Partner problems, a family crisis, 5.5 years on...what happened next.

[geronimo]

It's a sad reflection of the sorry state of some expats here when most can't be bothered to read the post. I found it an interesting account that demonstrates how easy it is to fall foul of the law, and there are lessons for us all.

 

 

 

 

[Scouse123]

Nextmove,

 

It is indeed a very sad story but as a former member and contributor here, you know very well you are not going to win the Pulitzer prize or get much credit or sympathy on Thai visa forum, only criticism usually.

 

You have pointed out very clearly what can happen if Foreigners, who enter into relationships with rural Thais, are not ' on the ball ' 100% of the time with their partners. It is very sad, on the one hand, you want to give respect and trust and on the other, you see exactly how you get repaid for giving that trust. They then get furious with us when we check what they are doing with money or where they are going or where they have been!

 

It can be even more difficult when you are the only foreigner around in a relationship in or near the village and by their standards, are rich without a care in the world. Cash is king to these people, just like the Chinese and a person is not judged on a good heart but on the bank balance! So, it's easy to believe how they can all get sucked into Israel and Swedish dreams and scams. I have seen Policemen, farmers, housewives and family members lose their land to the Chinese moneylenders. They borrow when they have no jobs, impossible rates of interest, and lose their land for a fraction of its value ending up with absolutely nothing. Then "Johhny Jai Dee " foreigner comes along, buys land and the cycle starts all over again.

 

I have mentioned before about so-called ' friends and relatives '  turning up on our doorstep because we have wifi, a full fridge of beer and soft drinks,  and the crowning glory, a Karaoke machine, the original idea being this meant my spouse doesn't have to go out and queue to 'sing a song '  in the local haunts.

 

By staying at home, she also isn't constantly badgered for drinks and tips everytime she goes out and it's less hassle with police raiding bars and Karaokes constantly up here, for no apparent reason. Now, it appears that the locals think we are the free 7-11 or game shop with free wifi.

 

We get them coming very early in the morning and late at night trying to ' just come and say hello! ' at ridiculous times of the day, but usually, there is a ' sting in the tail ' consisting of one of these lots latest ideas to earn money. Of course, they are always looking for that sponsor as they have no cash. I get completely pissed off with them. You only have to suggest we are busy cleaning the house or car and they are welcome to join and they find an excuse to disappear and go and annoy somebody else. I hate the bone idleness and shameless asking for money in Isaarn culture.

 

I think you are right in not going back to the relationship as it sounds like she has limited intelligence, can be taken in ( as thousands do) by get rich quick schemes and is ' swayed by friends ' as many are including my other half.

 

I once came back and found out I had  lost a Toyota Fortuner when I was working away, and the evil sneaky scum in the village, who do nothing but drink rice whisky, gamble and dream up these scams against my gullible partner, had plotted, schemed, bullied, cajoled and sucked my other half in to a gigantic con, and then disappear and walk away when it fails, knowing she would be in massive problems when I returned.

 

Anyway, good read, you have turned the corner and hopefully a new chapter in your life.

[sead]

Phew. I smoked something and suddenly this 2h text felt like 2 years.........

[Rodwalloper]

breaking any law when she had a daughter is irresponsible.

My wife is human and therefore not perefect but she would never do anything that could get her separated from the children.

This woman was with you, doing ok but her greed led her to lose here daughter, her marriage and freedom.

and she was bullshitting to you when she was doing it.

[ubonr1971]

Story was too long.

 

Can anyone write an abstract. Maybe summarize in 2 or 3 sentences? I dont have time read all that

[seancbk]

On 01/04/2018 at 8:45 AM, torrzent said:

Can't be bothered to read as way too long.....can you get the original story and the latest post down to twitter length.  That is the attention span of most in these gadget oriented days.

 

Your loss.   It was a good read and has a relatively happy ending.   

[DipStick]

6 hours ago, geronimo said:

It's a sad reflection of the sorry state of some expats here when most can't be bothered to read the post. I found it an interesting account that demonstrates how easy it is to fall foul of the law, and there are lessons for us all.

 

 

 

 

Totally agree with you. It would “appear” that there are many here who have the attention span of a one year old.

It also makes wonder how they can respond to threads if they haven’t fully read and absorbed the details

[torrzent]

2 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

Your loss.   It was a good read and has a relatively happy ending.   

Provide a 2 line summary and I'll let you know.

[sanemax]

10 minutes ago, torrzent said:

Provide a 2 line summary and I'll let you know.

If you cannot be bothered to read the O.P. , why even make a comment ?

Why post in a thread that you have no interest in ?

[sniper]

23 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

It's greed that gets people scammed, not naivety or trust.

That statement is just too lazy and simplistic, you need to put a bit more thought into something before letting loose with a universal statement like that. 

