Thais in Pattaya forced to sell belongings to buy food

[webfact]

Thais in Pattaya forced to sell belongings to buy food

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

Thai media 77kaoded reported that many Thai people are in a desperate situation since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. 

 

The question for them is not if they have a luxury like Netflix - but if they even have a TV. 

 

In Pattaya they interviewed a man called Mana who was there to get donations of food and other vital supplies from a wealthy family who had prepared 360 packages for the needy. 

 

The packages included food, drinks, fruit and a mask. 

 

Mana said he had come with several other relatives. They were desperate as the crisis, like many families, has hit them hard. 

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

He said that he was in the raft business but that shut down throwing him out of work two months ago. 

 

He got a job laboring on a building site for four or five days but that ended. Now no one was hiring at all. 

 

His wife worked selling items on Koh Larn. The island has now been shut and so she too is unemployed. 

 

Their meager savings have been used up. They didn't want to impinge on the generosity of neighbors.

 

They have pawned everything of value in the house. 

 

They got a few hundred baht for the television just so they could get their next meal. 

 

Now they have no money, no saleable possessions and are relying on handouts. 

 

Mana keeps his eyes and ears open for people donating food and supplies. Now they have a few days before things get desperate again. 

 

Both have applied for the government's 5,000 baht handout - both are still on the "waiting" list. 

 

The importance of if and when that money comes can't be underestimated for Mana and his family and many more like them in Thailand.

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-04-13

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

 

[WineOh]

Tourists won't be going back to Pattaya anytime soon.

Think around 18-24 month ball park figure.

Even then I think they will be thin on the ground.

 

Might be a good idea to get the old fish nets out again! 

Edited April 13, 2020 by Liverpoolfan

[z42]

Terrible. Truly terrible that the system put in place to help the needy is proving to be simply unfit for purpose.

My gf and kids are lucky that I am living here and can help them. But she applied for the 5k baht the day it went online, still not a word.

 

Thai people deserve better than this.

[Puchaiyank]

Oh the irony!

 

Manna, sometimes or archaically spelled mana is, according to the Bible, an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the 40-year period following the Exodus and prior to the conquest of Canaan. It is also mentioned in the Quran three times. Wikipedia

[stouricks]

3 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Oh the irony!

 

Manna, sometimes or archaically spelled mana is, according to the Bible, an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the 40-year period following the Exodus and prior to the conquest of Canaan. It is also mentioned in the Quran three times. Wikipedia

Does Makro or Tesco sell it?   Pak Kapow Mannah for tea tonight!

[ezzra]

Sadly and unfortunately this is the new norm now, some will suffer a hell of a lot then others, good to see that people are choosing to sell their possessions rather than resorting to criminal acts...

[steven100]

The pawn shops will be having a field day. I suspect everyone will want to get in early to porn as much stuff as they can because I bet they will stop taking goods after a week or two. 

[HashBrownHarry]

13 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Sadly and unfortunately this is the new norm now, some will suffer a hell of a lot then others, good to see that people are choosing to sell their possessions rather than resorting to criminal acts...

Criminal acts will come once everything sold and proceeds spent.

[19DL86]

That ll suit me, I m looking for a 2 year old SUV low Kms Everest, CRV, CX5 or such like. I ll guess another few weeks this situation will filter up the food chain.  Be lots of cheap properties another 3-6 months.

 

Fortune favors the brave, anyone holding cash will make a killing yet again.  Welcome to the "Money go Round"

[19DL86]

43 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Tourists won't be going back to Pattaya anytime soon.

Think around 18-24 month ball park figure.

Even then I think they will be thin on the ground.

 

Might be a good idea to get the old fish nets out again! 

Which ones La? The ones they cast or wear??  As both trades will be needed 555

[fishtank]

The junta should be hanging their heads in shame but they won't be.

They could not give a toss about the population.

 

[scotsdude]

21 minutes ago, steven100 said:

The pawn shops will be having a field day. I suspect everyone will want to get in early to porn as much stuff as they can because I bet they will stop taking goods after a week or two. 

Porn as much stuff???

