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[title]Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone Duo has been making headlines, but so have reviews of software and hardware issues – the kind that has you considering answering Samsung’s plea to switch over after all these years. But before making any impulsive purchases, we’ve crunched the numbers and put together a pretty convincing case on what that several months’ worth of paycheck can get you in Thailand instead. From island-hopping, enough Muay Thai lessons to go pro and a lifetime supply of 7-Eleven toasties, it might just make you want to upgrade your holiday rather than your phone. Another phone model will come along. Your current human model is only getting older.
Here are alternative ways to spend the same B79,900 in Thailand
1 iPhone Duo OR 2,282 7-Eleven toasties
This one’s for the people in the maths problems. That’s one toastie a day for more than 6 years. While the regular ham and cheese is currently priced at B29 we used the B35 ham and cheese croissant for those who prefer something a bit fancier or in case of inflation.
1 iPhone Duo crackgate OR 1,331 freshly cracked coconuts
Did you even come to Thailand if you didn’t watch someone chop open a fresh coconut? At B60 each, the budget buys 1,331, or roughly 3.6 a day for a year. As for the other crack: some early iPhone Duo owners have reported broken inner screens, though the scale of the problem remains unclear. Which cracking sound would you rather hear?
1 creased iPhone Duo OR 1,598 perfectly folded crispy rotis
Watch a street vendor make roti and you’ll see someone who has those folds down. We’re not skimping on the toppings so at B50 a piece that’s still enough rotis for 4 years.
1 overheated iPhone Duo OR 30 days island-hopping (with only a risk of overheating)
Krabi, Phi Phi, Koh Samui: there are worse places to run down your battery. Spread B79,900 over 30 days and you have about B2,663 a day for boats, beds, food and transfers. A shared long-tail boat trip can start at B500, while a private charter can set you back B40,000 – leaving you to spend the rest of your trip hopping around one island rather than island-hopping.
1 iPhone Duo with a blacked-out screen OR 199 Muay Thai lessons and maybe a black eye
We don't condone violence, but knowing how to defend yourself never hurts. Muay Thai is a pretty great alternative to another gym membership, offering a full-body workout, a new skill to show off and a taste of Thailand's national sport.
1 iPhone Duo OR 13 days of keeper sessions with Moo Deng
An upgrade to the dream life of working on a farm with friends: Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Sri Racha, Chonburi, offers you and three mates the chance to play zookeeper and help care for Thailand’s famous diva, Moo Deng, for B6,000 per group. That’s 13 group sessions with B1,900 left. There’s also a separate red panda keeper experience if you prefer your cuteness fluffy. The Moo Deng programme was advertised until September, so check current availability on 038 318 444 before planning your celebrity cleaning shift. How committed are you to the cuteness?
1 iPhone Duo OR a Bangkok bestie for eight days
Your DVD rental days may be over, but you can still rent a friend. Don’t fancy moo-krata alone, need help ordering mai phet (not spicy) or want a local to show you around? Awsyde’s Full-Day with a Local Thai Buddy costs B9,000 for six hours in central Bangkok, with a customised route and plenty of Thai conversation practice. That’s eight days with a temporary bestie for B72,000, leaving B7,900 for your adventures together.
1 iPhone Duo or your very own fried chicken business
Why buy another phone when you could become Thailand’s next Colonel Sanders? Chicky Chic is a homegrown Thai fried chicken brand with more than 300 branches across Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Franchise packages have been advertised from B55,000 with B24,900 leftover to buy enough chickens to kickstart your new career. This might be a winner winner, chicken franchise dinner.
1 iPhone Duo OR 1 motorcycle (and enough gas for an adventure across Thailand)
Forget Grab bikes – you could have your very own motorcycle. Retire from passenger princess duties and take the handlebars: Honda dealer CS1 lists the Wave 110 from B39,000, leaving B40,900 for a proper helmet, registration, insurance and fuel for a road trip. Confirm the on-the-road price with the dealer, pack the right licence and let your riding experience decide how far the adventure takes you.
1 iPhone Duo OR 6,146 apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, apparently, but the maths needs less creative licence. For B13 per apple, B79,900 buys 6,146 apples – nearly 17 years at one a day. Check the variety and shelf price before committing. And maybe don’t buy the whole lot at once.