Homelessness Among Foreign Visitors in Thailand Grows

1 hour ago, Dobbsie said:

I guess every country has its social casualties and dreamers but Thailand has become the got to place for many of these casualties simply beacuse the visas are very easy to get legitimately or otherwise - no tourist needs 3 months, 1 yr education visa to study Thai or Muay Thai (really?), DTV visa for digital nomads - so open to fraud and mismanagement and what is a digital nomad - normally broke and living in a tiny condo eating instant noodles....Thailand needs to sort the visa situation out and certianly check those that stay here have legitiamte funds to be here.

There is a wave coming over for the "soft power" DTV. Take a look at their FB page. It tells you everything you need to know about what is going, the scams, the planned evasions for work permits, multiple ED enrollments. www.facebook.com/groups/destinationthailandvisa

For every unfortunate person, there tens of thousands who do plan correctly. These few incidents is exactly why immigration have tightened their visa rules. If governments around the world would spend as much money on social programs as they do on war, articles like this wouldn't exist. Yes, I'm in John Lennon's camp, just "imagine"

9 hours ago, ZigM said:

I know a 75-year old retired Australian who was refused a visa extension and had to leave after 60 days last year. His multiple Thai bank accounts had been frozen, he had no access to his meagre savings, and he eventually had to go back to Australia. Lucky for him, he had a return ticket. As far as I know, all of his visas were bought. He paid a fee directly to the immigration staff for an under-the-table 12-month visa for every extended stay over the past decade. That corrupt source was removed last year so that my friend had no way of getting a paid-for visa extension.

Never heard of any expats paying an under the table fee directly to the immigration for a 12 months extension of stay.. Are you talking about using agents for the financial requirements? That wasn't shut down last year, it's still very much up and running, so that would be no reason why this Australian had to leave. His extensions would cost in the area of 13-16k bath a year without a multiple re-entry permit.

If he had to leave, there seems more to this story.

55 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Sure! It was not intended to be, but it´s still the cold hard truth.

It's not really the cold hard truth, but your seemingly somewhat bitter perception. Why so? Happy people tend to post more positively or even, with less negativity. Your post rings of someone not happy with his life and needing someone on whom to take that out.

Speaking of cold, hard truths, obnoxious people tend to have to pay for their company or have to stay alone. Are they born winners in your book? You don't sound like a winner. They tend to be more magnanimous, giving credit to those around them.

Perhaps it's part of my upbringing, but we don't, in general, kick people when they are down. Why do you feel the need to act like a savage from behind your keyboard?

19 minutes ago, thaibreaker said:

Never heard of anyone paying a direct under the table fee to the immigration. Are you talking about using agents for the financial requirements? That wasn't shut down last year, it's still very much up and running, so that would be no reason why this Australian had to leave.

If he had to leave, there is more to this story.

The way that I read it...

He paid a fee directly to the immigration staff...

is that particular staff member was removed. Though bank accounts being frozen sounds dodgy.

15 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

They are just a bunch of born losers, that thought they could hack it, but that was just a dream!

At least they tried to squeeze something out of their presumably otherwise miserable lives. That at least deserves some form of recognition.

Personally I too would rather be destitute in Pattaya than in Clacton.

Fortunately that's not my choice ...

7 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Many sex mongrels from the west who come over, play it big thanks to the cash exchange rate, get involved with a lady of small virtue usually met in a hooker bar, buy the flashy house, the flashy pick up, the flashy scooter, the more flashy toys for the drunk useless brother and other inlaws...and one fine morning, one the wife has sucked the falang dry (of his bank account), it's bye bye, she gets the home and the falang hits the road. Rather costly for a bar fine, don't you think ?

You speaking from experience 🤷🏼

19 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

The way that I read it...

is that particular staff member was removed. Though bank accounts being frozen sounds dodgy.

He might mean that, but I have never heard of anything like it (still might be true though, but it's highly unusual). This is taken care of by agents on a daily basis. Having a private under the table contact at immi, sounds strange to me. When it's so easy to use an agent these days, and go that route. If this Australian man can't afford a 13-16k fee a year (the only way he can "comply" to the requirements) for extensions, then it's very understandable that he had to leave.

