Thais in Pattaya forced to sell belongings to buy food

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

This is different, BritManToo.  

I agree that the UK isn't without it's own socio-economic problems but we still retain a social security system.  

The poor of LOS are in big trouble and I stand by my original assertion.   

We'll have to agree to disagree,

Social security/welfare in the UK is almost entirely aimed at women, and women with children.

If you're a guy down on his luck, or an old person, nobody really wants to know, just die nobody cares.

 

At least in Thailand, anyone (including foreigners) can get food and shelter at a local temple.

Edited April 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[ThaiWai]

I bet the marine life thinks 2020 is the best year ever. 

[torturedsole]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

We'll have to agree to disagree,

 

At least in Thailand, anyone (including foreigners) can get food and shelter at a local temple.

I've no axe to grind, sir, but can see where this is going, particularly for the less well-off of Thailand for which there are many.  There's going to be a lot of busy temples soon enough.  

[Caine]

From the Prime minister down. These Sh*tehouses  in charge wouldn't give the people a grain of rice between them. What a disgusting government. 

[chrisandsu]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I actually don't,

Loads of old people in the Uk freeze to death every year and there's a huge homeless problem.

Most Thais have access to a family farm, the ability to hunt and gather food, and the weather is never cold enough to kill.

Agree with that totally . Also why doesn’t Thailand have some form of social security ? Simply because the powers that be become multi billionaires by pilfering off the top . Case in point -People are kicking off in the UK over mps getting £10000 to fit out an office to work from home .... the Thai politicians would laugh at such a tiny  sum .  

[samsensam]

9 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

Agree with that totally . Also why doesn’t Thailand have some form of social security ? Simply because the powers that be become multi billionaires by pilfering off the top . Case in point -People are kicking off in the UK over mps getting £10000 to fit out an office to work from home .... the Thai politicians would laugh at such a tiny  sum .  

 

and the uk government is paying furloughed staff 80% of their salary, thai politicians would choke at that!

[Dannybigboy]

Terrible news, but I am not at all surprised. This Corona disaster reminds me of the Economic crash around 1997-98 ...that was bad , this will be 100 times worse. The economy, tourism, investments will fall into the abyss .....

[torturedsole]

1 minute ago, samsensam said:

and the uk government is paying furloughed staff 80% of their salary, thai politicians would choke at that!

... just not sure when they're going to get their 80% salary, but, that's a different story.  

[KhaoNiaw]

22 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

Agree with that totally . Also why doesn’t Thailand have some form of social security ? Simply because the powers that be become multi billionaires by pilfering off the top . Case in point -People are kicking off in the UK over mps getting £10000 to fit out an office to work from home .... the Thai politicians would laugh at such a tiny  sum .  

Thailand does have some form of social security. But the formal social insurance system doesn't cover people in informal sectors not paying into the system. So while there are different schemes that cover pretty much everybody in some way for healthcare, when it comes to unemployment benefits, only those in the formal system are paid anything. 

Edited April 13, 2020 by KhaoNiaw

[473geo]

8 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

... just not sure when they're going to get their 80% salary, but, that's a different story.  

My understanding registered on UK furlough, paid by company, company reclaims from government

 

 

[torturedsole]

3 minutes ago, 473geo said:

My understanding registered on UK furlough, paid by company, company reclaims from government

Thanks, 473geo.  Doesn't affect me or my Thai wife in this situation but good to know.  

 

My wife works for employment agency in UK but her work obviously dried up four weeks ago.  I earn too much for her to claim benefits so we keep our heads down.

[fuzzie]

12 hours ago, fishtank said:

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

They could not give a toss about the population.

 

 That's very true, the Thai way is the have,s and the have nots No money no ....,you now the rest

[chrisandsu]

11 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Thailand does have some form of social security. But the formal social insurance system doesn't cover people in informal sectors not paying into the system. So while there are different schemes that cover pretty much everybody in some way for healthcare, when it comes to unemployment benefits, only those in the formal system are paid anything. 