[petermik]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

The pawn shops will be having a field day. I suspect everyone will want to get in early to porn as much stuff as they can because I bet they will stop taking goods after a week or two. 

"everyone will want to get in early to porn"   I,m guessing only they young ones will have any success..... 

[time2093]

51 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Tourists won't be going back to Pattaya anytime soon.

Think around 18-24 month ball park figure.

Even then I think they will be thin on the ground.

 

Might be a good idea to get the old fish nets out again! 

How did you get those figures????.....I see it as soon as the major restrictions have lifted on foreigners and airlines can resume flying like before as nobody knows how long it could take, but as soon is the lights are turned on again in Pattaya the flood gates will be opened to the Chinese, Indians like no tomorrow.

[yuyiinthesky]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thai media 77kaoded reported that many Thai people are in a desperate situation since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. 

Just the beginning. This lockdown is not collective suicide, as I first thought. The rich survive. It's just making the poor even poorer, and sacrificing the poorest. 

Disgusting to see the jokes coming up here about cheap bargains becoming available from the desperate selling of so many now. 

Instead of snitching around about who's wearing a mask or not and who is daring to leave his room to get some daylight, and calling the Covid police, why not thinking about helping these numerous victims of the lockdown?

[brokenbone]

48 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Oh the irony!

 

Manna, sometimes or archaically spelled mana is, according to the Bible, an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the 40-year period following the Exodus and prior to the conquest of Canaan. It is also mentioned in the Quran three times. Wikipedia

i play a couple of games with mana, and it is vital

[Just1Voice]

One of my neighbours and his wife had a fairly successful noodle restaurant that provided a good income for them.  Good enough for them to live in this somewhat upper middle class moo bah.  Then the shut downs came.  Man, wife, 6 year old son, year old baby, and 18 year old daughter from previous marriage.  One day I noticed their 4 year old Yaris had been gone for about a week, and told my wife I think they had to sell it, but she didn't think so. Saturday the daughter and son came an asked if they could pick some of the mangos from our tree. My wife went out with her "mango picker" and pulled a dozen down to give them.  During that the daughter told her that her dad had sold the car for about half what it was worth, and hoped that would hold them till they could open restaurant again. Fortunately they still have their 3 year old pick-up.  Things are tight for everyone, snd going to get tighter. 

[WineOh]

6 minutes ago, time2093 said:

How did you get those figures????.....I see it as soon as the major restrictions have lifted on foreigners and airlines can resume flying like before as nobody knows how long it could take, but as soon is the lights are turned on again in Pattaya the flood gates will be opened to the Chinese, Indians like no tomorrow.

what does Pattaya have that you can't get anywhere else in the world only cheaper?

I've never seen the attraction of the place myself.

Walking street is like hell on earth to me.

[BritManToo]

41 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Sadly and unfortunately this is the new norm now, some will suffer a hell of a lot then others, good to see that people are choosing to sell their possessions rather than resorting to criminal acts...

Not only Pattaya but everywhere else as well.

Not quite sure what the local population is going to do.

Alright for us foreigners with savings and pensions, but most of Thailand (if not most of the world) don't have that.

Edited April 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[petermik]

7 hours ago, time2093 said:

How did you get those figures????.....I see it as soon as the major restrictions have lifted on foreigners and airlines can resume flying like before as nobody knows how long it could take, but as soon is the lights are turned on again in Pattaya the flood gates will be opened to the Chinese, Indians like no tomorrow.

tomorrow never comes.....

[jonclark]

9 minutes ago, time2093 said:

How did you get those figures????.....I see it as soon as the major restrictions have lifted on foreigners and airlines can resume flying like before as nobody knows how long it could take, but as soon is the lights are turned on again in Pattaya the flood gates will be opened to the Chinese, Indians like no tomorrow.

The flood gates maybe opened, but a holiday to a foreign land by the Chinese and Indians is a luxury. And after the dust settles from covid 19 it is going to take a while for savings to be replenished before all and sundry are in a position to head off abroad for their holidays. 

