8 hours ago, Jack Hammer said:

I agree. Depending upon his circumstances, he should be receiving between $800. To $1000 per fortnight from the Australian government for the age pension.

 

 

 

I thought the Aussies lost it if they stay out of the country too long ...?

 

EDIT:  Ah, I See G Rex a bit further down clarified ...

 

Hope he makes it home ... he'll find out there if blood really is thicker than water.

11 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

What, was his brain in his leg ?   Has no friends or family to help.  Not like the flight to AU is expense or hard to organize.

 

Had a Yank friend in Udon Thani, had as string of bad luck, mostly because he was an alky, but still a friend.   Gave him money for a flight back to USA, and some pocket money.   Didn't expect to get repaid.  

 

Couple years later, he's in BKK, sends an email, meet up, repaid + bit of interest, so I guess I had to buy the beers.   

 

Come on, he doesn't have 1 friend or family member.  One more pension disbursement coming ?  Something is missing in this story, nobody is really that stupid, or he burnt every bridge there was already.  Uses an agent, and every safeguard the Imm rules require were ignored, along with the simplest of common sense ?

 

Live with your choices.

 

Ring him up, and get him on his way.   There you go, his problem is solved, since you not a cold hearted bastard like myself.   Keep us posted with your progress of helping him 

It's possible he has been in Thailand for 25 years or more and lost all contact with his family or friends and no pension.

Don't have to feel sorry for him but let's not kick a man while he's down. Unless you have embraced Thai culture completely....then get stuck in with boots.

17 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

It's possible he has been in Thailand for 25 years or more and lost all contact with his family or friends and no pension.

Don't have to feel sorry for him but let's not kick a man while he's down. Unless you have embraced Thai culture completely....then get stuck in with boots.

Don't feel sorry for him, and also not kicking him when he's down.   Just don't understand, how something so easy to solve, isn't solved already.

 

10k THB and a ride to the airport, or 15k THB, and a ride to UTH airport.  Ban Dung used to have a wonderful expat community, or so I read on the local forum.   Where are they all at, or did they all leave when the embassies stopped issuing income letters 

 

I remember in Udon, we had a some dining event, and raised 10s of thousands of THB for a small charity.  About month later, had another get together, and raised over 100k THB that night.

 

And you're telling me, a mere 15k THB is a challenge to rustle up for fellow expat in need, in the Ban Dung community.   Sorry, something is way off here.

8 hours ago, JoePai said:

Can the Aussie Embassy not help to contact relatives / friends etc ?

They possibly can. The point being, will they?

3 minutes ago, Surasak said:

They possibly can. The point being, will they?

 

3 minutes ago, Surasak said:

They possibly can. The point being, will they?

Probably not. 

6 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Don't feel sorry for him, and also not kicking him when he's down.   Just don't understand, how something so easy to solve, isn't solved already.

 

10k THB and a ride to the airport, or 15k THB, and a ride to UTH airport.  Ban Dung used to have a wonderful expat community, or so I read on the local forum.   Where are they all at, or did they all leave when the embassies stopped issuing income letters 

 

I remember in Udon, we had a some dining event, and raised 10s of thousands of THB for a small charity.  About month later, had another get together, and raised over 100k THB that night.

 

And you're telling me, a mere 15k THB is a challenge to rustle up for fellow expat in need, in the Ban Dung community.   Sorry, something is way off here.

Are you offering to pay the mere 15k baht?

21 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

It's possible he has been in Thailand for 25 years or more and lost all contact with his family or friends and no pension.

Don't have to feel sorry for him but let's not kick a man while he's down. Unless you have embraced Thai culture completely....then get stuck in with boots.

I've been here 25 yrs, and if I needed $1000 USD, can easily think of 10 people that would happily give me the money, and not even expect repayment.   Having a hard time believing it even hit the news, as a mere 15k THB would have solved it.

