Dream holiday turned to nightmare for friends who lost everything in Thailand fire

[MaeJoMTB]

Did they really go out without their phones, wallets and debit/credit cards?

And kept all their money in cash in a hostel room?

 

As you can't enter Thailand without return tickets, surely all they would need to replace was their passports, and the Embassy would provide temporary travel documents at little or no charge.

[Get Real]

8 hours ago, mjnaus said:

Am I that weird

No, you´re not! You are thinking like a person with normal intelligence.

[The Old Bull]

9 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Isn't this what embassies are for?

 

 

The UK embassy and the Canadian embassy are there to drink expensive scotch and play golf with the local knobs.

They couldn't care less about helping anyone.

[Thian]

7 hours ago, sanemax said:

Quite possible that the parents do have money , but would prefer it that other people use their money to help their children

I think they don't dare to ask mummie cause she'll be angry that they kept their passports and bankcards in their hotelroom....that's not very smart to do in Thailand.

 

 

 

[Thian]

7 hours ago, champers said:

I am sure the British Embassy would help out in what is an emergency that is in no way the fault of the tourists. It just doesn't seem to have even crossed their minds to ask for help. GoFundMe appears to be the default position for many now.

Am I alone in thinking that it can be a nice little earner, creating a chunk of leftover cash once costs have been covered?

I bet even another embassy from a neighbouring country would offer them help.

 

After the tsunami i arrived on Don Mueang, a healthy blond guy run to me and asked if i was alright or needed help....then he asked if i was from Sweden, i said no so he run to the next passenger out of the plane.

 

I bet he would have helped me if i wanted/needed.....a minute later another guy came to me, asked me the same and was from Denmark....

 

Embassies are here to help travellers in need....that's why we pay so much tax.

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, Thian said:

Well since they lost their passports they can just fly back to the UK and will get EVERYTHING for free as asylum seekers.

 

“We estimate between the three of us we lost around £6,000 worth of personal belongings that night,” Danny said.

 

Oh boy you guys really lost EVERYTHING!!! And since you are from the UK you can't go to the embassy since they sold and get money within an hour so you can buy new cloths. 

 

What a drama story....they should be happy they weren't in the hotel during the blaze...

Why do you say that they can't they go to the embassy?  They can but the embassy doesn't hand out cash to anyone.

[anon789561]

21 minutes ago, Thian said:

I bet even another embassy from a neighbouring country would offer them help.

 

After the tsunami i arrived on Don Mueang, a healthy blond guy run to me and asked if i was alright or needed help....then he asked if i was from Sweden, i said no so he run to the next passenger out of the plane.

 

I bet he would have helped me if i wanted/needed.....a minute later another guy came to me, asked me the same and was from Denmark....

 

Embassies are here to help travellers in need....that's why we pay so much tax.

embassies are more geared toward trade and investment, certainly the UK embassy as i have said in a different thread. the UK embassy will provide an emergency travel document, minimal legal advice and a call to family or friends to get cash. in bad cases you may get a flight paid for but they'd sure as hell want that back and some kind of guarantee they would sharpish

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Did they really go out without their phones, wallets and debit/credit cards?

And kept all their money in cash in a hostel room?

 

As you can't enter Thailand without return tickets, surely all they would need to replace was their passports, and the Embassy would provide temporary travel documents at little or no charge.

"and the Embassy would provide temporary travel documents at little or no charge".

£100.

 

[Thian]

9 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

embassies are more geared toward trade and investment, certainly the UK embassy as i have said in a different thread. the UK embassy will provide an emergency travel document, minimal legal advice and a call to family or friends to get cash. in bad cases you may get a flight paid for but they'd sure as hell want that back and some kind of guarantee they would sharpish

One of the porndancers arrested in Cambodia last week is dutch...holland doesn't have an embassy there so he'll get assistance from the UK ambassador i read in a newspaper.

 

The dutch embassy can take your money from your account with only a signature from you...that's what they did for me once in Greece...and i was happy with it, took 30 minutes.

[Just Weird]

31 minutes ago, Thian said:

I bet even another embassy from a neighbouring country would offer them help.

 

Embassies are here to help travellers in need....that's why we pay so much tax.

Zero chance that British citizens would be offered help from another country when they can go to their own embassy.  Embassies are not there to dish out cash unless someone (like family) provides that cash to them first.

[anon789561]

5 minutes ago, Thian said:

One of the porndancers arrested in Cambodia last week is dutch...holland doesn't have an embassy there so he'll get assistance from the UK ambassador i read in a newspaper.