So If a person naively seeks to get say a 10 percent return on an investment but they get scammed they are greedy but if they seek the same return from the stock market or any business they are not greedy but considered an investor, it's the same motivation but just applied different ways, even work where you seek a return on your labour should be labelled greed by your logic, what about landlords? Are they greedy or investors?  Maybe everything we do is greed by different degrees.

some scams promise ridiculous returns and you could probably apply the greed label correctly but many scams take a more plausible low return approach like the lending share scheme scam that thai woman promote among themselves. 

[Media1]

On 01/04/2018 at 8:45 AM, torrzent said:

Can't be bothered to read as way too long.....can you get the original story and the latest post down to twitter length.  That is the attention span of most in these gadget oriented days.

YES let's wait for the movie trailer

[metisdead]

An profane and inflammatory post has been removed. 

 

Another post using ALL CAPS has been removed, please turn off your Caps Lock when posting. 

[bwpage3]

18 hours ago, nextmove said:

bwpage3

 zaZa9 has clearly read my post in full and shown a clear understanding of the content.

But in the interests of winning my first medal since I scored the winning goal in the Somerset intermediate cup final at Glastonbury Town FC at the tender age of 16 I will attempt to answer your questions.

 

1) Yes, as already mentioned in my OP she went to work in Israel for 5 years. Not picking berries but at a restaurant serving Japanese and Asian cusine. The pay was not great but with customer tips she made a pretty good living by Thai standards. After 5 years (I understand this was the cut off point in Israel due to additional rights at this point workers living there get) they simply kick out the old and bring in next teenager or early twenty something to replace them.

 

2) My partner was with me either in Thailand or the UK .At most she went back to her village maybe 2 times a year although her immediate family would sometimes meet up with us at a beach resort somewhere. What were we doing....enjoying normal family life.

 

3) As far as I can be reasonably certain she did not benefit from any of the money. There was no fancy new phone or clothes or jewellery. Like most in Isaan the duty of the children to provide for their elderly parents is paramount. Her mother was the only one from her family  to benefit out of this. The "Aunty" and her husband who have never been seen in the village since were the main benefactors. No money was ever traced to my partners bank accounts by the police ,it was only found in her mothers account. The evidence against my partner was solely word of mouth and the fact that she had not replied to police letters worked significantly against her. Her father, sister and brothers were also not implicated.How did her mother spend the money ...she  probably lost most of it illegally gambling and buying lottery tickets...but is only a guess since in the years after the event there was no new house with a limo on the drive.

 

4) Another question that I have already answered in my OP to the best of my knowledge.

 

5) Again this has been addressed in my OP. I can only hazzard a guess but I feel that both greed and also being duped played a part.

Well I sympathise with what has happened regarding human trafficking to poor people anywhere in the world in my partners case I really feel you have gone off on a tangent so to speak. Let me reitterate, my ex partner has NEVER been involved in human trafficking, FRAUD yes but not trafficking.

 

I only wanted to hear about Israel to see if perhaps there might be any flaws in her story.You see until this day I still have questions.After being through something like this for many years your mind still strays and ponders over things from time to time. You have given me very little about Israel but continued to go on a tangent about the berry fields of Sweden and the like. In fact I may not be sure over everything but over the Israel situation I am pretty certain as my ex always described so vivedly her work at the restaurant and her disgust at having to share a Tel aviv apartment block with around 20 other Thai's many of whom were not particuarly house or shared fridge proud shall we say.

 

If you care to read my OP a little more clearly and concisely again you will also see that as a result of Israel she got many people sponsorship to work at her restaurant and other restaurants in the area. Nobody ever came back early because the money wasn't good and nobody pressed any any charges. Her sister joined her at the same restaurant some 3 years later before also being kicked out via the Israeli summary justice system for foreign workers about 5 years ago.

 

What did my ex partner do with all her savings from that 5 year stint?...she turned her Father and Mothers wooden house into a part block structure and bought the family a new pickup even though she did not drive herself. When the next hard times hit she sold the pickup at gave the proceeds to her mother and father.When I met her she was working for 300thb per day for a woman in Pratunam market. The extra 100thb or so over a normal workers wage was to recognise my partners auditing skills ,something she had also aquired by taking control of food stocks and orders at the Tel Aviv restaurant.Her knowledge of Japenese cooking was excellent and she even spoke a little Israeli much to the delight of the Israeli tourists we met from time to time.

 

Her sister was a little more shrewd keeping most of her savings when she returned. She owns a small car ,rents a nice apartment and now runs a couple of small boutique shops in Lat phrao,Bangkok. My ex partner now helps her with that for what is basically her board,lodge and food.

 

Couple more things?

 

Was she your partner when she was in Israel for 5 years and if so where were you? (My partner was with me either in Thailand or the UK). Were you in Israel with her?

