Tears and heartbreak as flight ban keeps farang-Thai families apart

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

One assumes the boat can go to the mainland? or there's choppers Scotty?

The naivety of some people is astounding at times, please think before you write, some are on fixed installations for one, cargo ships can't just pop in to port, offshore vessels are carrying out essential tasks and some cost 100,000 USD per day ++++ to operate, they cannot just stop what they are doing, plus a lot of countries have, like Thailand, stopped seafarers from carrying out crew changes, meaning that those onboard cannot get off as they have no relief joining, there are a huge number of people displaced due to this.

I do hope you all think of that the next time you put fuel in your car, cook, write on your imported computer, watch your imported TV, the list goes on and on, without these guys the world would be in dire straits, the supply line is essential.

These workers are sacrificing a lot so that we can live.

[verticalift]

I’m currently stuck in Abu Dhabi unable to get back home to Phuket. I’ve lived in Phuket for over 20+ years.
I have Thai I.D. pink card, yellow Book Tambian Baan with my name in it, Int’l Global Health Care Coverage and 4 negative Covid tests conducted over the past 3 months...... None of it matters. It’s not my country of birth. Mai Mii Pen Haa.
All of us currently stuck overseas will get back to our families and homes, eventually. Relax and enjoy where you are, as best you can. I’m hoping for late July. If not then, hopefully by October..... in anticipation of Thailand trying to lure tourists back for the next “High Season”.......

Edited May 23, 2020 by verticalift
Typo

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Unfortunately, Thailand has little respect for such marriages.  This story just highlights the continuous insecurity of such relationships and the problem begins and ends with 'temporary visitor' status, which is an absurdity since marriage and parenthood is quite obviously something that is long term.  It's really a human rights issue imo.

There is an easy way to eliminate the hangers on and the ne'er do wells and allow a robust process of residence through marriage or parenthood.

 

Make it a requirement to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

Mandatory criminal record check for felons and warrants with home country and in Thailand.

Proof of income.

 

Without those, it would impossible to allow, due to the number of foreigners that would abuse the system.

 

After all, who wouldn't learn Thai to remain with their wife or kids?

 

Never going to happen though as the root cause is a fear and distrust of foreigners in particular Westerners.

 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

You do understand that there are only a few ways a falang can make money here if not retired right? Teaching English, owning a business in your wife's name working online and scuba diving being the majority of them. For the others, that means working until they are retired. I retired early to take care of my family here and don't have the luxury of a job back in the US to fall back on. Those that need to make money have to go back to their jobs overseas. That IS taking care of your family and IS the priority. Do you understand this yet?

Actually, there are a lot of other job-openings here besides those.  It took me only a week of looking to find one.  Adjust for the cost of living, and working here may allow more net-savings than working "back home," depending on skills.  Agree with what you said in general, though.

[Keyser Soze666]

Regardless of your visa 'status' has anyone ever been met with a smile or a welcome home/back quip upon coming through immigration, or has it been just a look of distain and one that pretty much says 'you're lucky I'm letting you in'? Ask yourself why so many farang are nervous coming through immigration even though they have a valid visa? Why??

 

I never use to believe the 'we're not wanted here' brigage, just dismissed it as the usual bitterness, bar stool wisdom, etc, but I've opened my eyes and can see now that it is true.

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 minutes ago, Mattd said:

The naivety of some people is astounding at times, please think before you write, some are on fixed installations for one, cargo ships can't just pop in to port, offshore vessels are carrying out essential tasks and some cost 100,000 USD per day ++++ to operate, they cannot just stop what they are doing, plus a lot of countries have, like Thailand, stopped seafarers from carrying out crew changes, meaning that those onboard cannot get off as they have no relief joining, there are a huge number of people displaced due to this.

I do hope you all think of that the next time you put fuel in your car, cook, write on your imported computer, watch your imported TV, the list goes on and on, without these guys the world would be in dire straits, the supply line is essential.

These workers are sacrificing a lot so that we can live.

You are not special and neither are they. 

 

Why aren't you getting the joke here?

[Keyser Soze666]

2 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

 

After all, who wouldn't learn Thai to remain with their wife or kids?

 

 

 

I honestly wouldn't. I would just go.

[RichardColeman]

I'm stuck in the UK, had to return to the UK for medical reasons. Now cannot get back.

 

I think one major issue is having to support the family in Thailand, whilst having to fund a life here at the same time as I cannot live in my house that is rented out. I quite lucky, me and the wife and family don't live an wild life, so just about have enough.

