What is (or was) your profession or occupation?

[big dendrobenaes]

was involved with LOST WAX processing

[big dendrobenaes]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

33 years aircraft technician... age 16-49
apprenticed in UK with British Aerospace [formerly BAC]

did you have owt to do with MRCA programme????

[ratcatcher]

Railroader. My life was on track until I came to Thailand.

[big dendrobenaes]

i used to be a GOZZER manufacturer

[Grusa]

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

 

Seriously, my  profession was in healthcare. I hated my job, but it provided a good living. When I retired and came to LOS, if asked, I would 'fess up. Big Mistake! "Oh I've got a problem with  *********, what should I do/where should I go/who should I see?" as if I, as a newbie, had any clue about conditions here! 

Or, "Oh, I had ******* done x years ago, but ***** went wrong so I went to **** but he was no good/too expensive/wrong colour/whinge whinge whinge.........". You get the picture.

I also made the mistake, being somewhat proud of my qualifications, of filling in application and government forms with my ex-profession, instead of "retired" or "retired ********". As a consequence I was "invited" to attend immigration to explain how and where I was working illegally and to suggest a suitable donation to make the issue go away! I was able, with the help of some friends, to satisfy the officer that it was all a misunderstanding, and my suggested donation of 2000 baht was rejected by upstairs as too paltry... so I paid nothing!

I have been here now for 15 years, the only people here who know my ex-profession are friends from the very early days, and they, with one exception, seem to respect my wishes in this matter. When new friends ask, I deflect by using the opening sentence, or by vaguely referring to one of the sideline occupations or titles

in my life...but I never outright lie, whatever the provocation.

 

I have many skills and resources gathered over the years, and I use them. People are always surprised at the jobs that I will tackle, many abandoned as undoable, or outside the scope of normal people. But great care has to be taken not to be seen as working illegally.

 

@CharlieH is correct, there are many skills and resources in the retired community that could and should benefit the indigenous. Trying to use them is fraught with dangers and obstacles!

Edited February 8, 2022 by Grusa
Corrected attribution.

[Thingamabob]

Oil and gas trader.

[GeorgeCross]

11 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

Way too many Walter Mittys here, both online and offline. Another true story (no really), I was once drinking in Patpong in the mid-2000s with an old member that no longer posts here (hi elsie). It was something like 04:00 HRS. We stumbled into one bar and wound up sat next to a European that claimed to work for the Singha beer company and he said he was at work right now. His role is just just drink in bars and monitor the quality of the beer. . . Now, when I post it here, it sounds like he was joking, but he was completely serious. I could tell you all kinds of stories like this, and it's one of the reasons I avoid foreigners in Thailand. Bangkok is a different matter these days, there are many foreign professionals in the city and the pretenders are easy to spot.

 

i actually know you are not kidding because i have a really good friend in Penang who does the same job but for carlsberg.

 

his job is literally to make sure everyone is having a good time and help the bars sell more (carlsberg obviously) beer. he has this pass that gets him free beer in any bar in penang that is supplied by carlsberg and he's expected to sample, entertain and advise. literally a professional party pass lol.

 

back in the day when the visa run to penang was very much a part of life here we had some very wild afternoons and nights with him and his friends.

 

good times.

[hotchilli]

52 minutes ago, big dendrobenaes said:

did you have owt to do with MRCA programme????

In the very early days yes.. wing/undercarriage section. I think that was around 1977
I was in my second year of five apprenticeship years so I was under a mentor doing my training rounds of different departments.
I started in 1976

[VocalNeal]

11 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

The early types of Automatics ran on cams

Swiss lathes? Where the tool remains fixed and the workpiece moves.

The later auto capstans were peg board set.

 

Quote

it could be useful to "know a man that can" 

Depends of what you wish to achieve.  The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words comes to mind. Also knowing the tools you have could well be useful.

[Dazinoz]

16 hours ago, CharlieH said:

I have often pondered and considered that there is a wealth of untapped resource amongst the retired community here.

I used to go holidays at times on Norfolk Island in the middle of the pacific ocean. About 6000 residents. They asked your profession on arrival card and I wondered why. One trip I asked a local official and he said sometimes they needed specialised work on the island and sometimes they called upon visitors to help.

[Dazinoz]

I did an apprentice as an electrical fitter /mechanic. At the same time I completed my Cert IV in Electrical engineering. I worked in heavy industry where I did my apprenticeship for a total 6 years. 

 

I worked as the maintenance electrician in a 305 room hotel in a capital city in Oz for about a year.

 

I worked in a power station as an operator on the plant and in the control room running 2 x 500MW generators and then as training officer (2 years) for a total 10 years.

 

I then worked in an oil refinery from outside on the plant to control room then as head operator for a total 23 years.

 

I also did many and varied sideline activities such as TV servicing, locksmithing, massage and split air conditioning installation.

[JustAnotherHun]

Well, I'm an ex special forces member. Later I became an investment banker and in a side job I worked as a neurosurgeon.

[Burma Bill]

Now retired but was in my UK days:-

a junior veterinary pharmacologist

a forensic science expert in UK Police Service (London)

a crime and criminal intelligence analyst with a UK County Constabulary.

Whilst living in Thailand:-

a volunteer worker with the Thai Tourist Police, first in Chiang Rai then Khon Kaen.

Now get 3 pensions which provide a reasonable income for a happy and hassle free retirement in Cambodia.

 

 

[Paulaew]

5 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Well, I'm an ex special forces member. Later I became an investment banker and in a side job I worked as a neurosurgeon.