 

"as a result of Israel she got many people sponsorship to work at her restaurant and other restaurants in the area"

This statement is where I think you are missing the point.

 

It simply does not come down to a Thai restaurant worker getting people sponsorship. This is the scam. Either your partner or some "Auntie" used her because she was already working there to set up and continue the scam.

 

Who paid the upfront travel costs and the work VISA's for these additional workers you claim your partner got sponsorship for? Your partner? She did this all for free out of the kindness of her heart?

 

Do you honestly think un-educated Isaan people would have any idea where Israel is on a map, let alone know how to get through all the red-tape to get a VISA to go work there, set up employment and living arrangements?

 

It is the exact same as the berry scam. Someone, whether the Auntie or your partner (I would take a guess and say your partner got used), spun the story to the villager's how much money they could make. 

 

Ever think where all the money for the airplane tickets, visa, etc. came from? The villager's sign away their property and anything else as a guarantee they will go work and pay off the airfare, visa and what ever other charges are thrown in. This was in excess of 100,000 baht for each person for people we know that are still there today.

 

What kind of connections do you think a person has to have to get work VISA's for this many people to go to Israel? There is probably someone paying off someone at the embassy as well. Nothing is free. 

 

Side Note: Spoke with some Thai restaurant workers at a Thai restaurant in Florida USA the other day. They were asking my wife for help. Paid someone in Thailand 30,000 baht to get a tourist visa to the USA. Restaurant is paying them $5 US Dollars per hour under the table. All on overstay, scared to death, and have no money to return home. All illegal, no tax etc. Still haven't paid off what they owe for the airfare, housing, etc.

 

Lodging, food, etc. are all taken from their pay at ridiculous amounts. Who do you think is doing this? The restaurant or the Auntie that sent them there in the first place?

 

Ever ask yourself why is the Auntie involved in the first place? Because she is the one making all the money off each and every person that gets sent to Israel and this is where ALL the money is being made. She is the one with the connections at the Embassy. She surely isn't sending people to work in Israel for free! This is exploitation, where Thai's labor is being exploited for the financial gain for someone else.

 

This is nothing new and still happening year in and year out, every month to people in Isaan.

 

Back up to day 1. She was your partner, and you state she (My partner was with me either in Thailand or the UK)

 

1. How did she end up in Israel? Were you working in the UK and left her in Thailand at some point?

 

2. Is she got to Israel from Thailand for a job without you, you can bet it was the same situation as all the other scams. The Auntie comes to the village, hooks people with all the stories about getting rich and get people all signed up to go, VISA's, etc.. The problem is, this is not FREE! She would have owed the Auntie at least 100k or more to get her the job in the first place. Like I said before, no one in Isaan would even know where Israel is on a map.

 

If that is indeed how she got to Israel, she might have been approached by the same Auntie, after she had successfully worked there a while, to supply the names of others in Isaan (like her sister) the Auntie could sign up to send as well. This is a revolving scam that keeps the people running the scam extremely rich, while exploiting uneducated Thai's for their labor. Fact of life.

 

How many restaurants, companies or anyone else in the world give a damn about helping Thai people? The answer is none. Although there are far less stories concerning Thai restaurant workers in Israel, there are numerous headlines such as Thai migrant workers in Israel face serious labor abuses.

 

25,000 farm workers exploited. Does this sound like the Israeli's cherish Thai people and want to help them succeed? No it does not. Thai people are the labor and nothing more, to be exploited for hard work and cheap labor.

 

I think you can connect the dots.

 

1. She had to end up in Israel somehow from Isaan?

 

2. This was definitely not free, she owed someone somewhere for this trip and VISA

 

3. Someone had already arranged living space, and there was a cost for this, food, etc.

 

4. No one I have ever heard of made the kind of money (to buy a new truck, etc.) you mentioned. Yet she has enough for a new truck and the fix her parents house? One of our friends has almost spent 3 years there saving 300,000 to buy a tractor. That is not over 1,000,000 for a new truck or anywhere close. (The Israeli public is generally sympathetic to the fact that waiters and bartenders are poorly paid). 

 

5. Some how money was being sent to her mother's account even though her mother was not working. Isn't this a bit odd? Where was the money coming from? What was the money from? Is it free to send money from Israel to Thailand? Or course not. There was a money trail to her mother's account from someone.

 

With what personal knowledge I have of workers in Israel, it sounds like your wife was in the Auntie's chain of receiving money from getting other Isaan villagers to sign up for work in Israel. The Aunti was probably giving her a cut of the 100K + the villagers had to pay upfront to get the job, travel costs and VISA and also a cut from each villagers monthly earnings through over inflated living and good costs

 

Your partner probably knew this was wrong and sent the money to her mother's account so it wouldn't be traced to her? How else did the money get into her mother's account? 

