- Joined
- Jun 17, 2020
- Messages
- 16,471
- Points
- 113
The government is investigating me.
I'm here at my favourite tyre shop waiting to check, rotate and balance my car tyres for this weekend’s expedition drive to Thailand. I'm bringing a bunch of my followers and teaching them how to cross into Thailand with their Singapore registered cars.
My goal was simple: to peel back the curtain on border crossings and paperwork, empowering them to navigate these routes with the same confidence I have gained from driving my Singapore registered car through more than 50 countries.
To most, a road trip is freedom. To those who follow my journeys, the dream of driving beyond the Malaysian border into the heart of Thailand is a beckoning frontier.
They look to me for assurance because I show them that the world is accessible. But it seems my desire to empower others has struck a nerve with the gatekeepers.
I have clearly stepped on the toes of a business that profits from keeping people in the dark. There is a specific industry that relies on Singaporeans believing that driving to Thailand is too complex to handle alone. For them, my transparency is a threat and they reported me to the government.
If I show people how straightforward the process actually is, their business model crumbles. In a desperate move to protect their bottom line, they reached out to the Singapore Tourism Board and claimed I am running an unlicensed travel agency.
It is a bitter accusation. My followers know the truth. They are not customers; they are my companions.
On this very trip, every person books their own rooms, settles their own bills, and chooses their own meals. I offer them my curated map of beloved locations and the peace of mind that comes with traveling alongside a friend who has seen it all.
They contribute a modest token sum that barely covers my own logistical costs.
I am not a tour guide. I am a mentor.
Yet, this official complaint changes everything.
I do this out of a passion for the open road and a belief that knowledge should be shared, not sold at a premium.
If my efforts to empower others result in bureaucratic headaches and legal threats, I have to ask myself if it remains worth the risk.
As I look toward my upcoming drive to China — a trip many of my fans would love to follow along — a journey where I profit nothing and often end up out of pocket, I am faced with a heartbreaking reality.
I can't bring my fans and friends and instead drive those thousands of miles in silence, simply to protect myself from those who fear a traveler who is truly free.
I'm here at my favourite tyre shop waiting to check, rotate and balance my car tyres for this weekend’s expedition drive to Thailand. I'm bringing a bunch of my followers and teaching them how to cross into Thailand with their Singapore registered cars.
My goal was simple: to peel back the curtain on border crossings and paperwork, empowering them to navigate these routes with the same confidence I have gained from driving my Singapore registered car through more than 50 countries.
To most, a road trip is freedom. To those who follow my journeys, the dream of driving beyond the Malaysian border into the heart of Thailand is a beckoning frontier.
They look to me for assurance because I show them that the world is accessible. But it seems my desire to empower others has struck a nerve with the gatekeepers.
I have clearly stepped on the toes of a business that profits from keeping people in the dark. There is a specific industry that relies on Singaporeans believing that driving to Thailand is too complex to handle alone. For them, my transparency is a threat and they reported me to the government.
If I show people how straightforward the process actually is, their business model crumbles. In a desperate move to protect their bottom line, they reached out to the Singapore Tourism Board and claimed I am running an unlicensed travel agency.
It is a bitter accusation. My followers know the truth. They are not customers; they are my companions.
On this very trip, every person books their own rooms, settles their own bills, and chooses their own meals. I offer them my curated map of beloved locations and the peace of mind that comes with traveling alongside a friend who has seen it all.
They contribute a modest token sum that barely covers my own logistical costs.
I am not a tour guide. I am a mentor.
Yet, this official complaint changes everything.
I do this out of a passion for the open road and a belief that knowledge should be shared, not sold at a premium.
If my efforts to empower others result in bureaucratic headaches and legal threats, I have to ask myself if it remains worth the risk.
As I look toward my upcoming drive to China — a trip many of my fans would love to follow along — a journey where I profit nothing and often end up out of pocket, I am faced with a heartbreaking reality.
I can't bring my fans and friends and instead drive those thousands of miles in silence, simply to protect myself from those who fear a traveler who is truly free.
