True regarding the number of expiates vs locals, however most expiates (the majority being Indian and Philipons) are now shifting towards autos, try asking a few around your office. When i 1st got here in 2001 i was under the opinion that manual are for men who want to be in command of their vehicle, auto’s are for de ladies (ops sry ladies) and the handy capped.

However as the number of cars on the road and driving patterns changed over the years (esp after Asian Games), autos are now more preferred as they give the driver a more relaxed drive and better chance to concentrate on other cars driving around.