Military coups just aren’t what they used to be!

In the good old days the military simply had to secure key sites like the radio, television broadcasters, airports, other transport hubs and newspaper offices. Once the sites were under control, then detain the ‘disputed’ head of government along with her key associates. Finally, put some helmeted soldiers decked out in combat gear on the streets of major cities, preferably with some tanks nearby for the ‘wow’ factor. The civil service and judiciary naturally fell into line by taking new oaths of loyalty or were simply fired from their roles. 

(Source: Pexels.com)

All of the above happened in darkness and in typically the space of a few hours between midnight and dawn. Depending on the size of the country a few thousand loyal soldiers were all that was required for a successful coup. If a more detailed playbook were required then ‘Coup D’Etat: a Practical Handbook’ by Edward Luttwak would serve the purpose.

No more. That was the last century. Like many similar handbooks, Luttwak’s book is obsolete. Things are different in the new millennium.

The first sign that something was amiss came in July 2016 with the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Yes, Turkey. A country where the military is revered and coups are (were) a normal fact of life. Despite these two factors, the coup was neither able to dethrone President Erdogan nor install a military council to run affairs of state.

Today the world is witnessing the ongoing efforts by Myanmar’s military to unseat the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. At the time of writing, it seems unclear if efforts by Min Aung Hlaing, the military commander leading the coup attempt, will succeed. The coup is certainly not ‘done and dusted’ the way it would have been in the past.

What has changed in the last two decades to make successful, naked military coups a rarity?

News Monopoly

Remember the days everyone read newspapers in the morning at breakfast? Then families gathered together in the evening to watch the news on national television. And only the news that was fit to print was printed. 

International newspapers often arrived a few days late and circulation was easy to control. There were no international television broadcasters. Even radio broadcasts by international politically motivated broadcasters such as Voice of America or Radio Free Europe had limited success in shaping opinions in target countries.

In other word, national governments’ had a monopoly on information. Even print publications of the ‘free’ press could be coerced by into reporting with a particular slant or just simply not reporting certain events. A low ranking officer posted at the office of the major newsprint companies and the national radio / television broadcasters was sufficient to manage news flow.

(Source: Pexels.com)

Along came social media and broke the information monopoly paradigm. Not only has information become virtually impossible to control but the proliferation of disinformation, often politically motivated, has also become routine. Moreover, international news broadcasters are regularly watched in living room televisions all around the world.

Consequently, managing negative news – or any news for that matter - associated with a military coup is impossible. No state maintains a monopoly on news anymore. This less controlled movement of information and the immediacy of many social media platforms also allow ordinary citizens to mobilize protest movements in a manner not possible in the past.

Global Superpower Rivalries

The Cold War between the US and its Soviet rival spawned many doctrines. All were expedient for their time but among the most relevant (and loved) doctrine for coup makers was the Kirkpatrick Doctrine. The doctrine was postulated by the former US Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick in a 1979 essay.

In her essay, Kirkpatrick made a distinction between Totalitarian and Authoritarian regimes. While totalitarian regimes try and control all aspects of a society and its citizens – including thought, authoritarian regimes try and control only certain behaviours. Additionally, authoritarian regimes are more amenable to gradual reform thus making them easier to move towards democratic norms. 

In essence, the doctrine was Cold War influenced intellectual justification for supporting authoritarian dictatorships from Argentina to the Philippines - as long as these rulers supported free enterprise (read permitted US businesses to operate freely) and sided with the US in its battle against Soviet inspired communism.

In practice, the Kirkpatrick Doctrine gave a blank check to coup makers to overthrow leftist regimes. Once in control, these same coup makers could expect continued support from the Free World until the ‘threat’ from communism was defeated. Support for such right wing authoritarian regimes was only withdrawn if / when the optics of maintaining domestic control became untenable.

Corporate Dollars and the Rise of Social Media

In a bygone era, large multinational corporations often acted as catalysts for coups. Whether it was a left leaning government that needed ‘course correction’ or a privileged monopolistic position in a market was under threat by government policy changes, corporations were in the thick of things – typically on the side of the coup instigators.

