ThaiFelix

I worked with a Brit/Thai couple who would leave a rental like that.  Admittedly I doubt they lived like that but thats how they would leave it and with months of rent owing as well.....every time!  He was a lazy layabout cockney and she was Thai but spent her early years in England.  She was a chronic liar and scammer, so much so that she was considered a great asset by the hierarchy of our school.  She actually ended up as head coordinator for a while until her incompetence became greater than her ability to lie and scam for the school (and herself of course).  But the cornerstone of this corrupt couple and their success at scams were there kids...they started off with 5 living with them.  They seemed to be able to hide behind them and use them as an excuse.

In the over 10 years I worked with them they had done approx 12 to 14 midnight runners, maybe more??  They would move into a place, often with money borrowed from anybody around the school and would pay their rent promptly for quite a few months until they seemed to find some kind of comfort zone.  They, mainly her, seemed to spend a lot of money on clothes and toys (latest phones, flick knives, knuckle dusters, electronic gadgets etc) and she having a shoe collection that would put Imelda Marcos to shame.  So they always looked quite respectable so long as she didnt open her mouth...a veritable fish wife!  Then end of each month there there would be this flurry to borrow money using all sorts of excuses but mainly sob stories regarding the kids..school fees, braces, medications etc etc.  This woman could turn on the waterworks at the drop of the hat.  Most people would run if approached near the end of the month.  Unfortunately some of the newer teachers were still green and fell for it.  Next thing you know they have moved again and the cycle would start again.  We would drive past the previous residence same day on our way home and you could tell it was a quick retreat....there was <deleted> everywhere....packing boxes and old clothes strewn out the door and in the driveway, windows and doors open...just a mess. 

Funny thing was that virtually no-one ever came looking for them.  Only one time an irate Thai came to the front reception screaming for her and his money.  Security merely led him to the gate to wait till after school.  One time they tried to borrow money saying someone broke in to their house and stole all their passports (only) even those for the kids.  Obviously they must have been given as collateral for some back rent and they decided cheaper to replace than pay back rent.  One time they rented a huge mansion in a compound right next to the school, not 200 mts away, saying they were going to buy it and were waiting on their bank...and they did the same thing.  But funny, once again no-one came looking for them.  No-one could understand how they got away with it every time.  Only conclusion anybody could come up with was that they got away with it because of so many kids...no landlord wanted to inherit the bad karma from evicting the kids or reporting the parents thus creating suffering for the kids.

12 hours ago, tagalong said:

Only a fool lends anything to a Thai, let alone a car....I've seen their attitude to borrowing n they do not give a damn...

Been teaching here 20 yrs seen it all so I never loan anything...When I first came here I loaned money on the promise, I'll give it back.....

A loan asked for, from a Thai, means...You will never get it back full stop...

 

A lot of farang fit that category as well.  But what has this to do with agencies??

A lot of the Yuk!, Yuk!,  anti ladyboy posters on here make me laugh and remind me of a saying an old bikie mate of mine liked to tell about fat girls.  He said:

"Fat girls are just like scooters, they are such good fun to ride on....but you wouldnt want any of your mates to see you at it"!!

19 hours ago, nemrut said:

Why would anyone eat something so foul, full of hydrogenated oils, preservatives, and artificial flavorings just to make it edible.

I bet you are the one who likes tomato ketchup on toast lol

22 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Cronyism is more important to get on in life here than learning about geography, maths or whatever.

Exactly!! 

1 minute ago, stuartd1 said:

and your own Marmite!

 

www.msmarmitelover.com/2011/04/how-to-make-your-own-marmite.html

 

For Vegemite ....remove half the taste!!

You buggers never give up, do you  lol!

4 hours ago, Panda13 said:

I would but where would I find Rolled Oats here too? hehe. I miss Anzacs.

I live out in the sticks but can pick it up at the tiny local Tesco lotus.  Always on the shelf, I was quite surprised.

5 minutes ago, smotherb said:

I think you will find that many have that decent sense of reciprocity; but it seems many expats never find it.

Difficult to find something if not there in the first place.

Look fair enough you have found a nice content niche but please dont think others have the same  but dont see iut.  I can tell you some horror stories like the poor guy that works 6 days a week at home, has nothing of his own, lives in a tiny bedsit because he is forever sending ALL his money here for his demanding wife and child.  If you go to the wife's house it is full of every kind of extended family sitting around drinking and gambling....none work.  And all along the MIL is grumbling that he is a cheap charlie farang!!

1 minute ago, smotherb said:

Maybe I misunderstood what you said at first. You said, " Its the first thing my FIL asked me when I said I wanted to marry his daughter. " I took that to mean your FIL asked for support. Did he not?

Correct.  Ok its not the west so he didnt ask if I loved her or would I take good care of her, no.  Would I support HIM was his only concern.

However to be fair the guy does bring the money home.  However he never gives all and he says he is broke  but then turns up with a boat etc.  And in some ways I dont blame him because otherwise the other parasites would be into him.

2 minutes ago, smotherb said:

What is it you understand now, but didn't then?

That they would harrass me for money....she saw it coming, I didnt.

