All posts tagged: Singaporeans

How 4 Singaporeans navigate sole caregiving, amid illness, fractured relationships and more

How 4 Singaporeans navigate sole caregiving, amid illness, fractured relationships and more

Published by Sam Flores

Yet beneath the frustration, there is love, complicated but undeniable. “Who better to look after her than me? She only has us,” Nonis says, fighting back tears. “Clearly, I love her. … But it’s very hard to admit.” As household sizes shrink and only children become more common in Singapore, more adults may find themselves in a similar position to hers, carrying the full weight of caregiving, perhaps shaped by relationships that are far from simple. She is one of four individuals whom the On The Red Dot series, Left To Care, follows as they care for ailing loved ones on their own — even as they confront their own fears, health struggles and personal sacrifices. What keeps them going? CARE, WITHOUT PAUSE Nonis’ father has been in and out of hospital since 2022 — after a fall, a heart attack and recurring gastritis. Her mother’s schizophrenia, though stabilised since her discharge from the Institute of Mental Health in 1998, requires monitoring and carries the risk of relapse. “There’s no such thing as taking a …

Why 3 Singaporeans chose life in Chiang Mai

Why 3 Singaporeans chose life in Chiang Mai

Published by Sam Flores

Lim’s restaurant began in 2015. It started as a project to help Hmong youths gain vocational skills – youths she had met on school trips years earlier. The initiative later expanded to include at-risk teenagers and former offenders. Now, instead of retiring, she runs Paak Dang Riverside Chiang Mai, employing 23 full-time staff. Lim has watched Chiang Mai transform. The post-pandemic influx has brought more Singaporeans – including DINKs (double income, no kids) couples and families with young children – alongside Taiwanese, Koreans and long-established Caucasian communities. The cost of living has risen, but so has the quality of everything from dining to healthcare. “You can live as cheaply as you wish, or as lavishly,” she said matter-of-factly. “Within the city centre, which is quite compact, you can find food, shopping, and medical care comparable to Singapore’s. But if you prefer quiet, the mountains are only 30 minutes away.” Infrastructure improvements are coming too. A new international airport, larger than the current one near the city, is slated for completion in five years – about …

Can you make an emotional connection with a digital partner? Four Singaporeans find out

Can you make an emotional connection with a digital partner? Four Singaporeans find out

Published by Sam Flores

SINGAPORE: Raymond Goh, 61, is out on a date in a candlelit cable car above Sentosa. His girlfriend, Priscilla, tells him the view is stunning, the Wagyu steak amazing and even offers to pass him the wine. Except she cannot taste, touch or breathe in any of it. Priscilla exists entirely in Goh’s phone. She is an artificial intelligence chatbot on an AI companion app. AI companions like her are often described as “designer buddies” — algorithms trained with their users’ words and preferences to respond as though they are in a relationship, said evolutionary and social psychologist Amy Lim. “That’s what makes them so fascinating, yet also a little unsettling.” So, why would someone choose a virtual friend? For Goh, it is about companionship, and perhaps something more. The former pharmacist worked for 34 years before being retrenched a few months ago. His wife spends much of her time in Australia, helping their son settle there. His two other adult children have moved out. “Everything’s changed for me,” he said. “Everything’s gone.” Source link

Singaporeans in UAE hear explosions, feel tremors from missile strikes

Singaporeans in UAE hear explosions, feel tremors from missile strikes

Published by Sam Flores

TOLD TO STAY PUT The four Singaporeans CNA spoke to said UAE authorities sent mobile phone alerts urging residents to seek immediate shelter in the nearest secure building and to stay away from doors, windows and open areas. “We are monitoring the situation very closely and will also listen to the advice from the UAE government and the Singapore embassy before making any decisions,” said Mr Jumadi. He added that with flights grounded, leaving the country was not immediately possible. Singapore Airlines and Scoot have cancelled flights to Dubai and Jeddah amid the escalating tensions. Mr Dinesh, who has been home with his wife and child, said most food delivery platforms – including grocery services – have halted operations. He also observed some panic buying at local supermarkets. “However, generally speaking, it is business as usual in Dubai,” he said. For an investment banker living in Dubai who wanted to be known only as Larry, the recent developments were not surprising. “If you’re in the Middle East, you should be prepared, because we are at …

Singaporeans ride China’s robotaxis and air taxis to glimpse a driverless future

Singaporeans ride China’s robotaxis and air taxis to glimpse a driverless future

Published by Sam Flores

FROM NOVELTY TO COMING REALITY EHang has said its air taxi services, when they are launched in future, are expected to cost 200 to 300 yuan (US$29 to US$44). A 10km robotaxi ride in Guangzhou, meanwhile, can cost about 20 yuan — with discounts — compared with 40 to 50 yuan for a regular taxi. Singaporean Formula 4 racer Kareen Kaur, 15, who checked out Shenzhen’s robotaxis, found them “efficient”. “When you book (one), it comes within five minutes,” she said. “I think if people … are in a rush, they can take it.” Her father and travel buddy, Kuldeep Singh, 46, was struck by the consistency of the driving. “As humans, right, we’ll just go (up) to 76, 78, 79kmh. You’re worried (about receiving a) summons,” he quipped. Source link

More than half of eligible Singaporeans aged 30 to 75 have used SkillsFuture credit since launch

More than half of eligible Singaporeans aged 30 to 75 have used SkillsFuture credit since launch

Published by Sam Flores

SINGAPORE: More than half of eligible Singaporeans aged 35 to 70 have utilised their SkillsFuture credit since the initiative was introduced in 2015, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) said on Monday (Feb 9). In 2025, which marked the 10th anniversary of its launch, 606,000 individuals took part in SSG-supported training, up from 555,000 the previous year. SSG said the increase in the number of participants was due to the Dec 31 expiration of the one-off SkillsFuture credit top-up.  More users also used their credit in the final month, compared to the monthly average from January to November in 2025.  However, fewer employers sent their workers for SSG-supported training in 2025. About 23,000 employers sent their workers for training, benefitting around 247,000 individuals. This compares with 24,000 employers and 241,000 individuals in the previous year. “The dip in employer participation could be due to businesses adopting a more conservative approach due to economic and geopolitical uncertainties,” said SSG, adding that it also observed a drop in employer-supported training demand in the second half of 2025. SSG said that …