Let’s hope family are contacted and can pay his one way ticket home at least. One way can’t cost much. He really needs to get home, no matter what. If not, hopefully a friend or two could open a go fund me in his name. 
I had a neighbour in jomtien, beautiful big condo , pool etc near the beach.Hed completely lost his mind and sometimes sat in the pool for hours in the sun. Talked to himself, thin as a rake. I did ask about him but the office didn’t seem to care. Never saw a visitor. Then one day he was gone. I don’t think he died, maybe hospitalized.

I have a lot of compassion for people like this, no one deserves to be old, ill and abandoned.  Not everyone marries a bar girl either. Sometimes it’s just very bad luck. 

8 hours ago, giddyup said:

And he should have at least 400K for Immigration purposes.

He could be one of those "savvy investors" who use agents for extensions as they can get mega returns on 400k baht somewhere else.

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

I've been here 25 yrs, and if I needed $1000 USD, can easily think of 10 people that would happily give me the money, and not even expect repayment.   Having a hard time believing it even hit the news, as a mere 15k THB would have solved it.

Good for you. Can your 10 mates chuck in a hundred bucks each to help this guy?

Didn't think so.

Sometimes people are in deep <deleted>. 

13 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Are you offering to pay the mere 15k baht?

No, I'm the heartless bastard who doesn't care.  But seems many do, but aren't springing any THB to help out a possible countryman.   If just 15 of you Aussies chipped in 1000 THB, he could be in OZ this weekend.   Just a few less beers and 1 less happy ending this week.

 

Come on, help out a fellow countryman ... or are you all heartless bastards also, and just like trolling folks that question how he has no friends to help.

 

All you guys that say you live on 100+ or 200k THB a month on those thrifty living threads, can't spring for a ticket home for this guy.

 

Over to y'all ... put up, or STFU 😁

9 hours ago, JoePai said:

Can the Aussie Embassy not help to contact relatives / friends etc ?

The friends and relatives probably don't want to hear about him. And rightfully so the Aussie embassy doesn't provide financial assistance. If he doesn't have any savings or house he'll be homeless in Australia on age pension. 

9 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

It doesn't make any sense, because he has a pension coming in.

A pension is enough for a flight. 

Doesn't add up. 

 

maybe not, Aussie pension has many rules that stop payment ,so if he is not up to date it may have stopped, it will be restored however if it has been stopped when he goes home

1 minute ago, gearbox said:

The friends and relatives probably don't want to hear about him. And rightfully so the Aussie embassy doesn't provide financial assistance. If he doesn't have any savings or house he'll be homeless in Australia on age pension. 

He'll have free room & board soon, when his visa expires.  Problem solved.

 

Wow, your tax dollars at work.  I think even the US Embassy springs for a ticket home, then garnishes any future funds till repaid.

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

No, I'm the heartless bastard who doesn't care.  But seems many do, but aren't springing any THB to help out a possible countryman.   If just 15 of you Aussies chipped in 1000 THB, he could be in OZ this weekend.   Just a few less beers and 1 less happy ending this week.

 

Come on, help out a fellow countryman ... or are you all heartless bastards also, and just like trolling folks that question how he has no friends to help.

 

All you guys that say you live on 100+ or 200k THB a month on those thrifty living threads, can't spring for a ticket home for this guy.

 

Over to y'all ... put up, or STFU 😁

I'd happily chip to help him. Obviously you would not.

You STFU.

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

He'll have free room & board soon, when his visa expires.  Problem solved.

 

Wow, your tax dollars at work.  I think even the US Embassy springs for a ticket home, then garnishes any future funds till repaid.

The Aussie embassy do not provide air fare home 

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

He'll have free room & board soon, when his visa expires.  Problem solved.

 

Wow, your tax dollars at work.  I think even the US Embassy springs for a ticket home, then garnishes any future funds till repaid.

