Batam Info Thread

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by wolverman

8971

Bedok int 9200.

[ianlim]

Yesterday, got 9300 from money changer opppsite Formosa Hotel, was quoted 9200 but I asked for 9300 and got it.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by jimfairy

Sea horses is a extinct n protected animal.. is consider illegal if u bring into Singapore.. u need approval n permit to bring them in.. plz think n check before u buy anything n bring into Singapore...
Save the animals!! Save the world!!

I second that!
Buying protected animals on the black market is not only illegal, it's shameful!
While our world is in danger and many species approach extinction, knowing that someone solicits actions like hunting endangered species makes me really sad.
In addition, knowing that someone does it because he believes there's a therapeutic effect of the dead animal in a herbal mix, effect never proven or even negated by standard medical tests, makes the whole unacceptable.
I encourage everyone to not support such trade. (Including the good guy who wrote that first)

[Naresh85]

[QUOTE=nono1973;11471545]Noted with thanks!



Thank you for the link,bro...i wonder Batam got sell or not,hehehe...



Thank you for your reply,bro...according to your FRs,the gambir Sarawak is not the consumable type but the apply-on-dick type,right? Sorry for so many ignorant questions,as i have not try those apply-on-dick type before,i am actually planning to give it a go if given a chance. Wondering if "apply type" would have less side effect than those consumable ones. (many years ago,the consumable ones are giving me quite a side effect headache at Raffles Hospital)

Wondering if Batam will sell the Gambir Sarawak thingy r not?

Hi bro,
yes gambir is apply on dick type, not consumable. Will give a hot sensation, followed by tingling sensation. But must follow guidelines carefully. Some gals can take those type of sensation, some not. I remember a story of my friend who use gambir given by his friend,
too excited and forget the procedure. After apply, he never washed off. Being extremely confident with his dick perfomance, he started missionary position, within seconds the gal felt uneasy and literally kicked him so hard that throw himself out of the bed. She ran to toilet and put waterhose inside her vagina n screaming 'what the fuck u use'. After apply, about 5 mins need to washed off. That is the recommended way. Been use as a premature ejaculation for a long long time.
Im not sure whether got sell in batam or not. Maybe they have something on their own.
Cheers!

[Naresh85]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Look like your trip got good got no good. Anyway,i suppose it's part of Batam's hit & miss. Out of 10,how many point would you rate your Batam trip this time round? My rating for my 1st Ramadan Batam trip was 7.5/10 tho,hehehe...

Next time in Formosa ,ask for room close to the lift...Wifi will be a bit better.



According to what i have read in this thread from bro Black Page and other bro's postings input,more advisable to go 1 week after Hari Raya,more choice of girls to choose from. I think most places would be closed during Hari Raya and for the 1st 3 days after Hari Raya.



Agreed with you,bro Mas... that at some points,off topic a little do spice up the thread. It's just that i am used to staying in topic as stated on thread title,sorry bro...just personal preference here. i need to emphasise here that a little off topic in this thread sometime do helps me understand the situation and culture of Batam better. Not forgetting that Batam is part of Indonesia,whereby Jakarta is still its Capital and closing of Dolly & their ongoing election do affect Batam one way or another.

Talking about Hungry Ghost in Batam,i believe i need to pay the temples a visit if i were to make my trip next month during the festive. I will then learn how Hungry Ghost is celebrated there as well. Come to think of it,i wonder if the temple in Batam will sell those hell notes and paper Ipaq etc etc or not...lol. If not remember wrong,i think i do see some ancestral tablet somewhere in corners of those temples i visited previously...it'll make sense if they do celebrate Hungry Ghost. But am guessing most likely not as active as in Sillypore. So long i don't go and step on burning incense paper and the offerings if i see them in the street and most importantly,be extra respectful to the unknown.

I'm sorry,i cant help laughing when you talk about the Dynasty99 Girl you book,when she explain how she come about to start eating pork...lol. But i think the person who talk her into taking pork make sense too,tho it may sound a bit stupid. I was in NS when i hear story about bringing pork Bak Kua into Pulau Tekong Camp and people getting possess becos of their possession of Bak Kua. And also how the Temple medium force the spirit out of possessed person by forcing him/her to eat raw grass plucked from the ground.Anyway,what i say here are just hearsay during NS time.

In case you didn't realise,most of your postings in this thread are rather in depth,and i benefited quite a bit from it. I can only reply others to the best of my understanding of this thread and personal field experience when it comes to Batam stuffs. As for coffee,it happens the topic is on Luwak coffee and i am interested in it since Batam sells it. So in order not to get chop carrot head or cheated to buy fake stuffs,therefore i check online before i ask my many questions. Thanks for your compliment.