Note the origins of the term, Banana Republic, which stemmed from the installation of a military government via a coup in Honduras in the early 1900s. The coup was championed and funded by an American businessman and founder of a fruit company with significant economic interests in the Honduran fruit industry.

Things did not change because multinationals miraculously grew a conscience and stopped supporting dictatorial rulers. That was a slow process and relied largely on consumer pressure. It reached critical mass in the 1980s as campus activists pressured companies doing business in apartheid South Africa to divest their holdings.

Activists held that by doing business with a racist regime in apartheid South Africa, large corporations like Bank of America and General Motors, were helping to prop up the system. Initially, this led to the establishment of the Sullivan Principles, a voluntary code of business ethics devised by a Baptist Minister, for companies involved in South Africa. However, ultimately it forced businesses to rethink their presence in apartheid South Africa.

Over the last several decades, the trend of social activism has entered the mainstream with concepts like ESG – environmental, social and governance, becoming an essential part of the framework used to review and analyze corporations. With the rise of citizen journalism and social media it is virtually impossible for companies to cover up unethical practices, including openly supporting regime change in foreign countries. On the contrary, companies have found it almost essential to implement positive and transparent ESG policies to cater to rising social awareness among contemporary consumers.

(Source:Pexels.com)

The New Normal

The generals in Myanmar are finding out the hard way that coups are an anachronism of the last century. To be sure, the Thai military successfully executed a coup in 2014 under General Prayut likely because the coup was quickly legitimized by a much revered monarch, the late King Bhumibol. The late King’s actions must be considered as a major factor in the success of the 2014 coup. Arguably, Thailand is the exception that proves the rule.  

A new balance in civil-military relations has been precipitated by changing social conditions. While there is no clear rule for ‘new’ civil – military relationships the experience of Turkey, Thailand and Pakistan are illustrative.

In Turkey, the once all powerful Turkish military has had to swallow humble pie. From being able to change a government by issuing a memo, Coup by Memorandum, the Turkish military now plays a less powerful role under a powerful president. In Thailand, the military has so far resisted meaningful change. Though it is hard to predict how events will unfold in the coming years. In Pakistan, the military’s dominance remains a key part of the state power equation. Partly this is due to the military’s relationship with the current Prime Minister Imran Khan and partly because the military establishment has been careful in playing its hand. The possibility of the Pakistani military establishment overplaying its cards a la Myanmar must loom large with senior Pakistani generals.

As for Myanmar, only time will tell how the situation will play out. Even if the generals do survive intact until the next promised elections it is clear the military junta’s operational freedoms have already been circumscribed by domestic protests.

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Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries during his past career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest in photography. He is available on Instagram (@imranahmedsg); twitter (@grandmoofti) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Singapore by way of Ipoh, Pattani and the Thar Desert

It has been ages since I updated my blog. No excuses, my bad.

It's not that I have nothing to report. Quite the contrary, my life has been full and the world has entered a new and more tumultuous state (who knew that was even possible).

Indeed, the last several months were full of new adventures and worthwhile happenings. Here's a list of some of my more interesting travel related activities during the period:

Karachi, Pakistan to China. Yes, I traversed the north-south axis of Pakistan all the way from the southern port city of Karachi to the 4,700 meters high Khunjerab Pass border between Pakistan and the People's Republic of China (PRC). The entire 2,400 kilometers long journey (and back) was done on land, i.e. railways and road. The journey took in many stops along the way, including Multan, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Naran, Hunza, Skardu, Gilgit and Abbottabad.

My journey from Karachi to the Khunjerab pass took my all the way from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges, including to the doorsteps of K-2 (the worlds second highest mountain at 8,600 meters).

The restored Khaplu Fort or Palace located in eastern Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. The palace was originally built in 1840 and now operates as a conserved luxury hotel. 

A view of a remote village located of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Gilgit-Baltistan province. The KKH is the main road artery connecting Pakistan with the southwestern Chinese city of Kasghar, Xinjiang. The KKH is a central part of the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which runs from Kasghar, China in the north to Gwadar, Balochistan in the south.

The Pakistan Monument located in Islamabad's Shakarparian Hills. The complex contains a heritage museum and expansive gardens which are a popular picnic spot for visitors from Pakistan's federal capital. 