 

The dutch embassy can take your money from your account with only a signature from you...that's what they did for me once in Greece...and i was happy with it, took 30 minutes.

silly you. should have opened a 'go fund me page' and scrounged off complete strangers 555

those boys in the OP have their ATM cards for sure. Unless they went to the pool in the hostel. highly unlikely it had one as is that between 3 blokes teaching in china they couldn't manage to find one relative or friend to transfer some cash. sorry, i'm just not buying that

[Just Weird]

2 minutes ago, Thian said:

One of the porndancers arrested in Cambodia last week is dutch...holland doesn't have an embassy there so he'll get assistance from the UK ambassador i read in a newspaper.

Must be true then if you read it in a newspaper.

 

An embassy assisting someone doesn't translate as giving them cash!

[lemonjelly]

i’ve lost my patience with these blaggers, can i start a go fund me page for losing that?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Thian]

10 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

silly you. should have opened a 'go fund me page' and scrounged off complete strangers 555

those boys in the OP have their ATM cards for sure. Unless they went to the pool in the hostel. highly unlikely it had one as is that between 3 blokes teaching in china they couldn't manage to find one relative or friend to transfer some cash. sorry, i'm just not buying that

There's nothing wrong with gofundme pages but these boys are abusing it. Why didn't they call their travelinsurance?

 

They give the UK a bad reputation like if it was a 3rd world country...

[anon789561]

Just now, Thian said:

There's nothing wrong with gofundme pages but these boys are abusing it. Why didn't they call their travelinsurance?

 

They give the UK a bad reputation like if it was a 3rd world country...

"They give the UK a bad reputation like if it was a 3rd world country..."

 

pretty much is now 5555

 

and i know some gofundme pages are probably fine but this one i find a bit of a piss take to say the least

[Thian]

2 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

"They give the UK a bad reputation like if it was a 3rd world country..."

 

pretty much is now 5555

 

and i know some gofundme pages are probably fine but this one i find a bit of a piss take to say the least

And the hotel they were staying, didn't it have an insurance for cases like this? The boys did nothing wrong but since the hotel, embassy,thailand, parents, family, friends didn't help them they went begging online.

 

Well it's all not very classy....it gives thailand and the UK a 3rd world reputation...this is the result of the UK selling their embassy in BKK.....

 

 

[anon789561]

8 minutes ago, Thian said:

And the hotel they were staying, didn't it have an insurance for cases like this? The boys did nothing wrong but since the hotel, embassy,thailand, parents, family, friends didn't help them they went begging online.

 

Well it's all not very classy....it gives thailand and the UK a 3rd world reputation...this is the result of the UK selling their embassy in BKK.....

 

 

it's nothing to do with the UK selling it's embassy land. it's been that way for donkeys years and they will move into a new embassy. that's irrelevant

**what they do will remain the same as it has for years. they aren't there to bail people out just assist

[Thian]

10 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

it's nothing to do with the UK selling it's embassy land. it's been that way for donkeys years and they will move into a new embassy. that's irrelevant

**what they do will remain the same as it has for years. they aren't there to bail people out just assist

Nope, i read that they will send the paperwork (like visa's) to India where they will produce it and send it back....that's new..

 

So they don't help UK-passportholders in need?? Not even for emergency like after a fire? In that case i'm happy with the Brexit, they drag the reputation of the EU down.

 

I bet that any German, Belgian, Dutch, French passportholder can go to their embassy anywhere on the world in case of emergency and they will get help....these boys did nothing wrong at all....they didn't start the fire.

 

[chickenslegs]

8 hours ago, Gillyflower said:

I'm about to start a GOFUNDME.  It's the last week and money is a wee bit on the short side.  I am reduced to drinking Chang instead of Tiger.  Please help.

If you are drinking Chang, you are beyond help. Sorry.

[anon789561]

33 minutes ago, Thian said:

Nope, i read that they will send the paperwork (like visa's) to India where they will produce it and send it back....that's new..

 

So they don't help UK-passportholders in need?? Not even for emergency like after a fire? In that case i'm happy with the Brexit, they drag the reputation of the EU down.

 

I bet that any German, Belgian, Dutch, French passportholder can go to their embassy anywhere on the world in case of emergency and they will get help....these boys did nothing wrong at all....they didn't start the fire.

 

i don't know what you are talking about in the first sentence, sorry

 

 they will assist UK citizens as I already said but they don't issue passports. as far as i know they issue emergency travel docs. passports need to be obtained through an agency, VFS. they don't hand over money unless in extreme cases or pay flights and if they do they'll want that back. they assist they don't bail people out.