20 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Let's disregard the sisters and talk only of his wife's parents. They are both younger than he is, but he is providing them with home, food, utilities--what else, clothing, vehicles, cigarettes, alcohol . . . --for them to live in a house he bought and repairs; plus he gives them a salary of B5k.  And, they want more?

 

Worse yet, when he asks for opinions, so many of you say, "yeah, fine, sounds about right."  <deleted>?

 

Am I the only one with a wife whose parents don't expect the son-in-law to support them; not just support them, but give them a salary and they expect a raise?

 

Its the first thing my FIL asked me when I said I wanted to marry his daughter.  The MIL on the other hand got the family together and told them in no uncertain terms they were to all leave us alone!  I didnt understand at the time but now I do.

3 minutes ago, Bassosa said:

Why would Chinese tourists want to go to Isaan?

Dinosaurs??  Its the "Last Frontier"according to the Tourist Authority.

And as somebody else said "they are already here".  I have sat outside my hotel in Udon and watched the coaches pull up, 3 or 4 at a time and the Chinese pour out and enter the big Pannarai Hotel next door not to be seen again till 9 in the morning when they get back in the coaches.  You may see 4 or 5 of them have a stroll in the street but there is nothing spent outside the hotel....I have actually asked some of the shops and bars.

3 minutes ago, micmichd said:

I pay education (university fees) for one of the granddaughters. 

Issan will change pretty soon, tourists might be flocking in. Is there a way to open a guesthouse on the farm and invest in that?

If tourists come flocking in soon they will be Chinese and they will wave as they pass If the coach hasnt rolled over yet).  The only ones to make money there  is the really big hotels....there is no trickle down affect). 

11 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Further up most likely not better which explains the total and utter failure of the education system in this country. I honestly wondered countless times, what kids during 15 years of school (primary, secondary, college) are being told and taught as, upon leaving, they cant even tie their shoe laces. 

I visited public schools in the North where Thais taught English. Trust me, I would never send any of my kids to such classes as basics like "how are you" were answered with "yes, how nice". The flip side of the coin is, that alien teachers were driven off the shore by the plane load and then you wonder, why Thais creep on the bottom of the educational ladder in Southeast Asia, ASEAN and the rest of the world.

How sad, as these kids are born as smart or stupid like anybody else - the system ruins whatever is there on potential skills and gifts ........... 

"potential skills and gifts" will not be tolerated in this subservient society!!

15 minutes ago, Tongjaw said:

Was in Tops in Udon Thani last week, no vegemite. In Tops today Khon Kaen and none either. Have about 1/2 a jar left at home so will have to try Tops online. Hopefully they deliver to Udon Thani otherwise I’ll have the withdrawal symptoms son at breakky time ? 

I have spoken to the Australian Embassy in Bangkok on several occasions suggesting an Emergency Vegemite Hotline be set up so emergency supplies could be airlifted to expats suffering withdrawals anywhere in Thailand.......but they refuse to share (bloody public servants).

Have you tried Villars in Udon??  Nice lady there even took our phone number last time they ran out and rang us when new supplies arrived.  One problem in Udon is that a lot of expats living in Laos come down from time to time and clear out the shelves of Vegemite she said,  Apart from that I have an old mate in Bangkok who sometimes sends it up by armoured car lol!!

24 minutes ago, transam said:

Weeeeell, I have not yet read any complaint yet....And I have searched...

You havnt met her.........oh sorry thought you were talking about the wife!

17 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

I’m American and like Vegemite.  Good on you OZ!

Ahh crawl all you like, we still dont like you hahaha!!

Seriously though it is one of those things you really love or really hate (bit like anal sex I guess).

21 minutes ago, transam said:

Would be nice if folk with a Toyota Fortuner (Vigo) would come forward to say their ride started making noises after 10 or even 100,000km....Cos I have never heard this stuff...

I have a Vigo Champ.  I bought the single cab off the showroom floor in Bangkok because I was building a house out in the sticks (few construction shops and no deliveries out here).  Ok it has not done a lot of kms in those 3 years...only 25,000 kms.  But most have been hard kms.  Many many full loads of construction materials, tiles etc from Udon 2 hours away.  I am heavy footed on the road as well.  Trips out to the farm on unsealed roads with full loads of bagged fertilizer or the other way with full loads of bagged rice or firewood.  If I blindfolded you and put you in this pickup today you would swear it was brand new...no squeeks or rattles at all.  The only time it does squeek or rattle is on shopping trips with the wife lol!

Its pretty simple really.  If you want a good ,reliable, trouble free vehicle that you will be happy with for years..buy the Toyota.  If you are not concerned about the above qualities but instead looking for something that looks big, comes in bright colours and you can drive around yelling look at me, look at me, then you want the Ford (thats why the Thais like em).

40 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Vegemite our poor mans caviar 

 

thanks, you really made my day, especially with the happy little vegemites.  However, I must say I am disappointed with Oprah liking it.  I much prefer the 'its disgusting' comments because that means there is more for us connoisseurs.  

The poster promoting Ketchup???  There is a serious problem there.

Coincidentally I am right now enjoying vegemite on a nice fresh french stick for lunch while catching up with the TV.com news.  I was really hoping they might have some more of those "Why do airplanes have wings?" type posts.  They really help my arvo nap!

"Appalling"?  You think that's appalling driving??  You need to get out of the office a bit more...that's normal Thai driving!