Pattani, Thailand. Ok, conventional wisdom suggests travellers stay away from Thailand's Muslim majority deep south because of the 'low level insurgency.' Nonsense! Pattani was about as laid back and peaceful a place to de-stress as an idyllic beach in Zanzibar. What's not to like about an area which blends the Malay and Thai culture into one! Even getting to Pattani is a happy adventure. Take the overnight train from Bangkok to Hat Yai. Rent a  car in Hat Yai – GPS required – and drive along the coast to Pattani. There is little doubt I will be back in Pattani as soon as I can fit it into my travel calendar!

The journey from Bangkok to Pattani is best done by overnight train to Hat Yai in Songkhla province. From Hat Yai to Pattani is a short drive of about two hours. 

The Pattani Central mosque in Pattani city (Pattani is also the name of a province). The mosque was completed in 1954 and has beautiful gardens and a pond in its complex. 

Pakistan's Thar Desert and interior Sindh. Few are aware that in many areas of Pakistan's Sindh province Muslims are a minority – these are Hindu majority regions. Towns (cities?) like Mithi, Umerkot and Islamkot are places where Hindus and Muslims have lived together side by side for centuries. As one (Hindu) resident put it to me, "We [Hindus and Muslims] share in each others' happiness and sorrows. We attend each others' weddings and funerals." As a result of the demographic mix one finds a unique cultural heritage not found anywhere else in the world. The two communities share graveyards (Hindus here often bury not cremate their dead) and worship together at colorful shrines of holy men. Restaurants offer vegetarian menus. It's a world where religious harmony and common space – albeit shrinking - still exist.

My travels around Sindh province took me right to Pakistan's eastern border with India. I covered many towns during y travels, including Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Islamkot, Nagarparkar and Mithi.  

Hindu - Muslim bhai bhai! A Hindu religious symbol and an Islamic crescent and star symbolically tied together on a pole which hung outside a Hindu temple in the Tharparkar district of Sindh, Pakistan. The area has a large Hindu population, one which outnumbers Muslims in many regions.

Ipoh and Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Some suggest Ipoh is Malaysia's next Melaka. Given how commercialized tourism has become in Melaka there is much truth in the statement. Until today, Ipoh exudes the authenticity of a Chinese city in the heart of Malaya. This means old Chinese neighborhoods, temples and even cemeteries. Additionally, Ipoh is a nice stopping point for the journey to Cameron Highlands. Cameron Highlands is more than simply the home of BOH tea. It is one of the few places on the Malayan peninsula where one may escape the searing heat and humidity of the tropics. Cameron Highlands has a cooler temperate climate relative to the typical heatstroke inducing temperatures of Singapore.

The colonial era Ipoh railway station stands majestically in the city's colonial district. Ipoh has a nice mixture of Malay, Chinese and colonial heritage all blended together into a compact city.

Nanjing, Tianjin and Beijing, China. China has a charm of its own. Unlike Singapore's history which is measured in decades, China's history is measured in centuries. So there is always something historic to experience in China, no matter which part. As former and current capitals of China, history flows from Nanjing and Beijing like sweat flows from one's body in the tropics of Malaya. Tianjin? As a port near Beijing it has a special place in China's history, especially in the country's more recent colonial history as symbolized by the Treaty of Tientsin 1858 which ended the first phase of the Second Opium War.

A Chinese guard near a beautifully manicured flower display in Beijing, China. 

A view of the Niujie Mosque courtyard and minarets located on Cow Street, Beijing. The mosque is Beijing's oldest and traces its origins to the year 996. A newly wed Hui Chinese Muslim couple are taking photographs in the mosque courtyard. Note the Han Chinese design and features so clearly visible in the mosque minarets (pagodas?) and roof designs. 

Now that I am back I hope not to be so lazy in the future. Fingers crossed. I will update my blog more often; I will share my thoughts more often; I will keep you informed of my travels (and opinions) more often. Trust me .... 

Imran is an adventurer, blogger, consultant, guide, photographer, speaker, traveler and a banker in his previous life. He is available on twitter (@grandmoofti); instagram (@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

The adventures of an Intrepid Immortal Explorer in Ayutthuya, Thailand!