There is actually another thing that i am very interested in that are for sale in Batam....hehehe....that is their sea food. While i may be allergic to sea food,i am actually more interested to Batam's dry sea food that has therapeutic herbal effect,example Dried Sea Horse? I remember seeing somewhere in this thread before that near BCS area got a wet market,now my question is if there will be dried sea horse for sale there? or if it is for sale anywhere in any part of Batam? Reason why i ask is becos dried sea horse in Sillypore are very expensive stuffs and i need to find it and compare the prices with the one sold in Sillypore. It's meant for a part of a herbal ingredient mix for some usage,and i do understand it's another of my ignorant question. So no obligation to reply tho.




9400/SGD to 8900/SGD is a tremendous drop. I wonder if it's due to the upcoming election result this coming Tuesday? I believe some indo Govt/business gamblers are buying up the IDR,or could be the indo Govt suddenly stop printing IDR and when the election is over,those who buys will dump it off their hands for a good profit.

Bro Authenticanie,you have just post some good info at the right timing this time. Let's hope IDR comes to 10k/SGD 2 weeks after their election result....*joking*

My rate would be 8/10. Not a bad trip.Ups and down are normal. The gals that i missed, got them for my next trip already. Hahaha.
About the wifi, i prefer Goodway hotel. Very strong.

Cheers

[localbest]

Originally Posted by Mas Joki

Yes correct. The Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated for a month. And the festival is quite colourful with all type of offering for praying like ‘Black Gold’ (黑金) for Prosperity, ‘Rice Pot’ (米桶) for Abundant, ‘Fortune Prayer Pot' (发财炉) for Fortune, etc where the biting (竞标) can go up to at least 50 of thousands of Sing dollars………….

Hungry Ghost Festival is commonly celebrated in Sillypore ...

Well, I need to check it out and be more observance this coming ghost month when I cheong in Batam. But nowadays, young Sillyporean do not believe in the Hungry Ghost Festival or ‘pantang’. So it made no different to them for cheonging…...

Bro joki, thanks for your detail description of the 7th month celebration.

When we were a kid back in the 80s, we were always afraid when the clock strikes 12 midnite on the first day of 7th month. We were advised not to go out on the eve of the first day to avoid seeing things that we should not see.

Heresay that people with low luck will tend to see the spirit and he/she will get sick for a few days like as though kena possesed. After that the person refuse to talk much with the family members. It takes a few days before he/she recover back to his/her normal self.

However, people with high luck 运气高 will not meet any. Till now, i still do not understand by the term low luck or high luck. Do you believe that all these heresay are just rumours or real ?

Probably because during that time (in the 80s) singapore was not so urbanised, population density is low like msia and still lots of kampung and remote & quiet housing estate tends to give people an eerie feel (令人毛骨悚然) when walking alone at night.

I think the present day spore has become more densely populated and with more infrastructure, lightings, crowds of people, social network and advance technology, people tend to forget that there is another world exists.

There is an old chinese saying that "信则有，不信则无".

Kalo kamu percaya ada hantu, akan ada satu.

If you believe there is, there will be and if you don't, there isn't any.

Sometimes after watching a ghost movie, phychologically you will tend to be a bit sensitive to darkness and quietness especially when sleeping alone in the batam hotel room that is why i refrain from watching horror movie in batam or else I will have to switch on the light till the next morning.

I remember about newton hotel being haunted before....

[localbest]

Originally Posted by Black Page

I second that!
Buying protected animals on the black market is not only illegal, it's shameful!
While our world is in danger and many species approach extinction, knowing that someone solicits actions like hunting endangered species makes me really sad.
In addition, knowing that someone does it because he believes there's a therapeutic effect of the dead animal in a herbal mix, effect never proven or even negated by standard medical tests, makes the whole unacceptable.
I encourage everyone to not support such trade. (Including the good guy who wrote that first)

Bro blackpage, although it is sad to know that endangered species is facing extinction, but in chinese culture shark's fin soup is treated as one of the luxury item.

Shark fins were believed to boost sexual potency, improve skin quality, increasing qi or energy, preventing heart disease, lower cholesterol, enhance appetite, blood nourishment and are beneficial to kidneys, lungs, bones and many other parts of the body.

Although many outlets have stopped selling shark fins due to sustainability concerns due to a shortage of sharks. However it is very difficult to ban the consumption of shark's fin because of the many advantage of consuming it and the dish have been passed down from generation to generation. It is sort of a luxury dish for chinese wedding celebration and maybe even the lunar new year.

Therefore in general if there no demand there will not be any supply but this may not be applicable to shark's fin due to its high demand.

[localbest]

Originally Posted by ianlim

Yesterday, got 9300 from money changer opppsite Formosa Hotel, was quoted 9200 but I asked for 9300 and got it.

Glad to hear that the rupiah has bounce back a little.

Expect to see the rupiah fluctuating as it will remain volatile till the election is over...

The money changer opposite formosa who is owned by a chinese lady with her young daughter tends to give me a better rate than the rest of the money changers there...