 

She was arrested means there was factual evidence she did SOMETHING illegal and helping other Thai's get jobs was not illegal the last time I checked?

 

You don't need any more pieces of the puzzle, you just need to fill in what I have already mentioned.

 

If you did not accompany her to Israel, if you were not the one securing her employment, I am pretty sure she wasn't sitting around in Isaan dreaming of working in Israel, which has a world known problem of exploited Thai people.

 

The workers doing all the work always come home with little money, while the person that organized sending them their making huge sums each year.

 

Your partner certainly did not earn all that money from working in a restaurant and consequently ended up getting arrested for how she did earn that money. Exploiting others to come work in Israel but not telling the truth.

 

 

[bwpage3]

12 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Nextmove,

 

It is indeed a very sad story but as a former member and contributor here, you know very well you are not going to win the Pulitzer prize or get much credit or sympathy on Thai visa forum, only criticism usually.

 

You have pointed out very clearly what can happen if Foreigners, who enter into relationships with rural Thais, are not ' on the ball ' 100% of the time with their partners. It is very sad, on the one hand, you want to give respect and trust and on the other, you see exactly how you get repaid for giving that trust. They then get furious with us when we check what they are doing with money or where they are going or where they have been!

 

It can be even more difficult when you are the only foreigner around in a relationship in or near the village and by their standards, are rich without a care in the world. Cash is king to these people, just like the Chinese and a person is not judged on a good heart but on the bank balance! So, it's easy to believe how they can all get sucked into Israel and Swedish dreams and scams. I have seen Policemen, farmers, housewives and family members lose their land to the Chinese moneylenders. They borrow when they have no jobs, impossible rates of interest, and lose their land for a fraction of its value ending up with absolutely nothing. Then "Johhny Jai Dee " foreigner comes along, buys land and the cycle starts all over again.

 

I have mentioned before about so-called ' friends and relatives '  turning up on our doorstep because we have wifi, a full fridge of beer and soft drinks,  and the crowning glory, a Karaoke machine, the original idea being this meant my spouse doesn't have to go out and queue to 'sing a song '  in the local haunts.

 

By staying at home, she also isn't constantly badgered for drinks and tips everytime she goes out and it's less hassle with police raiding bars and Karaokes constantly up here, for no apparent reason. Now, it appears that the locals think we are the free 7-11 or game shop with free wifi.

 

We get them coming very early in the morning and late at night trying to ' just come and say hello! ' at ridiculous times of the day, but usually, there is a ' sting in the tail ' consisting of one of these lots latest ideas to earn money. Of course, they are always looking for that sponsor as they have no cash. I get completely pissed off with them. You only have to suggest we are busy cleaning the house or car and they are welcome to join and they find an excuse to disappear and go and annoy somebody else. I hate the bone idleness and shameless asking for money in Isaarn culture.

 

I think you are right in not going back to the relationship as it sounds like she has limited intelligence, can be taken in ( as thousands do) by get rich quick schemes and is ' swayed by friends ' as many are including my other half.

 

I once came back and found out I had  lost a Toyota Fortuner when I was working away, and the evil sneaky scum in the village, who do nothing but drink rice whisky, gamble and dream up these scams against my gullible partner, had plotted, schemed, bullied, cajoled and sucked my other half in to a gigantic con, and then disappear and walk away when it fails, knowing she would be in massive problems when I returned.

 

Anyway, good read, you have turned the corner and hopefully a new chapter in your life.

Very kind of you to share this story. As more and more people share these true stories, hopefully they can help someone else down the road.

[strikingsunset]

I have lived/travelled in Thailand for around 2 of the last 14 years I have lived in Asia .I visit this forum as its great to keep my feet on the ground.

I live in Shanghai now, I am 62 my girlfriend, of 4 years is 47,she is lovely, educated, own apartment, decent job, fluent in Mandarin, English and German.

I would suggest if you are looking for a similar partner 40 years old, plus ,in China,   there are countless independent women available, looking for a life partner ,not for financial support.  

If I ever have to leave China I would go to Taiwan ( which is also deemed to be part of China) where the availability of quality ladies is amazing IMHO,

I would not live in Thailand,2 visits a year, see friends ,hang out,perfect.

[nextmove]

Oh my oh my bwpage3 this really is getting a little tiring. Please ,and I mean this politely,do yourself a favour and if you have a few minutes (because despite certain others jokes that is all the time it takes a capable reader to do) re-read my OP. You clearly on numerous occasions have not digested what I have fully written whereas most others have.