That’s pretty much the same as being self employed in the UK . For years they were paying next to no tax and now asking why they are not receiving 80% of a wage they didn’t pay tax on ! Hence the reason everyone should have a little skin in the game so when times are hard they can fall back on a safety net .

[Drax]

The funny thing is I’m earning more due to the virus as everyone playing online games. But I feel bad for everyone arround me. Anyway it’s karma. I also had a lot of bad luck before.. 4 years homesick.  so.. finnaly having good karma. 

[BobinBKK]

19 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.

I assume that you are not aware of the millions of Chinese, Indians, and everyone else on the face of the Earth that has lost their jobs. If and when people return to work and begin to put their lives back together traveling to Thailand isn't going to be anyone's number 1 priority.

Edited April 14, 2020 by BobinBKK
Spelling

[OnTheGround]

Thais in Pattaya forced to sell belongings to buy food

 

7% who applied for '5k hand out' has been approved ... so far.

 

Unemployment. Curfew. Alcohol ban. Selling their belongings. Homeless numbers increasing. No work. Hunger. Desperation.

 

Stay Home - Stay Safe x2

 

[darrendsd]

19 hours ago, aussienam said:

If I was back there I'd be helping out where I can

Well you can make a start by not breaking your contract

 

BTW you could also find yourself in trouble if you do if the owner decides to take things further

[Kerryd]

As for the topic.
It is a prime example of what I have been trying to impress on the girlfriend for years. Many Thais live from day-to-day. They spend all their money as fast as they get it. They buy just enough food to get them through the day. Just enough gas to keep them going another day or two. Pay their bills on the last possible day (or the day after the water/power/tv gets cut).

Not all are like that - but most of the ones I've known over the years are. I told the g/f, I could guarantee that if I gave her a million baht tomorrow and told her that was the last money she would ever get in her lifetime, within a couple of weeks she'd be broke and asking for more because she'd have blown it all within days. New car, presents for all the family, parties for all the friends.
And then she'd be begging those same family and friends for a bowl of rice because everything she bought for them would be gone as well.

She wants to open a restaurant when she finishes her apprentice chef program in Germany. I told her she needs to find a good job in Europe and work for a couple of years first. I told her she needs to make sure she has enough saved up to not only set up the restaurant (buy the furnishings/equipment, hire the staff, stock it, etc). she needs to have enough money in the bank to keep it running for at least a year. (And the added experience would be a bonus as well.)

I told her, in the beginning she isn't going to be making big money from day 1 on. She might have some good business for the first couple of days (opening celebration and all), then things would slack off, then, all going well, things would slowly pick up to the point where she would start seeing a regular profit but it wasn't going to happen immediately.
But if she didn't have enough money set aside, she'd be broke by the end of the first month and laying off all her staff and shutting the doors.

But for many people, the day the job ended was the day their money ran out. Some were probably smart enough to not blow what they had remaining on booze but from what I've seen, many Thais rely on the "village support system" where if one person is down and out, he/she can always rely on some help from the others in their circle so saving money for tomorrow (or next week or - gasp ! - next month) is almost unheard of.

But when the whole circle is also down and out, things can get desperate. Quickly.

 

[Rimmer]

Some way off topic posts removed, topic is about:

 

Thais in Pattaya forced to sell belongings to buy food

[fdbob]

22 hours 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 hence the saying manna from heaven

[flyfrog]

On 4/13/2020 at 11:25 AM, 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! 

People always come back to Pattaya, you'll see, give us another month or 2????

[Bangel72]

They really need to up their game on loan sharks and debt, even after just a few weeks there are people in that never escape cycle already, really need to be considering cancelling all unregistered debt with massive punitive measures and freezing interest on registered debt.

[john ianson]

22 hours ago, BestB said:

I very disagree, the moment covid scare is over, both foreigners and all who ran away will flood back to Pattaya.

 

People have been locked up in the their rooms for months, first they will do is come to party, play with opposite or same same sex that looks like opposite ;), get drunk and be silly.

 

The only question is which businesses will still be standing and which will be gone

And the people flooding back where are they going to get money to spend in Pattaya ?