[localbest]

Originally Posted by Mas Joki

Sometimes off thread abit would be more interesting like topics on Indonesia elections, some information on Dolly Red light district in Jarkata, 7th month Hungry Ghost festival in Batam, etc….. so that it wouldn’t be so boring reading the same questions and answers few thousands of times (sorry to newbie bros, no offence).

I know the Muslim religion and the malay culture too. But it is even more interesting to learn more on how the Indonesia people practice their religion in the different way from the explanation given by good self bros here. A lesson I have learn.

I happened to book a gal from Dynasty 99 and she also ate pork when we go out for dinner together. She said that her Chinese Sillyporean tamu (guest) told her that by eating pork, it can wards off the evil spirit and the chants of the malay Bomoh who is putting a spell on her if anyone try to do harm to her. She said that Malay/Muslim is very afraid of pork or pig, so the Malay/Muslin spirit or evil spell would not dare to go into the body or near to that person who consume pork. It is really amusing and I really had a good laugh on that. I wonder any of our Senior Bro here trying to bluff her into eating pork…. Hehehe (Joking)

No offence is intended to any of our malay/muslim bros here if any. Just a sincere comments on what I encounter and share the experience on this topic.

Bro joki, in fact actually ever heard about some malay auntie makcik are quite reluctant to use the bowl of their chinese auntie friends when they are invited to eat halal food prepared by their chinese friends.

They are afraid that the bowl was ever filled or contained with pork before although it has been washed. Malays and chinese tend to have their meal in separate places when consuming halal and non-halal food.

While on the other hand, indonesian and chinese may be able to dine together. For example, my friend's grandmother has a nurse (suster in bahasa) to take care of her. The lady nurse is a devoted muslim from java barat (bogor) and do not mind having meals together with the family members even when there is a pork dish on the dining table.

Perhaps indonesian muslim are not that sensitive to pork probably. There is a indo maid ever told me that she consume pork because she need energy to do heavy work and pork is the only meat available on the dining table.

[tiuminator]

Originally Posted by localbest

They are afraid that the bowl was ever filled or contained with pork before although it has been washed. Malays and chinese tend to have their meal in separate places when consuming halal and non-halal food.

Fm what i know fm my Muslim friends is that they have to wipe away those used utensils with mud and thereafter wash away with water. Is a simple ritual. Anyway indon muslims very chin chai one. Their tombstone can be side by side with christian tombstone too.

[newyorker88]

Originally Posted by localbest

However, people with high luck 运气高 will not meet any. Till now, i still do not understand by the term low luck or high luck. Do you believe that all these heresay are just rumours or real ?

Why some people kena 4D? Why some people just fell off a chair and died, while some got hit by a lorry and survive?

But one saying goes like this, when you are in good luck, your karmic debtors cant touch you, when you are unlucky, all come for you, so bad that even an ant bite may kill you.

You figure it out.

But in natural sense, what goes up must come down, and nothing remains permanent at all times. No one is unlucky forever, nor anyone is lucky forever.

[newyorker88]

Originally Posted by tiuminator

Fm what i know fm my Muslim friends is that they have to wipe away those used utensils with mud and thereafter wash away with water. Is a simple ritual. Anyway indon muslims very chin chai one. Their tombstone can be side by side with christian tombstone too.

Yes, some of them don't want to use the plates or utensils if they are deem cooked with pork.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by newyorker88

There are such stuff, but in which market? I not too sure. Yes, they may be cheaper, but never buy from those who carry around pushing to u, as they know you are foreigner and will try to cheat you with fake stuff. My friend kena the sea cucumber. wet market near BCS? you referring to Peniun Market. I don't see that stuff you want there... But there are such stuff... have to ask around.

Thank you for your information,bro...now i know the Peniun Market do not sell the dried seahorses. I never been to peniun market before,was just hearsay from others it's near a place called Top 100. Btw,any chance you hear about Batu Besar Market? Online research shows that there appears to have quite a substantial amount of dried sea food for sale.

Sorry for such newbie question,i am still very new to the direction in Batam.

[newyorker88]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Thank you for your information,bro...now i know the Peniun Market do not sell the dried seahorses. I never been to peniun market before,was just hearsay from others it's near a place called Top 100. Btw,any chance you hear about Batu Besar Market? Online research shows that there appears to have quite a substantial amount of dried sea food for sale.

Sorry for such newbie question,i am still very new to the direction in Batam.

That place is more of a local market. Don't go there alone. If you have indo friends, ask them to get for you. VIRUTALLY ANYTHING, if you are going to such places, outside the city area.

The locals will rip you off, if you go there, not able to speak local language.

Local - one price.

Outside people - marked substantially.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by jimfairy

Sea horses is a extinct n protected animal.. is consider illegal if u bring into Singapore.. u need approval n permit to bring them in.. plz think n check before u buy anything n bring into Singapore...

