Trapped In Thailand

[bendix]

Congratulations on pulling yourself out of the mire Huey. It adds weight to the bar girl arguement of exactly how low you will go to earn a buck in desperate times.

Whoring and Time Share selling must rank up there with the best (sleaziest) of them all..but seriously, my hat is off to you, as it is to all the bar girls I have known who ply their trade due to hard economic times

Hey look, if you think selling a time share is the same thing as taking 500baht to swallow a man's load then your sense of ethics (or more aptly lack there of) goes too low for me to even bother debating the difference with you.

Well, as my previous reply to this was deleted (with no explanation from any mod), I will repeat it.

I agree with Huey. Khunandy is way out of line and should apologise for comparing timeshare salespeople with whores. Apologise to the whores, I mean

[bkkjames]

Congratulations on pulling yourself out of the mire Huey. It adds weight to the bar girl arguement of exactly how low you will go to earn a buck in desperate times.

Whoring and Time Share selling must rank up there with the best (sleaziest) of them all..but seriously, my hat is off to you, as it is to all the bar girls I have known who ply their trade due to hard economic times

Hey look, if you think selling a time share is the same thing as taking 500baht to swallow a man's load then your sense of ethics (or more aptly lack there of) goes too low for me to even bother debating the difference with you.

Well, as my previous reply to this was deleted (with no explanation from any mod), I will repeat it.

I agree with Huey. Khunandy is way out of line and should apologise for comparing timeshare salespeople with whores. Apologise to the whores, I mean

I take it all back, you can be funny on occasion.

[rott]

I found my self broke, alone, and in deep trouble in a foreign country in the early 70's. South Africa (Joburg) at that time wasn't a good place for a naive kid who had thought he was invincible. I was immature and ignorant of the pitfalls and problems of travel/living in a place like that. I had planned to work there but jobs weren't available. I won't go into details of my time there.

I'm not a brainless person (can produce documents to prove that ), but I had placed myself in a position of great personal danger because of my immaturity and bravado. The boy I was, eventually returned home a much wiser and more careful man. (except in dealings with my 3 ex's, but that's a different story )

My rambling point is: People come in all shapes and personalities. It's not necessarily a cranial shortfall that results in circumstances overwhealming an individual in a foreign land. And it's not great self advertising to smuggly condemn people who take a chance and fail, instead of always playing it safe. I am now one of those people who plan and play it safe, but still encourage others who want to shoot for the moon. Usually the brave become the really rich on this planet rather than the careful accumulators. The experience of travel, and learning different cultures, is enrichment by itself.

I still have nightmares about my time in SA, but appreciate the experiences I had there.

However, having said that, I don't have an enormous amount of sympathy for old buggers who go to Thailand with little money nor income, planning only to drink and whore themselves to death.

Hello, Old Croc, having lived In Jo'burg myself between 74 and 77 I found your post very interesting.

Firstly I agree that being broke and far from home is a very chastening experience, although one I've only had limited exposure to. BUT "I had planned to work but jobs weren't available.", how on earth did you get in that position? Can only have been through a total lack of planning, research and foresight.

Anywhere in Africa westerners can only really get work if they have a trade, profession or locally needed skill, there are too many local people available for the relatively unskilled and low paid jobs that possibly you thought you would get. (I realise I'm telling you something you found out the hard way.) But how could you not have known that before you went?

Having said that, immigrant drinking places such as Michaels Tavern and the Summit Club were full of chancers somehow scraping a living, I don't know what age you were, or whether you were an immigrant or tourist (gap years weren't really happening then), so you might not have been aware of such places - then again they might have been the root of your "deep trouble"!

Hate to turn your words against you but "cranial shortfall" does apply to people of whatever age who go to foreign climes with "little money, nor income". And older guys coming to Thailand to drink and whore themselves to death, well why the hel_l not.

But you obviously had a very bad experience (feel free to tell us more), and I am very happy for you that you came through it, and got on with life - very successfully by the sound of it.

[girlx]

i was thinking about this recently- i have a chunk of savings to back myself up in thailand, but if the economy gets worse, is it possible that my currency would be devalued? thus i actually would not have much in savings and if i lost my job(s) in addition, i could very well be trapped in thailand. is that a realistic fear? i know absolutely nothing about economics but all this talk about great depression v2 has me recalling that the dollar at one point wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. also, is keeping savings in a bank a good idea these days?

