Stranded in Thailand: Bankrupt foreign woman unable to return home

[snoop1130]

Photo via Channel 3

 

A foreign woman sought assistance from locals in Krabi province in the southern region of Thailand after she ran out of money. She is unable to return to her home country, the United States.

 

A cannabis shop owner near Ao Nang Beach in Krabi posted the story of the foreign woman on Facebook yesterday. He said the woman bought cannabis from his shop and urged him to share her story with the police because she wanted to go to Phuket and catch a flight back to the US.

 

The foreigner told the cannabis shop owner that she only had 300 baht cash on her. Apparently, some days she had as little as 40 baht, which she earned from busking nearby the shop. Sometimes, she asked for food from the restaurant in the area. Her sister transferred US$10,000 to her but she says can not withdraw the funds.

 

A member of the cannabis shop staff, 20 year old Cherdsak Boonmark, gave an interview about the foreign woman with Channel 3. He stated that the woman had shown him her wallet, which contained only 20 baht in cash. She asked him for help to go to Phuket and return home.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/stranded-in-thailand-bankrupt-foreign-woman-unable-to-return-home

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-05-11

 

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[Crossy]

 

One wonders why she can't get to the funds??

 

[PJ71]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

One wonders why she can't get to the funds??

 

One wonders if this is BS?

[keith101]

Maybe she can get herself deported for being unable to support herself financially and what about her return flight she must have had one to enter 

[Lacessit]

If she can show evidence of the $10,000 transfer, her plight could be genuine. Otherwise, it could be a scam.

I would have thought her most obvious get-out card would be to contact the US embassy.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, keith101 said:

Maybe she can get herself deported for being unable to support herself financially and what about her return flight she must have had one to enter 

Depends on her visa. I am on a retirement visa, I never have a return flight to Australia booked until I am in Thailand.

 

[eisfeld]

No money for food but has money for canabis. Got $10k USD but "can't widthdraw". Probably married to a nigerian prince too.

 

The journalist writing the article could have spoken to her and question the strange circumstances but I guess that's too much work.

[Pouatchee]

Jail her then see how fast she can sort her affairs. Beggars are pests.

[sqwakvfr]

The “Stranded Foreigner without money” stories are getting to be a regular occurrence.  This causes people to become skeptical.  This person’s story could be true but how many stories like this are printed on a regular basis.  

 

If she asks the US Embassy for help this will be the standard line:  1)Contact a relative or friend 2) The US Government can loan the money to get back home.  If the US Embassy actually loans an American Citizen money a notation is made on the passport.  This prevents the person from making an international trip until the loan is paid off. 

[bignok]

19 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

No money for food but has money for canabis. Got $10k USD but "can't widthdraw". Probably married to a nigerian prince too.

 

The journalist writing the article could have spoken to her and question the strange circumstances but I guess that's too much work.

Send $80 to release $10m inheritance.

[NoDisplayName]

58 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Apparently, some days she had as little as 40 baht, which she earned from busking nearby the shop.

 

Wait.  Isn't that a protected job?

I bet the smart cars are out now.

[Walker88]

Very difficult to have even a modicum of sympathy for an adult idiot who cannot act in a responsible manner.

 

 

[stoner]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

He said the woman bought cannabis from his shop

and they say weed doesn't kill brain cells. 

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Her sister transferred US$10,000 to her but she says can not withdraw the funds.

i am willing to bet she has a smart phone. her sister could email a picture of the transfer to her to put any doubt to rest. would take but a few seconds. 

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

which she earned from busking nearby the shop

i wonder how long is left on her work permit ? 

[steven100]

call Joe Biden or Donald Trump .....    they'll get you outta there !!

[Dan O]

This is a bs story and reeks of fraud. No way she can't withdraw funds transferred to her. So could have also had her sister or a relative to buy a plane ticket, much cheaper than the $10k. 

 

US embassy is also an option. 

[torturedsole]

3 minutes ago, Dan O said:

US embassy is also an option. 

Advice only. 

 

Put it this way, your chosen embassy isn't about to pay for disaffected citizens to travel business class for the return flight.

[Dan O]

1 minute ago, torturedsole said:

Advice only. 

 

Put it this way, your chosen embassy isn't about to pay for disaffected citizens to travel business class for the return flight.

I never said anything about traveling business's class. The US Embassy will loan the money for an economy ticket and put an attachment on her passport until repaid so she can not use the passport for any other purpose than to enter the US. 

 

The reference I made to the $10k was the money the sister supposedly transferred. It would have been cheaper to just buy her a ticket 

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He stated that the woman had shown him her wallet, which contained only 20 baht in cash.

Sorry for the woman if the story is true.

It's years since I've had 20 Baht in my wallet, matter of fact, I don't even know where my wallet is living, we parted company years ago.

[VinnieK]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

One wonders why she can't get to the funds??

 

Lies.

No sympathy 

[still kicking]

51 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

Sorry for the woman if the story is true.

It's years since I've had 20 Baht in my wallet, matter of fact, I don't even know where my wallet is living, we parted company years ago.

I have no cash in my wallet at all haven't had for years 

[BarraMarra]

I'm thinking she blew the 10k on booze n spliffs then thought oh sh   t  i cant afford my transport back to Phuket.

[spidermike007]

L

So I guess the new way to write a story is just to print here say, and not do any investigative work, do not do any fact checking, don't look into the details at all, just to translate what somebody else said. I guess that is journalism in 2023.

 

One wonders why she can't get to the funds.

 

One wonders why she can't go to the US Embassy and ask for help, from what I understand the US Embassy does have a program where they will lend American citizens the money to get home and they have to pay it back, so what's going on here?

 

I think there's a lot more than meets the eye, the story does not sound 100%, yes tourists do go broke while they're overseas, but there are too many loose ends here. 

[parafareno]

as soon as I have hard she was buying cannabis and then begging for food....i would kick her to the curb....she does not deserve a dime....this is how the druggies think....they are so addicated to drugs they use savings without any care just to get high...<deleted> her...i would direct her to the russkies parties...maybe she can get some rubbels there

[parafareno]

she can wait till she get deported...she will stay in a cell for a while then get a free ticket home....problem solved....and she will be off drugs too

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I'm a lowly teacher who's never been left with much cash in the bank. But I've ensured there was always enough credit on my Visa to at least book a flight out. $750 got me to Osaka, then Los Angeles, then Idaho. Oh, then you'll need some Ubers too, to get you home, your new employer, and arranging your new driver's license, if you've been gone awhile like I have. They're now 15 bucks each way around town. Ouch.

 

See the white card in my avatar? If this American lady is really low income, and goes back to a kindly Midwestern state, and hasn't previously abused the welfare system, while waiting for the new job to begin she could get one with about $250 on it to buy food. God Bless 'Murica.

[DudleySquat]

10 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

Jail her then see how fast she can sort her affairs. Beggars are pests.

Jail her for what? Please elaborate on your obviously well-thought-out solution. 

[Tarteso]

9 hours ago, Dan O said:

..the $10k was the money the sister supposedly transferred. It would have been cheaper to just buy her a ticket 

Exactly, my thought

[Straight8]

WTF is this, foreigner on holidays with no money?? 

 

How does a foreigner on holidays just run out of money?

 

 

[rwill]

No money but she was able to by marijuana...

[sumongkhwai]

$10,000 for what?, first class on Emirates? I'm pretty sure I have money in my wallet. I'll have to ask the wife when she gets home to let me have a look. As she says "My money is money and your money is our money". Gotta love her.