When Shao Chun Chen was laid off from his dream job at Google in early 2024, he was forced to take a break and rethink how he wanted his life to look like. Suddenly, he was no longer obligated to stay in his home country of Singapore, where he had built his entire career.
“When the layoff happened, I was [reflecting], you know, feeling sorry for myself,” the 39-year-old told CNBC Make It. “Then I asked myself: ’Hey, let’s flip it around. How can this be a positive thing?”
“I wanted to try something different, and I’ve always enjoyed Thailand,” said Chen.
He was drawn to the diverse environments that it offered, from bustling cities to serene beaches and mountains. In addition, he liked how the Asian country had visas and policies that were transparent and friendly to foreigners.
Ultimately, Chen said that his layoff allowed him to get out of his comfort zone and experiment with building out his dream life, and as part of this lifestyle re-design, he and his wife moved to Chiang Mai in November 2024.