 

I don't see any way getting back to them before October - visa extension due January , and I still seriously doubt that

[Don Mega]

7 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There is an easy way to eliminate the hangers on and the ne'er do wells and allow a robust process of residence through marriage or parenthood.

 

Make it a requirement to speak, read and write fluent Thai.

Mandatory criminal record check for felons and warrants with home country and in Thailand.

Proof of income.

 

Without those, it would impossible to allow, due to the number of foreigners that would abuse the system.

 

After all, who wouldn't learn Thai to remain with their wife or kids?

 

Never going to happen though as the root cause is a fear and distrust of foreigners in particular Westerners.

 

The first step is permanent residency, until then you (and me) are aliens.

 

FWIW After I washed the dirt from between the wife's toes I taught her English, selfish of me in some respects but helps her massively when we travel abroad.

Edited May 23, 2020 by Don Mega

[WhatsNext]

Why so much discussion on a topic that should be easy. Just allow all foreigners with ties to Thailand (Wife, husband. long term GF, house, long term rental) to come back and face the same 14 days that the Thai do. Yes Thai's get right of way when the planes are limited, we would do the same. 

 

Sadly most western countries also limit the nationalities that can come in. It's not a particular Thai thing. 

Case closed. 

[Mikeasq60]

Ill wait for the quarantine and restrictions to end the airports will have to open soon to international travel because Thailand is going belly up if they dont open up soon! For other CV news, in the US the once hard line CV restriction advocate DR FAUCHI is recommending that America open NOW because the cure is worse than this virus. Pay heed Thailand, pay heed!

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

I honestly wouldn't. I would just go.

Yep, but there are those that think they should be allowed to stay just because.

 

Speaking the national language fluently should be a requirement in any country that you wish to stay permanently. 

 

It certainly is for the UK and Australia and you have to take a test to prove it.

 

Indeed there is a Thai language test for PR here but you can get assistance to translate the questions which I thought was a bit of a cheat.

 

Interestingly Bill Hienecke the billionaire CEO of Minor Food Group is a Thai citizen  and I believe he does not speak Thai... could be wrong on that one but.

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, WhatsNext said:

Why so much discussion on a topic that should be easy. Just allow all foreigners with ties to Thailand (Wife, husband. long term GF, house, long term rental) to come back and face the same 14 days that the Thai do. Yes Thai's get right of way when the planes are limited, we would do the same. 

 

 

hahahahaha, might as well just open the borders for everyone to enter............. what could possibly  go wrong !!

[Mattd]

Just now, Mr Meeseeks said:

You are not special and neither are they. 

 

Why aren't you getting the joke here?

<deleted> are you going on about, who said that they (or me) are special?

The OP is about those Farangs that are stuck overseas away from their families, some posters seem to think that this is the persons fault, which, in some cases may be true, however, it was pointed out by myself and others that not everybody had a choice, some had to go to work to support their families, whether that be before this all kicked off, or after is irrelevant, for people to state that they should just have popped home before the ban is ridiculous to the extreme.

A lot of people simply have no appreciation of, or simply do not care, how difficult it can be. Selfish springs to mind.

 

1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

The first step is permanent residency, until then you (and me) are aliens.

Right now PR cannot enter, my Boss is stuck overseas, he has PR, work permit, the MD of an essential business etc.

[Don Mega]

Just now, Mr Meeseeks said:

Yep, but there are those that think they should be allowed to stay just because.

 

Speaking the national language fluently should be a requirement in any country that you wish to stay permanently. 

 

 

I agree but most that are not able to return to Thailand and give the missus and kids a cuddle have little to no desire to go down the PR route.... if they did they would already have done so.

[Mikeasq60]

16 minutes ago, Mattd said:

The naivety of some people is astounding at times, please think before you write, some are on fixed installations for one, cargo ships can't just pop in to port, offshore vessels are carrying out essential tasks and some cost 100,000 USD per day ++++ to operate, they cannot just stop what they are doing, plus a lot of countries have, like Thailand, stopped seafarers from carrying out crew changes, meaning that those onboard cannot get off as they have no relief joining, there are a huge number of people displaced due to this.

I do hope you all think of that the next time you put fuel in your car, cook, write on your imported computer, watch your imported TV, the list goes on and on, without these guys the world would be in dire straits, the supply line is essential.

These workers are sacrificing a lot so that we can live.

I used to be an American Merchant Seaman and can attest to what you say. Low pay and to much time away from the people you love and life itself you can never get back stuck onboard a ship!

[bbi1]

15 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I do hope you all think of that the next time you put fuel in your car, cook, write on your imported computer, watch your imported TV, the list goes on and on, without these guys the world would be in dire straits, the supply line is essential.

