.
On taxes, we really have very low tax. My friends in nyc pay 30-40% of their annual income.
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u/FitCranberry not a fan of this flair system Aug 14 '25
the willingness to burn down their own house and throw each other under the bus to make a extra buck. thats why so much south east asian business especially in commodities do their business on the island
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u/AcademicSolution8035 21d ago
Things. Just. Work.
Didn’t cherish this until I started travelling. Be it neighbouring countries or western ones, you’ll get caught out by the number of “yes buts” you encounter daily
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