Have also noticed more Thai people begging and living on the streets of Bangkok.

1 minute ago, JJ-Thailand said:

Have also noticed more Thai people begging and living on the streets of Bangkok.

And think about it, if they are serious about opening casinos in Thailand, which have been discussed at political levels, opening ones at Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, what THAT would do for this issue..

I can easily see a huge increase in beggars on the streets, both farangs and Thais.

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

I know! I am proud of it!

Of course you are. Would not expect anything less.

NGOs seeking donations?

45 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

The way that I read it...

is that particular staff member was removed. Though bank accounts being frozen sounds dodgy.

The reason I wrote my comment, was that it was a rumour around the expat community last year, supported by some youtubers, that the job agents did about their way around the financial requirements, was shut down.

That is untrue. I still see that claim in some comments here and there.

It's very much still up and running.

But of course, in this particular Australian case, we don't know what the true story is.

8 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Many sex mongrels from the west who come over, play it big thanks to the cash exchange rate, get involved with a lady of small virtue usually met in a hooker bar, buy the flashy house, the flashy pick up, the flashy scooter, the more flashy toys for the drunk useless brother and other inlaws...and one fine morning, one the wife has sucked the falang dry (of his bank account), it's bye bye, she gets the home and the falang hits the road. Rather costly for a bar fine, don't you think ?

Serves them right. They come to exploit uneducated farmers' daughters who are desperate to keep their families out of poverty, in order to mask or alleviate their own arid sex life and incompetence with women.

8 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Living rent-free under the coconut trees on the beach....That's the high life baby....Scrounging a little food....What more do you need?....

Better than being battered by yobs in a Clacton bus shelter.

9 hours ago, ezzra said:

I guess being homeless in a good weather country with cheap food and living costs beat being homeless in a cold climate country and expensive living.

Hmm? Maybe it's that free plane ride they used to get here ,,oh they paid for a ticket ? So maybe it's the high motivation skill set that had them spend and scheme.. ever imagine getting up off your butt and making something of yourself other than being a loser?

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

When you misbehave, you get a clip round the ear... unfortunately westerners are molly cuddled and grow up believing they are always right and have what they want...it's a farce and a money spinner now. 👍

Not any I've ever met.

5 hours ago, kimamey said:

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with your comment , but who pays to send them back? If they are stuck here due to lack of funds for the return flight, then sending them back is most likely exactly what they want, and need.

Nobody pays. They are faciltated to contact family, and if that fails then lent the money with their passport as security.

Looks like his ride has arrived there to take him home ... I suspect that was the angle the photographer saw as well.

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

This sounds harsh but true: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". For instance Santa Monica CA (just north of Venice in Los Angeles county) in the 1970's decidedd "no person should be homeless". Programs with good intentions to help the truly needed exploed into decades of homeless sleeping in driveways, sidewalks, encampments in parks and on the beaches. Millions and possibly billions were spent to deal with "homeless" problem and the numbers just kept growing. Word got out that just make you way to the city by the beach and they will take care of you. A local police chief in the 1980s's got fed up and put a newly arrived homeless person from Florida and put him on a bus back to the sunshine state. For this the chief took a lot of criticism from those leaning left and way left. If the word gets out that LOS will feed and even assist when a foreigner runs out of money then "road paved with good intentions????". This is may not be the Thai way but sometimes "tough love" is appropriate. I thought all foreigners needed a current TM-30 on file with IMM? Otherwise it is a violation of IMM laws and hence detention and deportation?

maybe a bit off topic but if every church in the US would take care of two homeless people the problem could be solved.

it is however not as easy as it sounds.

16 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

But after years here, foreigner means Chinese, else the write national

Another blanket.

4 minutes ago, jvs said:

maybe a bit off topic but if every church in the US would take care of two homeless people the problem could be solved.

it is however not as easy as it sounds.

TBH is it not the best solution to stop wars? How many would be joining the poverty line just because of this US- Israel actions?

The billions of $$$$$$$$$ wasted?

7 minutes ago, jvs said:

maybe a bit off topic but if every church in the US would take care of two homeless people the problem could be solved.

it is however not as easy as it sounds.