 

Here is the first clue regarding whether I knew my ex partner before Israel:-

 

Prior to meeting my partner she had been somewhat of a hero in her local village because she had successfully got many of them jobs working as cooks/waiters in the restaurant trade in Tel Aviv, Israel. My partner had originally got work there and then turned entrepreneur earning commission when she found with the help of her bosses or her bosses friends sponsorship she was able to get many others up to 5 years work . A lot of money was sent back to her village making some families comparatively wealthy by local standards.  My partner used to joke that her village had become know as the "little Tel Aviv of Isaan".

 

The charges she eventually went to jail for had nothing whatsoever to do with Israel,on the contrary about  7 people including her sister were able to give themselves a better future in Thailand once their 5 years in Israel were up.The proof in the pudding that nobody was scammed in the Israel  is that no complaints were made, nobody ended up in jail and last but not least she earnt a very GOOD reputation  as opposed to a bad one. I have no doubt, it was in fact this good reputation, that largely contributed to the success of the scam that took place a few years later .

 

You have sucessfully managed to mix up Israel with the later scam involving the possibility of work in the UK and thus produced a complete pickle of a post that even Mr Branston would be proud of.My OP was not about denying that my partner was involved, I have clearly acknowledged her involvement to either a lesser or greater degree, it was just a chronicle to let people know of my story and how things worked out.

 

Believe me when you are thrown into a situation like this your mind is in a pickle (there goes that word again) , you have a 4 year old daughter without a mother and you are faced with the reality that your ideal Thai family life has evaporated in an instance.You try to make some sense out of what has happened which proves to be impossible...did I really know her? ,how could she do this with a child?, Maybe we should have moved to England and this wouldn't have happened??....and so on. I have no doubt that somebody somewhere will be effected by something similar to this again and if any part of my story can help in anyway whatsoever then it will have been worth putting pen to paper. I also posted It as a mark of respect and gratitude to the many Thaivisa members who helped more than 5 years ago at the start of my unexpected journey. A smaller number of parasites also tried to knock me down back then when I was at a very low point and I thought it a fitting end to tell the whole true story thus showcasing what morons they really are.

 

Anyway I hope that has made things a little clearer for you but please ,with your new understanding taken on board, kindly feel free to completely re write your last post if you feel the need.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by nextmove

[nextmove]

Scouse123,

 

Thanks for highlighting the reality of what everyday life can be like for some in Thailand . I am sure there will be many that can identify with much of your story.Indeed there appears to be no end to the extent that some Thai people will go to take advantage.

 

Hoping the future brings happier times.

 

 

 

 

[bwpage3]

53 minutes ago, nextmove said:

Oh my oh my bwpage3 this really is getting a little tiring. Please ,and I mean this politely,do yourself a favour and if you have a few minutes (because despite certain others jokes that is all the time it takes a capable reader to do) re-read my OP. You clearly on numerous occasions have not digested what I have fully written whereas most others have.

 

Here is the first clue regarding whether I knew my ex partner before Israel:-

 

Prior to meeting my partner she had been somewhat of a hero in her local village because she had successfully got many of them jobs working as cooks/waiters in the restaurant trade in Tel Aviv, Israel. My partner had originally got work there and then turned entrepreneur earning commission when she found with the help of her bosses or her bosses friends sponsorship she was able to get many others up to 5 years work . A lot of money was sent back to her village making some families comparatively wealthy by local standards.  My partner used to joke that her village had become know as the "little Tel Aviv of Isaan".

 

The charges she eventually went to jail for had nothing whatsoever to do with Israel,on the contrary about  7 people including her sister were able to give themselves a better future in Thailand once their 5 years in Israel were up.The proof in the pudding that nobody was scammed in the Israel  is that no complaints were made, nobody ended up in jail and last but not least she earnt a very GOOD reputation  as opposed to a bad one. I have no doubt, it was in fact this good reputation, that largely contributed to the success of the scam that took place a few years later .

 

You have sucessfully managed to mix up Israel with the later scam involving the possibility of work in the UK and thus produced a complete pickle of a post that even Mr Branston would be proud of.My OP was not about denying that my partner was involved, I have clearly acknowledged her involvement to either a lesser or greater degree, it was just a chronicle to let people know of my story and how things worked out.

 

Believe me when you are thrown into a situation like this your mind is in a pickle (there goes that word again) , you have a 4 year old daughter without a mother and you are faced with the reality that your ideal Thai family life has evaporated in an instance.You try to make some sense out of what has happened which proves to be impossible...did I really know her? ,how could she do this with a child?, Maybe we should have moved to England and this wouldn't have happened??....and so on. I have no doubt that somebody somewhere will be effected by something similar to this again and if any part of my story can help in anyway whatsoever then it will have been worth putting pen to paper. I also posted It as a mark of respect and gratitude to the many Thaivisa members who helped more than 5 years ago at the start of my unexpected journey. A smaller number of parasites also tried to knock me down back then when I was at a very low point and I thought it a fitting end to tell the whole true story thus showcasing what morons they really are.