 

seems to me these guys don't want emergency travel documents but passports hence the wait, seems to me they want to head back to China and not home so hardly a bloody emergency is it. if they were in the crap they'd get ETD's and go home.

 

I know the fire wasn't their fault but please man, people have to be prepared for the worst. Like i said before and i won't repeat after this, not buying it and certainly won't be donating

 

the reputation of the EU? that's a good one mate ; )

 

** just realized as you aren't british i may have confused you slightly. when i say 'bail out' i'm not talking jail or anything. it's slang i suppose. but anyway they are only there to assist and not hand out free flights and cash

[ChouDoufu]

9 hours ago, sanemax said:

Surely at least one of them must have an ATM card , quite probably they all have ATM cards .

 

good news!

 

their chinese bank debit cards are union pay.

they can use those to withdraw cash from atm's,

make purchases at the mall, buy plane tickets.

 

bad news!

 

their replacement emergency passports (or travel

docs only?) may only be valid to fly back to their

home country.

[Thian]

25 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

i don't know what you are talking about in the first sentence, sorry

 

 they will assist UK citizens as I already said but they don't issue passports. as far as i know they issue emergency travel docs. passports need to be obtained through an agency, VFS. they don't hand over money unless in extreme cases or pay flights and if they do they'll want that back. they assist they don't bail people out.

 

seems to me these guys don't want emergency travel documents but passports hence the wait, seems to me they want to head back to China and not home so hardly a bloody emergency is it. if they were in the crap they'd get ETD's and go home.

 

I know the fire wasn't their fault but please man, people have to be prepared for the worst. Like i said before and i won't repeat after this, not buying it and certainly won't be donating

 

the reputation of the EU? that's a good one mate ; )

 

** just realized as you aren't british i may have confused you slightly. when i say 'bail out' i'm not talking jail or anything. it's slang i suppose. but anyway they are only there to assist and not hand out free flights and cash

I'm Dutch mate...

 

I read (iirc) that after the UK embassy was sold they would move the proceeding of visa's (and other paperwork) from BKK to India...applicants in BKK applying for a visa for the UK would have to wait for that...their passports would be sent to India and returned a few days later.(if i understood that well).

 

So that's a change, before they would make the visa at their embassy in BKK and now  (or soon) they 'll do it in India.

 

And as you write that they will assist UK citizens then why don't they help these blokes? Whatever they need, help them since it's an emergency me thinks. And the boys probably have bankaccounts in the UK so the embassy can use their article44 (whatever they call it) to take money from their accounts and give it to them like the dutch embassy did for me 25 years ago.

And if their tickets got burned it takes a computer with printer to print them out me thinks, the embassy can easy do that. They can also call the flightoperator and ask them for new tickets to be emailed.

I really don't understand how they wouldn't get help from the UK-embassy unless it was closed and that would also be unbelievable. From a 500 million pound embassy to zero in a few weeks.

 

Well the boys left all money/passport/tickets in their rooms which got burned to the ground, that's what tourists do (not me though). Can't blame them for it, they were drinking large beers so maybe it was the best option they had.

 

Yes the countries i just mentioned (all neighbours of the UK) have a high standard and their citizens (like me) can rely on their embassies abroad.If Britts can't do that they drag us down..i'm proud to be from W-Europe and that our neighbours all have the same standards (like embassies who really do help).

The Brittish empire is decaying fast these days. 

 

 

 

 

[Thian]

54 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

good news!

 

their chinese bank debit cards are union pay.

they can use those to withdraw cash from atm's,

make purchases at the mall, buy plane tickets.

 

bad news!

 

their replacement emergency passports (or travel

docs only?) may only be valid to fly back to their

home country.

I would claim it all on the travelinsurance...and even call them on their own bill.

[sanemax]

58 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

good news!

 

their chinese bank debit cards are union pay.

they can use those to withdraw cash from atm's,

make purchases at the mall, buy plane tickets.

 

bad news!

 

their replacement emergency passports (or travel

docs only?) may only be valid to fly back to their

home country.

New UK passports take about 2 weeks to obtain, when are their flights back to China ?

[anon789561]

21 minutes ago, Thian said:

I'm Dutch mate...

 

I read (iirc) that after the UK embassy was sold they would move the proceeding of visa's (and other paperwork) from BKK to India...applicants in BKK applying for a visa for the UK would have to wait for that...their passports would be sent to India and returned a few days later.(if i understood that well).

 

So that's a change, before they would make the visa at their embassy in BKK and now  (or soon) they 'll do it in India.