 

[RJRS1301]

7 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

People always come back to Pattaya, you'll see, give us another month or 2

Rose coloured glasses are so 2019.

Many countries will not be allowing their citizens to leave the country without essential reasons, and will be requiring quarantine on return.

Airfares and travel insurance will rise. Planes will not be allowed to carry the same passenger loads. Many are seeing their investments eroded and therefore luxury of pleasure travel will be way down the survival list.

One hopes your optimism is warranted, but I have my big boy pants on.

 

[scotsdude]

19 hours ago, Older and Wiser said:

If you believe some of the medical opinions, this virus is not going away. We may flatten the curve until a vaccine arrives, which they say is 18 months at least, unless some existing medicines are found to be effective. Even then, they say it may be with us into the future, it will mutate, any vaccine will have short term protection and need to be continously tweeked to stay ahead of the virus.

Even if countries reduce the risks, they won't all come out together and say "well, it's over, let's just go back to normal". As long as the threat continues, one of the most dangerous things you can do will be to fly in planes with recirculated A/C and ventilation systems.

I don't think the floodgates will open and people will be rushing to go on holiday. Also, contrary to what was said elsewhere, airfares may not suddenly increase as there is likely to be limited demand and fares may have to stay competitive to capture their share of the market of those willing to fly.

However, on the other hand, I would also disagree that people will be wanting to pay back loans and save money first, not if we are talking about some Asians anyway. Before COVID-19 I was spending 25% of my time in Thailand and 75% in Philippines, but now quarantined in Philippines. From my experience, the last thing on their minds is to pay back borrowed money or save. As soon as you have money, they spend it and damn tomorrow. Do you really think they will learn their lesson and changes their habits, I don't think so.

Like Thailand, the Philippines is giving food and money for the poor, but whether it reaches the poor is another matter, too often it goes to the officials in charge of distribution, their families and friends, not to those who need it.

The ratio of fresh to recycled air in a plane is 50-50 percent, and two things happen with recirculated air: Some air is dumped overboard while the remainder is pumped through HEPA air filters, which remove more than 99 percent of all contaminants, including bacteriologic agents.

[Baerboxer]

On 4/13/2020 at 12:07 PM, 19DL86 said:

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"

 

Good to see another self announced very rich farang licking his lips in anticipation of getting some good deals out of the crisis at the expense of the poor!

 

Reminds me of Harry Enfield's "Loadsamoney" character; or the obnoxious rich Brummie character.

[Baerboxer]

Thais like to have nice things. Houses, posh cars, designer clothes and accessories, send their children to expensive schools, etc etc etc.

 

All part of the "face" culture. And generally, unfortunately, look down on those perceived not able to keep up with the latest trends.

 

The reality is a lot of that is financed on credit, expensive monthly repayments, and relies on income. Many good earners will suddenly find they're in big cash flow problems.

 

Not just Thailand. Indians, IME, are the same; and many Westerners too.

[fredwiggy]

Most that are very rich have either hurt the earth in some way, swindled others or taken advantage of others misfortunes. Some ,like Ted Turner, actually set aside land for preservation. Sadly, most very rich only want more. Times like this show if any actually have a conscience and help others. You don't "need" millions or billions of dollars (USD).

[fredwiggy]

Just now, Baerboxer said:

Thais like to have nice things. Houses, posh cars, designer clothes and accessories, send their children to expensive schools, etc etc etc.

 

All part of the "face" culture. And generally, unfortunately, look down on those perceived not able to keep up with the latest trends.

 

The reality is a lot of that is financed on credit, expensive monthly repayments, and relies on income. Many good earners will suddenly find they're in big cash flow problems.

 

Not just Thailand. Indians, IME, are the same; and many Westerners too.

The average American debt is over 38K, not including mortgages. Most live beyond their means. Greed is everywhere. Most want more, but it comes at a price that most can't afford.

[ReLo]

Are they the same who were buying overprice $hit trucks and other useless expensive mobile phones ?