 

Anyway I hope that has made things a little clearer for you but please ,with your new understanding taken on board, kindly feel free to completely re write your last post if you feel the need.

 

 

 

 

1. Prior to meeting her, you had NO clue what she was doing, whether it is legal or ethical or not. I think that has been established. Anything you heard about her being a "hero" is complete BS.

 

7 people with a better life as opposed to one who committed suicide and 100's of others financially ruined??????????????

 

A lot of money sent back to the village? Sure 15k/month might be a lot of money to people making 200 baht a day in the fields.

 

Like I said, we have friends there right now earning much less than you state, which I have outlined previously. They call got scammed getting over there having to pay back well over 100K in travel expenses (which is the commission) you are referring to

 

Sure her reputation contributed to the scam and it is a scam  not commission

 

Sure you have to question whether you really knew her and why she wouldn't have mention this long before the kid.

 

Money rules in Isaan, more than anywhere and I am sure you know this

 

2. turned entrepreneur earning commission

 

No one in Isaan turns entrepreneur. You earn a commission scamming other people to go work in Israel with lie's of fake riches.

 

I appreciate your story and although I have been long winded, we still have friends working there and I try to share a real life experience of what happens so that you can educate yourself with facts from someone else.

 

Like I said no one from Isaan is handed huge sums of commission, because that money is coming from somewhere and someone. People are being scammed.

 

The fact you are taking care of your daughter is admirable. Not easy to be a single parent these days however I suspect you realize the nature of your partner's crimes to the point you dont want to take her back.

 

Try to understand people are scammed into believing they will get rich working abroad. The only one getting rich is the scammers which continues to this day.

 

 

 

 

 

[nextmove]

3 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

1. Prior to meeting her, you had NO clue what she was doing, whether it is legal or ethical or not. I think that has been established. Anything you heard about her being a "hero" is complete BS.

Prior to meeting her I didn't know of her existence or anything she had done or was doing. 100 per cent correct.The word "hero" was not meant to be taken literally it was merely a way to say the few people that did get to join her in the restaurant in Israel had no regrets  and were more than grateful for the overseas work.The boss of the restaurant was apparently able to arrange all the legal stuff for them.If things had gone so bad and her name was mud in the village please try to explain why anybody would trust her name ever again to allow another scam to take place? Perhaps you are implying all Thai's are stupid,but surely not that stupid,I would give them a little more credit than that.

Quote

 

7 people with a better life as opposed to one who committed suicide and 100's of others financially ruined??????????????

Well that is terrible but my ex partner had nothing to do with these people or any deaths.You seem to be trying to blame her for everything bad that ever happened to people in Thailand. What are you actively doing to try and help these poor souls?

Quote

 

A lot of money sent back to the village? Sure 15k/month might be a lot of money to people making 200 baht a day in the fields.

The Thai's working in the restaurant alongside Eastern Europeans and many other worlds people earned much more than that. They had a caring boss as much as any boss can be caring. They also did very well on tips in a restaurant that was very popular and highly rated for its ambience and food. Not every Thai that ever went to work abroad got a bad deal..fact.

 

Like I said, we have friends there right now earning much less than you state, which I have outlined previously. They call got scammed getting over there having to pay back well over 100K in travel expenses (which is the commission) you are referring to

I have not stated any amount of money other than to say she bought a pickup and spruced up her parents house on her return. You see when a Thai decides to sacrifice much of their young life and decide to save they can spend very little money each month even if in an expensive foreign land.My partner worked 7 days a week for the most part during the 5 years. She told me with tips it was perfectly possible on average to earn 50,000 thb per month and in a good month even more.That's 12,500 thb for a 7 day week,just under 1,800 thb per day So we have around  600,000 thb a year x 5 years which gives a total of around 3,000,000 thb for the period. A basic pickup back then was around 500,000 thb,she said she spent about 1,000,000 renovating her parents house. Her rent and heating etc was minimal sharing with many, many others,she had free food from the restaurant where she worked,she never went out spending huge money in Tel aviv night clubs like some others did.It was a mundane life in many ways but she could save some good money by rural Thai standards.Even a berry picker could earn 1000 thb per day in Israel and thus 30,000 thb per month so what exactly are you trying to say?

Quote

 

Sure her reputation contributed to the scam and it is a scam  not commission

Yes I have always  agreed that the UK bit was a scam.

 

Sure you have to question whether you really knew her and why she wouldn't have mention this long before the kid.

Yes again,I think I have made that clear more than enough.

Money rules in Isaan, more than anywhere and I am sure you know this

Correct

2. turned entrepreneur earning commission

 

No one in Isaan turns entrepreneur. You earn a commission scamming other people to go work in Israel with lie's of fake riches.