 

And as you write that they will assist UK citizens then why don't they help these blokes? Whatever they need, help them since it's an emergency me thinks. And the boys probably have bankaccounts in the UK so the embassy can use their article44 (whatever they call it) to take money from their accounts and give it to them like the dutch embassy did for me 25 years ago.

And if their tickets got burned it takes a computer with printer to print them out me thinks, the embassy can easy do that. They can also call the flightoperator and ask them for new tickets to be emailed.

I really don't understand how they wouldn't get help from the UK-embassy unless it was closed and that would also be unbelievable. From a 500 million pound embassy to zero in a few weeks.

 

Well the boys left all money/passport/tickets in their rooms which got burned to the ground, that's what tourists do (not me though). Can't blame them for it, they were drinking large beers so maybe it was the best option they had.

 

Yes the countries i just mentioned (all neighbours of the UK) have a high standard and their citizens (like me) can rely on their embassies abroad.If Britts can't do that they drag us down..i'm proud to be from W-Europe and that our neighbours all have the same standards (like embassies who really do help).

The Brittish empire is decaying fast these days. 

 

 

 

 

there is no empire and now i realise you are dutch I'm sure you've been smoking too much weed from your whole comment. only joking mate

 

they don't need visas to the UK, they're british. not about that

 

oh by the way. might be worth you checking what your embassy actually will do for you in similar circumstances. i think you'll find it's pretty much the same

[ChouDoufu]

30 minutes ago, sanemax said:

New UK passports take about 2 weeks to obtain, when are their flights back to China ?

only here for eight days, plenty of time left on their visa waivers.

their schools in china deposit their salaries directly into their chinese banks.

the debit cards are union pay, and can be used here in thailand.

surely they didn't all leave their atm cards in the hostel, too.

they're here during chinese new year/golden week, so won't be

able to contact their schools for assistance.

 

there are no tickets any longer, right?....just e-tickets, can be printed out

again at any cybercafe or print shop.

they can call the airline to change the flight for a fee.

or they can take the bus to china.....slower but cheap.

 

problem is, they will need to apply for chinese visas, might be

difficult getting work visas issued.  and i'm thinking

the chinese embassy will be closed for lunar new

year........

 

Chinese Consulate General will be closed on 15th-21st February 2018 for Chinese New Year's Day.

[sanemax]

51 minutes ago, Thian said:

I'm Dutch mate...

 

I read (iirc) that after the UK embassy was sold they would move the proceeding of visa's (and other paperwork) from BKK to India...applicants in BKK applying for a visa for the UK would have to wait for that...their passports would be sent to India and returned a few days later.(if i understood that well).

 

Yes the countries i just mentioned (all neighbours of the UK) have a high standard and their citizens (like me) can rely on their embassies abroad.If Britts can't do that they drag us down..i'm proud to be from W-Europe and that our neighbours all have the same standards (like embassies who really do help).

The Brittish empire is decaying fast these days. 

Although the British embassy has been sold in BKK, another UK Embassy is being built in BKK , beside, the UK Embassy doesnt deal with issuing Visas for the UK, that is done at a different office(in BKK), so, no change there then.

   Also, British citizens do not need to apply for a UK visa anyway!!!!!

 

[ericthai]

12 hours ago, mommysboy said:

Maybe parents dont have any money!  But the advice kind of tells us quite a bit about your background.

Really??  Even if a parent doesn't have any money if a child is asking for this type of help the parents are going to find a away to come up with something. 

[Thian]

8 hours ago, Happy enough said:

there is no empire and now i realise you are dutch I'm sure you've been smoking too much weed from your whole comment. only joking mate

 

they don't need visas to the UK, they're british. not about that

 

oh by the way. might be worth you checking what your embassy actually will do for you in similar circumstances. i think you'll find it's pretty much the same

So if my wife wants to go to London with me she don't need a visa? And her passport wont be sent to India to make the visa? We want to go to london for many years already but the visa is the problem and since they will make it in India it will only take longer so we won't go.

 

If my embassy let me down after all my stuff got burned in a hotelfire i would sit in front of their building untill i am in the newspapers or die there. They would help me of course, just give me money from my own bankaccount so i can go working in china as a teacher.

 

 

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Thian said:

So if my wife wants to go to London with me she don't need a visa? And her passport wont be sent to India to make the visa? We want to go to london for many years already but the visa is the problem and since they will make it in India it will only take longer so we won't go.

We are not talking about your Wife , your Wife may need a Visa , the People in the O.P. are British citizens , so, they dont need a visa to go home to the UK