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/consular-services/consular-state-of-play/consular-state-of-play-2021-22#toc11

 

Emergency loans

In most circumstances, travellers facing urgent financial issues can get assistance from their travel insurer, or family or friends. In exceptional cases, we provide small loans to tide people over until they can resolve the problem they are facing, such as not being able to access money after their wallet or credit card is stolen.

There are strict conditions around these loans. Recipients sign a legal agreement to repay the loan by a certain date or in line with a payment program agreed by DFAT.

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

He'll have free room & board soon, when his visa expires.  Problem solved.

 

Wow, your tax dollars at work.  I think even the US Embassy springs for a ticket home, then garnishes any future funds till repaid.

The poor guy is probably a bit demented and lost , the Aussie embassy should repatriate him home and he can go into a home if family does not support him ,I feel sorry he's a old man now and probably very distraught.

Didn’t read another story about a dumb arse that is broke and can’t get home.  

Big problem when you turn over your finances to a dishonest and addicted person…what was he thinking and also not monitoring his monies to allow it to reach basically zero…

 

Very sad but shares in the blame 

 

Goal now is just to get home….

2 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I don't think it's safe to assume that at all. He doesn't say he's a millionaire - the article says that "local chief Boontom Sorumpa reported [on his] dire situation" and it then goes on to say he's a millionaire.

 

Given the source of the report, plus the fact that the article talks about him selling a house for 4 million baht, I'd say it's actually more likely that they're taking about him being a baht millionaire.

 

I think you are just being argumentative.

 

'Once a millionaire, Marcus entrusted his wife with his retirement money after selling a townhouse'

 

Meh...     Whatever.

13 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

The poor guy is probably a bit demented and lost , the Aussie embassy should repatriate him home and he can go into a home if family does not support him ,I feel sorry he's a old man now and probably very distraught.

How easy do you think is to get public housing in Australia? I'm in Sydney now and I see quite a few old folks sleeping rough outside in winter. Why would the government give him a priority over the people who are already here? 

hmm … in my experienc they don’t give a <deleted> about ozzie pensioners 

45 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

I'd happily chip to help him. Obviously you would not.

You STFU.

Some of y'all pensions continue on to your spouse, mine does not.   So my days of supporting charity outside the home are over, as they, family, may need in the future.   Especially since wife is 22 yrs younger, and good gene pool, as siblings are hitting 70+ with no problem.

 

Why I got her living expense down to 10k a month, after I crap out, as all she has to do is feed herself.   Amazing what planning can do.  So she's set for more than a few decades after I crap out.

 

How this guy lost that much, that quick is amazing.  I don't think anything you give him, would make it to the ticket office for a flight home.   And obviously uses an agent for extension, or that money would be available.  So he's not as helpless or stupid as being reported.  Something is way off.

 

Som nam naa

10 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Big problem when you turn over your finances to a dishonest and addicted person…what was he thinking and also not monitoring his monies to allow it to reach basically zero…

 

Very sad but shares in the blame 

 

Goal now is just to get home….

His relationship was transactional and he failed to control the transaction aspects at his end. Could be one of those hansum fools who thinks a girl 30 years younger than him is in love. I'm 62 years old, is it possible to fall in love with 92 years old grandma? Zero chance.

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 

How this guy lost that much, that quick is amazing. 

 

 

9 hours ago, MarkT63 said:

"He struggles without support in a once-grand Spanish-style home, now only a shadow of its former self." - get whatever you can for the house then get out if here.

House may not be in his name as foreigner cannot own land. 

31 minutes ago, gearbox said:

His relationship was transactional and he failed to control the transaction aspects at his end. Could be one of those hansum fools who thinks a girl 30 years younger than him is in love. I'm 62 years old, is it possible to fall in love with 92 years old grandma? Zero chance.

 

What if she paid you to be touched?

<>

10 hours ago, chuang said:

If the Australian embassy and his Australian family not helping then who should help....

The Australian embassy might contact his family. Nothing more. They won't create a precedent.