Bangkok: an old fashioned 'authentic' city?

For someone living in Singapore's pristine and orderly (and recently haze infested!) environment, the chaos, color and confusion of Bangkok is a welcome respite. Walking on broken pavements, exchanging smiles with strangers, crossing roads without waiting for the 'Green Man' and at great peril to one's life just feels wonderful!

Then there is the Thai rail system. Not the subway or overhead BTS Skytrains, but good old fashioned 1970s style trains going 'clickety-clack' as they take you - mostly at excruciatingly slow speeds - from one city to another.

Recently I boarded one such train at Bangkok's main station to take me to Ayutthuya.

No bullet trains in Thailand - the State Railways of Thailand operates comfortable, old fashioned trains of the sort novelists love to write about!

The main hall at Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Railway Station, first opened in 1916. The station has a separate counter for foreigners where staff speak English. The station is accessible by Bangkok's subway system. 

Regal Ayutthaya

Ayutthuya is a historic Siamese (Thai) city. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Ayutthuya (1351-1767). Despite almost constant warring with Burma (now known as Myanmar), the Ayutthuya Kingdom was a regional economic powerhouse. The city was home to a multitude of foreign traders, some from as far as Europe.

As the train pulled into Ayutthuya, I only had a vague idea of my action plan. I knew I must see the magnificent temples and ruins sprinkled across the city but I had no idea how to get to them. As I was alone I decided would 'improvise' as I went along: no need for any detailed Grand Master Plan!

A view of Ayutthaya Railway Station. It was raining when my train arrived and the middle platforms had no canopies protecting passengers from the rain or sun. 

The adventure takes shape

At the Ayutthuya train station, a suburban size station with perhaps four lines running through, I paused to gather my thoughts. Luckily, there was a tourist guide map posted at the station. After taking a look at the map, I realized most of the sites were concentrated in one area of the city across the river. The map was not drawn to scale so I couldn't gauge how far the ruins were from the railway station. Nonetheless, I decided I had time and could walk the distance.

A self-guided walking tour meant I must diplomatically extricate myself from the clutches of the umpteen 'Tuk Tuk' drivers offering their services as expert guides. Their sales pitch included statements intended to create fear such as, "The temples are many kilometers away from here" and "the river is very wide, cannot cross!"

Being the Intrepid Immortal Explorer I ignored the scare tactics and decided to try my luck anyway.

I ventured out of the station – there is only one direction to exit the station. Upon leaving the station, I walked towards the area where Thai food stalls - of the usual sort found all across Thailand - were located and found myself at the mouth of a small street.

With the railway station behind me there was only one way to go: forward!

A few hundred meters and several small hotels later I came across a sign for a boat crossing across the river.

The jetty for the boat across the river. 

Across the river and into Ayutthaya's deserted streets

After paying my five Baht - about USD 0.15 - I boarded a small boat at a wooden jetty to cross the river. Accompanying me on the boat were a few other travelers along with some locals going about their daily business. Based on my cursory reading of the city map at the train station (I was distracted by the tuk tuk drivers harassing me) after crossing the river I must continue to head 'forward' until 'a visible sign' indicating otherwise.

So, once on the other bank of the river, I headed 'forward' hoping for a sign it was the right direction.

As the glaring Thai sun burnt a hole in the top of my head, I started doubting my initial bravado thinking, "What an idiot?! Wouldn't it have been easier (and wiser) to have hired a tuk tuk driver, see the sights and not walk around like a crazy 'farangi' in a foreign land?!" Another part of me said, "Relax. The only way to see a country is on foot. I have time. Walking is the best way to experience a foreign land. If I get lost I can always pay an extortionate fee to the next tuk tuk driver and get myself back to the Ayuttuya Railway station. Besides, no one ever got good photographs sitting in the back of a tuk tuk!"

In an age before Google Maps led pedestrians to destinations, there were pagodas! The tall structures act as landmarks for fearless travelers.