Just another figure of speech. She does not deny that the people who joined her in the restaurant gave her some sort  of thank you payment for making things possible but she was not part of any fancy and corrupt  large agency setup.We are not talking 100,000 baht setup fees here, but sure the people had to find their own money for their flights. It was her boss at the restaurant who needed more staff that arranged all the legalalities and paperwork with the Israeli authorities.

 

I appreciate your story and although I have been long winded, we still have friends working there and I try to share a real life experience of what happens so that you can educate yourself with facts from someone else.

Well you have drawn my attention to a problem that exists in Israel on fruit farms but as far as educating me about this general problem ,well no. Slave labour is going on today in Britain with people from all over the world. I am well aware that people trafficking is a world problem.

 

Like I said no one from Isaan is handed huge sums of commission, because that money is coming from somewhere and someone. People are being scammed.

 

The fact you are taking care of your daughter is admirable. Not easy to be a single parent these days however I suspect you realize the nature of your partner's crimes to the point you dont want to take her back.

I realise the nature of my partners crime which is FRAUD. She has not been charged with people Trafficking since nobody left the country to work in the UK. You seem to want to pin ''people trafficking" on my partner which was never going to happen and IMHO never has happened,Israel included. There are many reasons why as you put it "I don't want her back" , we are thousands of miles apart living different lifes and to be together I would have to uproot my daughter and swap her English education for a Thai one with all the problems that entails.

5 years is a long time apart and things and feelings can change.Yes I have yet to fully forgive her stupity but feel one day when I'm a little older and more mellow I probably will. I will support her if she is ever in any genuine trouble such as poor health,after all she is my childs mother so our journey through life is not over.

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Try to understand people are scammed into believing they will get rich working abroad. The only one getting rich is the scammers which continues to this day.

I already understand that. But I do not accept there is any evidence of people trafficking in my ex partners case. She with others was part of a promise to supply goods which could in reality never be fulfilled. This in any part of the world is known as fraud.

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Edited April 2, 2018 by nextmove

[nextmove]

15 hours ago, Rodwalloper said:

breaking any law when she had a daughter is irresponsible.

My wife is human and therefore not perefect but she would never do anything that could get her separated from the children.

This woman was with you, doing ok but her greed led her to lose here daughter, her marriage and freedom.

and she was bullshitting to you when she was doing it.

Pretty blunt words but all true. You have summed it up in a few words that should keep even the one liner fruit fly brigrade happy!

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by nextmove

[Watchful]

6 hours ago, nextmove said:

There are many reasons why as you put it "I don't want her back" , we are thousands of miles apart living different lifes and to be together I would have to uproot my daughter and swap her English education for a Thai one with all the problems that entails.

5 years is a long time apart and things and feelings can change.Yes I have yet to fully forgive her stupity but feel one day when I'm a little older and more mellow I probably will. I will support her if she is ever in any genuine trouble such as poor health,after all she is my childs mother so our journey through life is not over.

 

NM, thanks so very much for your interesting story. Real life stories like yours are a way for all of us to learn from the mistakes of others.

 

It is always easy to "Monday morning quarterback" and say, "This would never happen to me."  

 

As for you ex wife/partner, don't forget ... people change.  She has suffered due to her mistakes and being older, maybe she learned from them.   I know it's complicated given your distance, but some compassion would NOT be misplaced.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 12:02 PM, samsensam said:

 

bit of a confusing post and to be honest i gave up reading after the first few paragraphs... i get the gist that your wife was/is involved in scamming innocent people who probably cant/couldn't afford to lose the money. she sounds like a real catch.

????

It wasn't hard to read and shows that there is a dark side to life, that the unsuspecting ( and non Thai speaking ) farang will never understand till it's too late.

Threads like this serve as a warning to those considering embarking on life with a Thai beloved.

Reading some of the posts, I'm sad that some are so bitter that they have to attack the OP on here, rather than just moving on to another thread.

Far as I can see, he's just a well meaning farang that met the wrong woman, which is a not uncommon situation in LOS.

If I have any comment to make on the OP himself, he was lucky to be financial enough to pay and pay and pay, but at least in the end he wised up and didn't.

[cornishcarlos]

Interesting replies....

 

I reckon "Aunty" was the scammer, MIL was the willing accomplice (free ride as middle man) and Ops missus was the bait...

She's done her time and so did the Op, in a way...

 

Let it be a lesson to all those, who read the OP, although it would be very hard to avoid the situation !!!

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

Let it be a lesson to all those, who read the OP, although it would be very hard to avoid the situation !!!

At least all those naive farangs that read the OP will know not to get involved with women running a similar scheme.

A husband should at least know what a wife is doing with her life. If he doesn't, there is something lacking in their relationship.