Very few real Christians in USA, may fake pretend Christians

It is a problem. I’ve seen them on Jomtien beach.

I was also witness to hundreds of stranded tourists in Bangkok 5 weeks ago . Flights cancelled , stuck in Bangkok, many with not enough money as they’d spent all their holiday budget in Phuket or Koh Samui . I met families with nothing ! Also a family of 5 , 2 were aged grand parents , also broke. I had to take the grand parents to Boots pharmacy the next day to get his meds as his had run out ! It was chaos at Gaysorn Plaza, who I must say handled the situation as best they could and gave free water .

After seeing so many in trouble over the years, I honestly think the minimum entry money rules should be observed and upd a bit. Why not paid visas ? Also a valid travel insurance including the most obvious.

People do see Thailand as a really cheap holiday destination, never read up anything about the country , have no wish to see the Grand Palace or Ayuthaya , just some hot days on a sunny beach.

Same as certain men who only come for Soi 6 and Patpong shows.

The ones who race the streets on big bikes and those who lay drunk on the streets or cause flights , those who break the laws, lock them up and deport them! Only that will get the message across. I’m quite sure with all those millions of tourists every year. There is enough money in the state coffers to pay a few dozen one way tickets back for those who are in trouble, even those who have mental problems, down and outs, or just gotten too old to manage , should be helped to go home, immediately. The government ignores the real life situations and problems, all they see is the money.But surely it would be better to get quality tourists and other normal tourists just out for a good holiday ?

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44 minutes ago, jvs said:

maybe a bit off topic but if every church in the US would take care of two homeless people the problem could be solved.

it is however not as easy as it sounds.

There was a church in Venice that tried to house homeless in the basement. 1) Too many wanted to stay 2) Some who were allowed to stay did not get along wiht others and as expected some brought in alcohol and drugs. That church stopped it and had to call the police to invite the homeless to leave. I had to respond to this church several times and the priest was beside himself when he had to evict the homeless. After this no other church in the area wanted to even try. This was over 20 years ago.

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11 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Yes, this is probably an increase. But it's 40+ foreigners out of more than 30 million who enter the country every year; mathematically speaking, essentially zero. It makes for a provocative headline, but that's about all.

Designing a country's visa system around the 1/10,000th of 1% of visitors who end up on the streets is not a good idea.

Hear! Hear! Well said.

The homeless will go up as baht bus in Pattaya is now 15 baht

"Homeless" tourists and ex-pats, i.e., foreigners who can't pay for accommodation, have never been much of a problem in Thailand. A few guys sleeping rough don't really inconvenience anyone, Thai or farang, Most will be picked up by the Thai cops for visa overstay or violating the terms of their visas, then deported.

It's barely a ripple, not a tempest, in Thailand's tourist teacup.

However, a tiny number of high-profile homeless guys do manage to hang on for considerable periods. In an earlier thread, I wrote about the German guy who haunted Bangkok and Pattaya for at least three years between 2009 and 2011. https://aseannow.com/topic/1366726-concerns-raised-over-iranian-national-living-on-pattaya-beach/page/2/#findComment-19946210

I don't know if things have changed in the past 15 years, but in 2011, Thai authorities lacked the resources and expertise to handle mentally ill farang. Locking up crazy farang in a jail cell when they should have been in a mental hospital caused the BiB and other authorities to lose face when the stories broke in the international press. It was safer in terms of face to allow homeless farang wander the streets.

Some of you may remember the homeless German man who hung around the LK Metro-Soi Diana area in 2010-11.  He was NOT a beggar and mostly refused offers of food or money.

 

 

I and numerous others offered to give him food and clothes, but he said he didn't want them.  Once when he was sitting near  the intersection of Soi Diana and 2nd Rd, I said I'd get him a takeaway meal from Kiss Food.  He told me her didn't like the food at Kiss and asked me if I knew of a hotel buffet!  He may not have been a beggar,  but he sure was choosy!

 

Eventually the foot without the flip-flop got so badly infected and swollen I thought it would turn into gangrene.  In October 2011,  his physical and mental condition deteriorated so far the Immigration Police picked him up and deported him back to Germany.  Unfortunately, no one knows the full story or at least isn't willing to post it on a forum.