Pagodas from heaven

Then it happened, as if I had stolen a glance at heaven I saw the pinnacle of a stupa! After spotting the pagoda, all doubts quickly receded and the Intrepid Immortal Explorer in me was revived!

Based on my precise calculations, the stupa which was hidden behind buildings, was located up ahead (forward, forward, it's always forward!) and slightly to the left. So I walked in a slightly forward leftish direction towards the pagoda.

Success was not long in coming.

Behold Ayutthaya's glory?

This is it? No, it couldn't be. Yes, it's ornate and historical … but, it's one temple, slightly small and certainly not as majestic as I expected in the grand, wealthy, regal capital city of Ayutthaya!

Two views of the first historical structure I came across. It was outside of the main excavation site. 

I soon realized this temple was an appetizer. It is a secondary site and not a part of Ayutthaya's major excavations. Despite the disappointment I took as many photographs as possible. After all, if I didn't find the city's major sites I should at the very least have something to show for my trip?!

Hope keeps humanity alive. After tasting minor success, major success must be around the corner! So onwards I went. In the only direction I know: forward.

Those who don't believe in an Omniscient Power should enlist as soldiers to fight in the latest global war. (There are no atheists in trenches.) If the thought of death in uniform doesn't quite take your fancy, then the next best thing is a walk around the deserted streets of Ayutthuya with neither an online nor a paper map. Either experience is enough to make a person believer!

Then providence smiled for me once more.

I saw another, this time more imposing, pagoda like structure in the distance! Again, my choice was clear: forward, forward towards the pagoda.

Behold Ayutthaya's glory part II!

As I got closer to the site I noticed a few visitors milling around the area. There were ruins spread out over a large area. The main structure was undergoing restoration. I was encouraged by the sight of a ticket office collecting an entrance fee from all visitors. The ticketing booth was a sign I was getting closer to the main event.

I paid my fee, went inside and explored. The overcast lighting was not supportive for photography but I went crazy anyway. This might be the best set of ruins I come across today. So I explored every ruin, pagoda, broken Buddha sculpture and anything else I could find at the site.

At the time I was unaware this site was Wat Ratchaburana, one of Ayutthaya's main Buddhist temples. After I climbed atop the main structure I observed multiple pagoda and stupa like structures to my left. My 'go it alone and leave the tuk tuk behind' decision was being vindicated with each passing minute!

Several views of a major excavation in Ayutthaya from the heyday of the city as capital of a flourishing Buddhist Kingdom. It is alleged the heads of many Buddha statues were decapitated by Burmese invaders when they ransacked the city in the eighteenth century.

After completing my methodical review of Wat Ratchaburana, I scurried across the road to the area of the multiple pagodas. It was an enclosed location and I couldn't find the entrance. There weren't many people around. 

Success comes to those who sweat (and walk the lonely road)!

After walking a little farther the whole world suddenly seemed to open. There were tourist buses, traders manning little stalls and tourists everywhere.

This has to be the place. The average tourist is not bussed to any old historical attraction – only significant ones. Tourists are on a busy schedule, taking 'selfies' at multiple locations requires using time efficiently!

I bought my entrance ticket and proceeded inside.

The temples were amazing. Surely, Ayutthaya's temples will give Angkor Wat a run for its money. (I recently learned Angkor Wat once was part of the Siamese Empire and, in case Cambodians forget the fact, there exists a scale model of Angkor's temple complex inside the Bangkok palace.)

Inside the Ayutthaya Historical Park: scene of the majority of remains associated with the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

A short while later, I found myself staring at the famous 'Buddha Head in Tree Roots' and several other 'vintage' Ayutthaya structures. It is easy to understand why the ruins enclosed inside the Ayutthaya Historical Park were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

The Buddha Head in Tree Roots, a landmark Ayutthaya attraction.

By the time I started my walk back to the railway station I was a content traveler.

To experience a foreign land travel like a peasant not a prince

At the railway station I bought my ticket and waited for the train. Only this time I decided to travel in a non-air conditioned, third class carriage without a reserved seat.  After my success in navigating Ayutthaya, traveling 'like a local' seemed the most fitting way to cap my day.

I was not mistaken.