These workers are sacrificing a lot so that we can live.

Those workers choose those jobs and they are making a killing doing it. Life is all about decisions and that's the jobs they choose.

[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, Mattd said:

 

Right now PR cannot enter, my Boss is stuck overseas, he has PR, work permit, the MD of an essential business etc.

Notice I said first step ?

 

Once you have that you then move forth to citizenship.

 

I thought foreigners with work permits could enter ?

[Don Mega]

Just now, bbi1 said:

Those workers choose those jobs and they are making a killing doing it. Life is all about decisions and that's the jobs they choose.

and with that job choose to be away from family and friends for extended period of time, now that the government won't let them return its all me me me !!

[Mikeasq60]

3 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

hahahahaha, might as well just open the borders for everyone to enter............. what could possibly  go wrong !!

Quarantine, nope Ill wait for the restrictions to lift and they will soon because Thailand is going broke quickly unless maybe they can ask for the Chinese to bail them out. Oh wait the Chinese are the reason Thailand is in this big mess! What could possibly go wrong!!! Bruwhahahahahahaha!

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 minutes ago, Mattd said:

<deleted> are you going on about, who said that they (or me) are special?

The OP is about those Farangs that are stuck overseas away from their families, some posters seem to think that this is the persons fault, which, in some cases may be true, however, it was pointed out by myself and others that not everybody had a choice, some had to go to work to support their families, whether that be before this all kicked off, or after is irrelevant, for people to state that they should just have popped home before the ban is ridiculous to the extreme.

A lot of people simply have no appreciation of, or simply do not care, how difficult it can be. Selfish springs to mind.

 

Right now PR cannot enter, my Boss is stuck overseas, he has PR, work permit, the MD of an essential business etc.

Everyone had a choice.

 

You made the wrong one.

 

You went to work when it was plainly obvious that there was a high risk that you might not be able to return to Thailand to your family.

 

 

[Keyser Soze666]

1 minute ago, Bezdomny said:

So long atm are working many Thai wives are happy with their farang man stuck abroad. They can spend more quality time with their young Thai "giks". ????

Haha, now you are opening a can of worms, but I don't disagree.

[bbi1]

3 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

and with that job choose to be away from family and friends for extended period of time, now that the government won't let them return its all me me me !!

Bingo, you hit the nail on the head!

[newcomer71]

The brigade on the high horse is out in force...

Time to defollow this smashed thread.

[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Quarantine, nope Ill wait for the restrictions to lift and they will soon because Thailand is going broke quickly unless maybe they can ask for the Chinese to bail them out. Oh wait the Chinese are the reason Thailand is in this big mess! What could possibly go wrong!!! Bruwhahahahahahaha!

honestly hope the restriction don't lift, Pattaya is great with no tourists  !!

 

[bbi1]

2 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Everyone had a choice.

 

You made the wrong one.

 

You went to work when it was plainly obvious that there was a high risk that you might not be able to return to Thailand to your family.

 

 

+1. You're exactly spot on with that comment.

[Keyser Soze666]

Just now, bbi1 said:

I'm pretty sure it's not in "some cases" but a majority of cases it is their fault as it was their choosing to leave Thailand anytime after the beginning of January, which was dumb as fuk to do if you wanted to return & be with your wife and/or kids.

Come on, not the beginning of Janaury. I went to Siem Reap mid-march and knew I was taking a risk and was checking for updates all the time but was still fine, and again that was mid-march.

[JackThompson]

35 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

I'm talking about the gov. You think they care 1 iota about the poor farang hiding out here on his 25k a month? 

Oh, that's different.  They don't care about 99% of Thais either, though.

[toofarnorth]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Why? how many people are dying compared to seasonal flu?

What if we can't find a vaccine? what if there is no vaccine until next year?

 

Can society not live with a certain element of risk?

 

[devils advocate] When all the figures are in, will this virus be any worse that 2009 H1N1 ????

 

 

 

Agree , in England every year there came the flu.  Did we go and get an anti flu jab every year , no we waited until it passed .  I think the wuflu is virulent and gets passed around by the media.   No cases here , none there but lets panic.

[gonesouth]

it is funny when i read logic on here...you people talk as you think thailand has a heart or feels something for people...   WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SH................T..all the talk and all the facebook crying will do not good...it is a hard thing to tell yourself that you picked the wrong place to live or have a family... there was a day but those days are gone...............................the only pity or only logic you get is the person in the boat sinking with you......thailands will never care.............