I'm guessing a Barclay's Banker.

 

Paul Laew

[PoodThaiMaiDai]

After high school I joined the USMC and did so well in my class I ended up becoming a Navy Seal.

 

After I retired from the military, I worked on a fishing boat and became a Master Baiter.

 

Since becoming an expat in LOS, I have become an Amateur Gynecologist.

 

As well as a want-to-be Comedian.

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by PoodThaiMaiDai

[RJRS1301]

17 hours ago, G Rex said:

I worked as a veterinarian in private practice in rural Australia.  Heaven on a stick - if you don't mind smelling like sh#t most work days!

As my plumber nephew said once " when I smell <deleted>" I smell money ????

[Dazinoz]

I think the hot LOS sun has affected too many on here.

[Dazinoz]

5 minutes ago, PoodThaiMaiDai said:

I worked on a fishing boat and became a Master Baiter.

Sounds like your field of expertise.

[robblok]

Accountant / tax advisor of relatively small companies. Make up the yearly accounts file either company or personal tax and vat. Stuff like that.

[itsari]

13 minutes ago, PoodThaiMaiDai said:

After high school I joined the USMC and did so well in my class I ended up becoming a Navy Seal.

 

After I retired from the military, I worked on a fishing boat and became a Master Baiter.

 

Since becoming an expat in LOS, I have become an Amateur Gynecologist.

 

Masturbator to gynecologist would be a  difficult progression in your career

[Bangkok Barry]

Slipped into tennis journalism a little over 40 years ago and wrote for all but one weekday and one Sunday national newspaper in the UK, plus all the major agencies (AP, AFP, Reuters) and a little for USA Today and the Aussie papers, and several magazines. Reported on BBC World Service Radio and commentated for world tv feeds. Spent up to 10 months a year staying in hotels with a different town or city every week, often flying every weekend in the US or travelling by train in Europe. Even got paid to go to Bali.

 

Cut back quite a bit after marrying someone who worked in a Bangkok department store two weeks after we met and 31 years ago this month. Just do a few weeks of pr writing for a tournament now. One thing I discovered was that even the very best multi multi millionaire players are nice people, and they are as careful with their money as you and I.

[NoshowJones]

In Thailand a school teacher for 3 years, in the UK A professional musician, Bass guitar, keyboards, vocals. from age 18 right up until I came to live in Thailand. A private investigator for 10 years, held HGV, PSV, Hackney and Private taxi licenses also.

[Freddy42OZ]

I worked in my parent's businesses.  I also worked in the HK Police, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Hotels and Restaurants, IT companies, Web Design Agencies, FMCG businesses.

Now I am an investor / tech consultant 

 

 

[itsari]

Not allowed to continue at school and began an apprenticeship at a local engineering company by the name of Vokes Limited at the age of 15 

Left when i was 18 and made a bad move to Australia with the so called  British Brothers Movement . I was promised that i could continue my training on arrival in Australia . Only job i was offered was at a scrap merchants as the learned Australian realised with my background that i could distinquish between ferrous and non ferrous metal .  Not a person to give up i found gainful employment at a race course . The manager said i could sweep up the pommie leaves and keep the place tidy . 

I then managed to find work at a nickel mine not far from Kalgoorlie . All was going well until i decided to take the bush track with a land rover that i was expected to take to a work shop for repairs .  On the way i managed to get the rover stuck on top of a pipe line . The management was not pleased and was given the tintac . 

Of i go further east to Melbourne and found a job to finish my apprenticeship at the department of mines . 

Anyway i will not bore you further with my career . 

[phutoie2]

In my local bar we have an 81 year old ex professional footballer. Played for Huddersfield Town in the English first division. He played against all the greats in the 60's, Best, Charlton, Greaves etc and he said Bobby Moore was the nicest guy he ever met. 

Myself, very modest career, as an apprentice Lithograph printer in early 70's was instructed to go to the ink store for a long wait...... 

[itsari]

1 minute ago, phutoie2 said:

In my local bar we have an 81 year old ex professional footballer. Played for Huddersfield Town in the English first division. He played against all the greats in the 60's, Best, Charlton, Greaves etc and he said Bobby Moore was the nicest guy he ever met. 

Myself, very modest career, as an apprentice Lithograph printer in early 70's was instructed to go to the ink store for a long wait...... 

What about a bubble for a spirit level ? Even longer wait involved 

[phutoie2]

1 minute ago, itsari said:

What about a bubble for a spirit level ? Even longer wait involved 

I never falled for the tin of Tartan ink one. Many did.... 

[wwest5829]

Emeritus Professor of History and International Programs (taught US undergraduate survey courses in American/European History and directed our city’s “Sister Cities” program). I rather enjoyed a colleague having teasingly introduced me as a bon vivant, raconteur and man about town … but I was much younger then …

[hotandsticky]

35 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

I worked in my parent's businesses.  I also worked in the HK Police, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Hotels and Restaurants, IT companies, Web Design Agencies, FMCG businesses.

Now I am an investor / tech consultant 

 

 

 

 

You don't seem to have been able to keep a job down..................................????

[mudcat]

Daycare teacher (mostly 3 & 4-year olds) in my 20's.  Sold anchors, chains and heavy marine & industrial hardware in my 30's and early 40's.  Graduate school in the second half of my 40s.  Cartographer and GIS analyst in my fifties.  Retired the day before I turned 62.  Moved to Thailand full time ten-years later.