Once the train pulled into Ayutthaya Station I scrambled aboard the Third Class carriage. It was not easy finding a seat but I squeezed onto one across from a Thai gentleman who epitomized an ageing rock star of yesteryear. He had the tattoos and pony tail to prove it. On the other side of the aisle was a mother with her young five-six year old daughter.

The rest of the carriage was crammed with all variety of goods and people. One woman seemed to be travelling to Bangkok with enough items to fill up an entire shop. (I suspect she was traveling to the big city to do exactly that, i.e. set up shop.) Occasionally, a man or woman would walk through the carriage offering food for sale. The carriage was a veritable Thai village on wheels!

Over the course of the ninety minute journey I got a few nice smiles from the little girl across the aisle – enough to liven up an otherwise lethargic journey. Though I didn't have the nerve to ask the rock star for his autograph!

A happy ending!

Despite the poor light conditions for photography, my Ayutthaya experience was thoroughly enjoyable. A return visit is definitely on the cards. Although on my next visit I may hire a bicycle to help me move around. The roads are not busy and the city is compact enough to conveniently cycle between the main sights.

For visitors to Bangkok, Ayutthaya is an easy and convenient day trip out of the city's urban sprawl. Taken holistically, Ayutthaya is a worthwhile escape especially as it gives a glimpse into 'non-Bangkok' Thailand. Bangkok is another country altogether ….

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Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries in his career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by train, to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest in photography. Imran can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com. Follow Imran on twitter at @grandmoofti and Instragram at imranahmedsg.

Hat Yai: Southern Thailand's frontier market town

Hat Yai is the capital of Thailand's Songkhla province. The city is perhaps best known for being the last major Thai settlement on the route to Malaysia's Georgetown / Penang. However, Hat Yai deserves to be much more than just a dot on a map or a passing sign on an express train journey from Bangkok to Malaysia.

The Hat Yai train station which connects the city with other parts of Thailand, including Bangkok as well as the Malaysian city of Butterworth

Hat Yai is a travel destination in its own right. If the number of Malaysian voices one hears around Hat Yai is any indication, Malaysians seem to agree.

The city is a combination of street markets and many cultural attractions. The reclining Buddha, the Guan Im Temple and the Four Faced Buddha are just a few of the monuments sprinkled around the city.

A view of the 'small' reclining Buddha

The Reclining Buddha Temple, said to be the second largest in Thailand

A lazy visitor relaxes at the steps of the Guan Im Temple, dutifully guarded by a golden royal dragon

Note there are no mosques in the above list. Odd, given Hat Yai's population is approximately 40 percent Muslim (it's hard to find accurate statistics online). Nonetheless, for Pakistani (or Pakistani origin!) visitors, there is a particular place of worship in Hat Yai not to be missed: the aptly named Masjid Pakistan or Pakistani Mosque!

The notable Masjid Pakistan or Pakistani Mosque located near Hat Yai's main train station

According to a local inside the mosque, the Masjid Pakistan was originally constructed about 50 years ago by three wealthy Pakistani merchant residents of Hat Yai. The philanthropists bought the land and funded the mosque's construction. Subsequently, in the early 1990s, a major expansion of the mosque was carried out, also spearheaded by the descendants of the Pakistani families but with the larger community's involvement.

Perhaps the greatest part of Hat Yai's charm lies in its small town feel coupled with a unique demographic mix. The city's population is less than 200,000 and includes sizeable Chinese and Muslim populations. In fact, Hat Yai is unique among Thai cities in that the combined Muslim and Chinese populations outnumber the 'traditional' Thai population.

Colorful examples of Peranakan architecture on a Hat Yai street

The mixed population results in a unique cuisine blending Malay dishes with the Thai penchant for chilli. As with the rest of Thailand, the food alone is enough to entice a traveller into Hat Yai.

A wall mural of a dragon painted on the walls of a Chinese temple

Since the start of a low level Islamist insurgency in 2001, many travellers have stayed away from Thailand's southern provinces for security reasons. Certainly, there have been scattered incidents of violence in the past. But Hat Yai is much too enchanting to avoid simply because of the activities of a few misguided souls!

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Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries in his career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by train, to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest in photography. Imran can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.