Save the animals!! Save the world!!

Thank you for forewarning me about the requirement for a permit in order to bring Dried Seahorse from Batam to Sillypore. And that this animal here said were indeed classified as "endangered" according to AVA and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) whom which i will need to apply for a permit to bring them into Sillypore.

http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/8...6/attach35.pdf

Anyway,as mention in my previous post...the main objective of locating sellers of Dried Sea Horses is to compare prices between what's sold in Sillypore and those in Batam. In Sillypore,if i don't remember wrong,it's legally sold at S$45 - S$65 per 50g of dried sea horse.

I strongly believe that many like myself do not know that some lesser-known Animals/Items are considered endangered animals & it's illegal to bring them into Sillypore w/o a proper Permit.I sincerely thank bro Jimfairy for the gentle reminder.

After personally doing some online research upon reading bro jimfairy's post,below are list of of items and a link to AVA site to share for the benefit of sillyporeans like myself who are unaware that some animals are considered endangered species and that an Import Permit are required to bring these items/animals into Sillypore from Batam :

CITES classifies endangered species under 3 categories.

Appendix I
These species are highly endangered and could be extinct if their trade is not severely restricted. Trade for primarily commercial purposes is generally prohibited. However, Appendix I species which are captive-bred in CITES-registered captive breeding farms are allowed to be commercially traded with proper CITES permits. For Appendix I species, CITES permits are issued only under special circumstances (eg. Zoological Gardens, Bird Park, research institutions, museums etc).

Examples: Apes and many monkeys, all elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers and marine turtles, most bears, some parrots, lady's slipper orchid etc.

Appendix II
These species are threatened and their trade is regulated. Commercial trade is allowed with proper CITES permits.

Examples: Monkeys, some crocodiles, pythons, parrots, tortoises and some soft shell turtles, sturgeons, bird-wing butterflies, American ginseng, some orchids, ramin, agarwood, seahorses, hard corals and giant clams etc.

Appendix III
These species are considered endangered in some countries and specimens from these countries are protected under CITES. Import of such species requires a Certificate of Origin, or in the case of the species being imported from a country which has included that species in Appendix III, a CITES export permit is required.

Examples: Wild water buffalo, walruses, mongooses, some deer, pheasants, foxes, snakes, soft shell turtles.

Details are in the link below:

http://www.ava.gov.sg/AnimalsPetSect...ngeredSpecies/

The legislation and penalties are stated as below :

National legislation that gives effect to CITES

The Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act Cap 92A [ESA] was enacted in 1989 to give legal effect to the implementation and enforcement of the Convention in Singapore. The 3 schedules to the Act list the endangered species. Under the Act, a permit is required to import, export, re-export and introduce from the sea a scheduled species. The Act also empowers AVA enforcement officers to enter and search without warrant, any premises and conveyances and to seize any illegal wildlife. AVA officers have the powers to investigate the CITES species in transit through Singapore. These powers facilitate the investigation of CITES infringement cases.

Under the Act, it is an offence to import and export any endangered species without a permit from AVA. It is also an offence to possess, sell, offer or expose for sale, or display to the public any of these species, if it has been illegally imported. Any person or company caught violating the ESA is liable to be prosecuted in Court and fined up to a maximum of S$50,000 for each animal or plant ( but not to exceed in the aggregate S$500,000 ) and/or to imprisonment for a term up to 2 years.

As for importing these items in legally,here are some guideline :

Trade in CITES species

Import


All imports of CITES-listed animal and plant species for any purposes (commercial, personal, zoological etc) require CITES permits. A Singapore CITES import permit must be obtained from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) prior to the import.

Import applications MUST be accompanied by the CITES export/re-export permit from the exporting/re-exporting country. Applicants must apply for CITES import permits online, at least one week before the arrival of consignments. Failure to do so may result in delay in clearance of shipments, shipments returned to country of export/re-export or seizure of the shipments. Penalties may also be imposed on the importer for infringing the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act.

Each online import application has to be accompanied by a copy of the CITES export/re-export permit. Please ensure that CITES permits from the exporting countries are issued by CITES Management Authorities or competent Authorities. A list of the members countries to CITES and their contacts can be found in the CITES website under National Contacts.

Please note that CITES import permits generally take two working days to be issued if supporting documents are in order. However, more time is required if verification of the CITES export/re-export permit with the country of export/re-export is necessary. Hence, express service is not applicable to CITES import permit applications.

Upon import, the original CITES export/re-export permit from the country of export/re-export MUST be submitted to Wildlife Section immediately after clearance from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Fees and payment

The fees for CITES permits are as follows:

I have learned something today,and i also hope others can learn as much as i did thru posting positively. And i guess this fits the title of this thread too. Thank you all for reading.

Cheers!