I Left Singapore to Find My New Home in Phuket

Mark Chernin’s Phuket Decision Trip

Mark Chernin (based in Singapore) travels to Phuket to determine whether he should actually move there. He plans a full itinerary—conference speaking, a real estate development tour (potential home purchase), exploring everyday local life beyond beaches, and checking schools and healthcare. After the trip, he concludes that Phuket may be best as a frequent destination rather than a permanent relocation (at least for now).

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Decision & Trip Focus

He considers moving from Singapore to Phuket by weighing:

• Cheaper costs
• More relaxed lifestyle
• Nicer weather/nature

He decides to verify the reality firsthand after already visiting Phuket about 10 times last year.

Core question: “Could Phuket become my new home?”

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Travel Logistics & Arrival Experience

• He arrives with a fast-track/fast lane arranged via local support for conference-related travel.
• He notes Phuket airport arrival realities:
  • In high season, lines can be ~1 hour—or even ~3 hours—before immigration.

A light Thai-language moment stands out:

• He tries basic Thai, and locals respond in a friendly, informal conversation.

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Health While Traveling

Short-term sick-day routine

When he gets sick, he:

• Cancels or postpones meetings and rests
• Goes for breakfast at a simple local place with Western-style options
• Tries comfort foods and remedies:
  • Borscht and salo (a Russian/Ukrainian-style pork fat dish)
  • Hot tea with honey and lemon for his cough

Stem Cell Clinic “Under the Hood” Checkup

He reviews clinic assessments and options, including planned tests such as:

• Quick blood test
• Inflammation markers
• Hormones (AM hormones)
• Iron study / organ study

He also describes stem cell harvesting options:

• From the fat (tummy area):
  • Described as painful
  • Compared to something liposuction-like
• From the hip bone area:
  • Minimally invasive
  • Takes about 10 minutes
  • Uses local anesthetic

The clinic’s process is described as:

• Bone marrow collection (~30 ml)
• Stem cells are expanded in a clean-room environment “kitchen” to increase numbers

Treatments mentioned

Targets include:

• Injuries (knees, neck, spine, hip)
• Neurological decline, including dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s

Cost ranges mentioned

• Localized injury treatment: about $10,000 (one shot)
• Whole-body/longevity/rejuvenation: much more expensive, framed around roughly 50 million cells
  • Example: about 600,000 Thai baht (~$18,000 USD) total
• Ongoing “longevity” budgeting:
  • About $1,000+/month (as described)

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Networking & “Backstage Circle” (Peer Mentorship Model)

He meets an influential crypto/business figure—referred to as Rowan/Roman—over lunch.

• The person is portrayed as a “genius” at connecting dots and making deals
• The founder/figure prefers not to be interviewed publicly
• Instead, the interest is behind-the-scenes partnership

Backstage Circle expansion

He introduces/expands Backstage Circle, described as:

• A pre-selective group of 7–10 high-level entrepreneurs/investors
• Members across Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and more
• Small peer sessions structured as safety-group-style sharing
• A key emphasis: founder involvement is described as rare in similar communities
• The goal: reduce loneliness at the “higher level,” where peers are harder to find
• He mentions applications via a QR code/link, saying he checks forms personally

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Food & Comfort Meals

While in Thailand, he searches for Russian/Ukrainian cuisine, including:

• Borscht
• Salo / Shuba (varies by how the name is presented)

He pairs it with hot honey-lemon tea due to his cough.

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Phuket Lifestyle Checks

Weather reality check

He experiences Phuket’s rainy season with intermittent rain. Weather becomes a major relocation factor:

• During this trip, he feels stuck indoors
• He can’t keep outdoor routines (e.g., riding a bike)

He contrasts Phuket with Singapore:

• Similar general climate, but less frequent daily rain in Singapore.

Traffic & island constraints

He warns that high season traffic is intense—especially around Patong and Rawai—making it difficult to travel across the island during busy months.

International school visit (for his daughters)

He visits Headstart (an international school in Phuket), described as:

• One of the largest schools in Phuket by student count
• About 1,600 students
• Expansion plans including a main campus and an additional campus in the south (Chalong Talay)

He’s impressed by the founder’s approach and backstory:

• The founder reportedly refused media interviews due to past negative feedback

Underlying priority:

• Good school access matters because he has two daughters.

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Real Estate Partnership: “Layan Verde” / “Layan Green Park”

He partners with developers referred to as Slayan/Layan Verde (spelling varies in captions/subtitles). He also invests personally in an earlier project, Layan Green Park (previously framed as his “second home” / apartment).

He tours Layan Verde, noting:

• Access across first phase and second phase
• Amenities in the pipeline:
  • Luxury buildings
  • Pool bars
  • Saunas
  • Nightclubs
• At one point, about 400 construction workers

He highlights “up to” pricing:

• About $5 million USD penthouses, described as multi-level

He’s pleased with:

• The team
• Founder friend Vadim
• Overall project quality, making it an easy recommendation.

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Visiting an Iconic Local Brand: “Bartels”

He meets Nikolai, founder/owner of Bartels, an iconic sandwich chain in Phuket/Thailand.

Key notes:

• About 7 locations across Thailand
• The brand is praised as a standout foreign-made success story on the island

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Final Takeaway: Move vs. Visit

He ultimately decides he’s not sure he wants to move his family permanently from Singapore to Phuket.

Primary reasons (felt during this trip)

• Weather limitations during rainy season (less outdoor ability)
• High season traffic
• Overall lifestyle tradeoff vs. Singapore

Reasons Phuket still wins

• People are described as friendly, chill, and genuinely smiling
• He feels that relaxed social vibe is less common in Singapore

Conclusion

• He says he doesn’t want to live there, but he wants to visit often.

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Notable Locations, Products, and People (End Summary)

Phuket areas mentioned

• Patong, Rawai, Chalong Talay
• Lion Verde / Layan Verde
• Layan Green Park
• Headstart school area

Schools

• Headstart International School (~1,600 students; described as the largest in Phuket by student count)

Real estate projects / developers

• Layan Verde
• Layan Green Park (founder/friend: Vadim)

Food / restaurants

• Russian/Ukrainian spot (including borscht and salo/shuba)
• Bartels sandwich chain

Clinic

• Stem cells clinic (described as involving bone marrow and fat-derived stem cell collection + stem cell banking)

People referenced

• Rowan/Roman (crypto community figure)
• Calvin (stem cells clinic main guy)
• Nikolai (Bartels owner/founder)
• Jason (Headstart founder; described story; declined interview)
• Allan Zeman (mentioned for a future Hong Kong training appointment)
• Jay Abraham (mentioned as an introduction target)
• Jean-Claude Van Damme (attempted connection/interview in Hong Kong)
• Mohan (mentioned in connection to conferencing/interactions)