 

[RocketDog]

I DID read both of the OP's posts thoroughly, and found it a very interesting cautionary tale, as the OP clearly intended it to be. I also believe every word he said and didn't feel that he was holding anything back.

Call me gullible if you wish, but the most shocking things did not come from the OP.

I was shocked, saddened, and then angered by the cynical, punishing, and hateful replies from some of the self-righteous TV  audience. I found myself wishing that these folks could get a full dose, up close and personal, of the twisted and convoluted Thai justice system that the OP had his guts torn out by.

 

However, my faith in humanity, paltry as it is, was partially restored by the many helpful, empathetic, and encouraging replies that the OP  did receive.

The only times I feel like walking away from these forums is when the hate and bile boils out of the sad souls that frequent these forums like malcontent vultures.

 

Please, please, if you don't have something constructive, informational, or supportive to add, go stand in front of the mirror and vent your pernicious slime at someone that deserves it. Everyone will be happier, except you of course, who will never be happy.

[cornishcarlos]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

At least all those naive farangs that read the OP will know not to get involved with women running a similar scheme.

A husband should at least know what a wife is doing with her life. If he doesn't, there is something lacking in their relationship.

 

 

A lack of common culture and verbal mis-communication can sometimes be enough...

[GinBoy2]

Interesting story, if a little tragic.

Unfortunately I fear far from uncommon. Thai's seem to have this belief that they can game the system and never get caught, until of course they are.

Justice, as we all know, except the newbies and 'Thai Apologists' with the wool heavily pulled down over their eyes, is dependant on where you are in the social strata and how much you can afford to buy your way out of trouble.

You did more than most by at least trying to may restitution as best you could.

For your ex, don't know about the UK, but for the US a criminal conviction and jail term would permanently exclude her from ever getting a visa to visit you and your daughter, let alone any hope of a reconciliation and life in the US. I would suspect the UK is very similar.

Anyway, thanks for sharing and Good Luck

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, RocketDog said:

The only times I feel like walking away from these forums is when the hate and bile boils out of the sad souls that frequent these forums like malcontent vultures.

 

Please, please, if you don't have something constructive, informational, or supportive to add, go stand in front of the mirror and vent your pernicious slime at someone that deserves it. Everyone will be happier, except you of course, who will never be happy.

[bwpage3]

Any post can be offset by truth's from others with first hand knowledge, to which the OP is only repeating what he stated his partner told him. 

 

She wasn't making 50,000 a month working in a restaurant in Israel no matter what the OP says. He was not there, he is trusting the word of a woman that was arrested for breaking the law. As stated, restaurant workers are some of the lowest paid workers in Israel. Why in the world would an uneducated Thai woman from Isaan earn 50,000 baht a month? I suppose all the restaurant workers were making 50,000 a month? or only her because she was so fabulous with the tips? Come on man, you have no idea how Thai's are treated outside of Thailand. They are considered the low life laborers only.

 

We have friends working there right now in the fields, hotels, restaurants, etc. no one is making any where near that amount. The cost of getting scammed for room and board is taking half their earnings away. 

 

You have any idea how an uneducated worker in Isaan is able to get a passport and a work VISA to get to Israel? It is all a scam with people being paid off at every level. And like I said a million times, there is a huge cost for the people that accept these jobs unknowingly because everything they are told is a lie.

 

Clearly the OP only knows his partner's side of the story, not from 10 years of living in Isaan watching people getting scammed year in and year out. 

 

The OP is sharing a lesson here, however, he is only sharing what he knows from his convicted ex-partner.

 

Anyone that wouldn't want to see or hear some more of the story to learn how these scams unfold, is just plain stupid.

 

The OP doesn't seem to understand Isaan at all. If you have a 5th grade education, worked your entire life for 200 baht a day, never been out of Isaan ever and someone comes along stating "Come work in Israel and you will get rich", sure it is easy to scam these people whose dreams overcome any rational thought that this might not be true.

 

People in the rural villages are so poor and uneducated they will believe anything. How many people in Isaan know how much airfare is from Thailand to Israel? Zer0. So when they are told to pony up 100,000, 200,000 or 300,000 for a job because they will be getting rich (so they are told) they fall right into the scam.

 

The majority of these people that end up working in these jobs oversea's cannot even fill out an application, yet miraculously they end up with a passport, visa and overseas job.

 

People that live in the rural villages in Isaan all know this as some other posters have mentioned.

 

The lesson learned is the uneducated are easy prey to get scammed. Greed always overshadows what limited education they have. Isaan people continue to get caught up in these scams even today. 

 

My stupid brother in law was one of them.

 

 

 

 

[greenchair]

That was a nice read. 

Everyone makes mistakes. She did her time and paid her penance. I hope she has a great life here forward.