 

As we see as aan almost daily occurance here with people out of work, pawning their belongings etc, so this picture is mirrored isn the tourist markets Thailand hopes to tap in the aftermath. The sooner the world contains and defeats this virus the better. If it rattles on for another year (and China just recorded its biggest jump in weeks today) even the well heeled will bring out the old begging bowl for the government to fill. 

 

Stay safe and happy Songkran and here is to better days ahead. 

[chrisandsu]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Not only Pattaya but everywhere else as well.

Not quite sure what the local population is going to do.

Alright for us foreigners with savings and pensions, but most of Thailand (if not most of the world) don't have that.

Be very worried . If the world keeps sinking as it is pensions and overseas investments will be crashing too . I warned about this ages ago and was laughed out of town . The world has stopped working and I have no idea when it will start again ! By the time it does none of us are going to have any money for luxury’s . 

[andy72]

Unfortunately Thais embraced credit but with no safety net it all comes crumbling down

Yes there must be a glut of stuff going to the pawn shops and those with money will be unscrupulous.

Thailands COVID figures are still relatively low,

I know everything has stopped but they claim tourism is only 11% of GDP

its after the lockdown that true figures will show because it does not look like tourism is going to start anytime soon anywhere

 

how much longer will people hold onto their phones over money for food

[Ventenio]

This is why it's very important for farangs to buy houses in Thailand.  Now the gf can sell the house and support their family!!!  thanks dumb farang.  

 

i bought my online gf a gold chain for 50,000 but she said it hurt her neck and sold it after 11 minutes.

 

yes, now it the time to go on facebook marketplace and offer 1000 baht for an iphone.  

 

actually, i gave a thai family some electronic equipment last week for free.  if they sold it, fine.  but i won't give them money.  i know i've helped more than most, and i don't make money in Thailand.  

[colinneil]

49 minutes ago, steven100 said:

The pawn shops will be having a field day. I suspect everyone will want to get in early to porn as much stuff as they can because I bet they will stop taking goods after a week or two. 

Steven me ole mate, you have to stop with watching porn, its affecting your eye sight.

People are pawning their stuff, not porning it.

[cornishcarlos]

18 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

One of my neighbours and his wife had a fairly successful noodle restaurant that provided a good income for them.  Good enough for them to live in this somewhat upper middle class moo bah.  Then the shut downs came.  Man, wife, 6 year old son, year old baby, and 18 year old daughter from previous marriage.  One day I noticed their 4 year old Yaris had been gone for about a week, and told my wife I think they had to sell it, but she didn't think so. Saturday the daughter and son came an asked if they could pick some of the mangos from our tree. My wife went out with her "mango picker" and pulled a dozen down to give them.  During that the daughter told her that her dad had sold the car for about half what it was worth, and hoped that would hold them till they could open restaurant again. Fortunately they still have their 3 year old pick-up.  Things are tight for everyone, snd going to get tighter. 

 

Why can't they do take aways ?? 

If they were successful before then people will still buy from them...

Just a thought 

[Chivas]

1 hour ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Tourists won't be going back to Pattaya anytime soon.

Think around 18-24 month ball park figure.

Even then I think they will be thin on the ground.

 

Couldnt agree more with you. People sadly need to forget the old Pattaya they knew because nothing will be remotely the same in the future.

Even if opened in 2 years time it was dying on its backside pre covid anyway.

 

Chinese will likely buy up all the bars or as many as possible and the face of Pattaya will have been changed forever

Edited April 13, 2020 by Chivas

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Steven me ole mate, you have to stop with watching porn, its affecting your eye sight.

People are pawning their stuff, not porning it.

you know what I mean ....  just a spelling error ... lol  .....  porn ... pawn ... it's all the same in the end someone hands over cash.

[smedly]

and why is the government not helping these people ?

 

they have closed down most methods that these people can possibly earn a living 

 

seems that have been abandoned

 

shame on you Prayuth

[Just1Voice]

1 minute ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Why can't they do take aways ?? 

If they were successful before then people will still buy from them...

Just a thought 

Their shop was in an area that has been completely shut off and shut down.  No way in or out.