[AmeriThai]

i was thinking about this recently- i have a chunk of savings to back myself up in thailand, but if the economy gets worse, is it possible that my currency would be devalued? thus i actually would not have much in savings and if i lost my job(s) in addition, i could very well be trapped in thailand. is that a realistic fear? i know absolutely nothing about economics but all this talk about great depression v2 has me recalling that the dollar at one point wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. also, is keeping savings in a bank a good idea these days?

In the short term (hopefully) things might get tough and require making some living adjustments. But in the long term, I think the economy will eventually recover though maybe not quite like before.

As for whether or not to keep savings in a bank, what are the alternatives?

[Huey]

Heh the old saying holds true, never argue with a fool, as onlooker's can't tell who is who.

Laugh as you will, I'll join you in laughing on my way to the Bank...

Cause I can sell ice to Eskimos and sick buffaloes to bar girls.

Nothing in this world moves without sales, nothing, believe that.

Drink up Sheep.....

Cheers

[teacher]

Many people retire out here with all good intentions and planning. Just a couple of years ago some who retired out here on £1,000 per month = 75,000bt

Today £1,000 = 58,000bt ........ can you really plan for this?

[wamberal]

Many people retire out here with all good intentions and planning. Just a couple of years ago some who retired out here on £1,000 per month = 75,000bt

Today £1,000 = 58,000bt ........ can you really plan for this?

Yes, of course you can, and should, plan for the widest forseeable foreign exchange fluctuations if you are planning to retire in a foreign country.

Indeed, I would argue that you should plan for every worst case scenario - and lots of worst cases can happen in the Third World, which is what parts of Asia are.

[think_too_mut]

I agree with Huey. Khunandy is way out of line and should apologise for comparing timeshare salespeople with whores. Apologise to the whores, I mean

Yehova's witness and timeshare salesman. Maybe Amway too.

By becoming a timeshare salesman he believes he has pulled himself out of the filth?

[younghusband]

I think those that are comfortable and like living here are too quick to condemn others that want the same thing although struggling. Some will succeed and some will fail, it is their life and their choice. Years ago I would have been written off as a "what are you doing here?" but things have now turned around and life is very comfortable. Live your own (imperfect) lives and leave others to theirs.

Is the quality of a persons life equated to their bank account? Guess most religious philosophies got it wrong then.

"The world is what it is.Men who are nothing or who allow themselves to become nothing have no place in it"

V.S Naipaul

[Andrew Hicks]

It may be time for some of the members who are always critical of farangs in thailand without money to have a bit of sympathy. I think there may be quite a few trapped there unable to leave and in the position where when they get some money sent from relatives or their own funds to return home it turns out not to be enough they use more trying to get more sent. I was in this position a long time ago when airfares rose about 30 % and it took me a few months to get things together.

The most vicious circle is that the penalty for visa overstay is now 500 baht a day.

I knew a Brit who had no money and so had overstayed. Every day his hole got deeper and he kept digging.

As I understand it, the British Embassy can find funds to repatriate such people but it takes months to do the paperwork and in the meantime he was told to surrendur to incarceration in the immigration prison. He was advised that this was something he might not survive so he declined.

Nasty!

[Kaojai]

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation......"

Until they discover Thai Visa message board and are quiet "nevermore."

[vrsushi]

Heh the old saying holds true, never argue with a fool, as onlooker's can't tell who is who.

Laugh as you will, I'll join you in laughing on my way to the Bank...

Cause I can sell ice to Eskimos and sick buffaloes to bar girls.

Nothing in this world moves without sales, nothing, believe that.

Drink up Sheep.....

Cheers

Your reply is exactly why you are seen as worse than most whores. You think it's bragworthy that you can trick an eskimo into buying ice, but I've got news for you; most people don't.

In fact it would be interesting if you could explain why you questioned another posters ethics. Why is tricking another human out of money better than "swallowing another man's load" as you put it for an honest 500bht?

[MrPot]

Happened to me lost a job around the same time of the birth of my son; luckily had some money saved up so I could spend time with him; stated to run out however and I did around five crappy sales jobs which I hated untill eventually and thank goodness the right job came in my area of work. I put it down to my family, luck and friends; who have been really behind me

I've had a fairly good 6 month break too

[Maizefarmer]

Many of us have ended up in a pickle at one stage of our life or another. I spent a period of my life as a homeless drunk on the streets of London. At the end of the day though it is up to us to pick ourselves out of the gutter. I do feel sorry for people trapped in Thailand, but it is up to them to extract themselves from the mess. There will always be people who like to mock the less fortunate, but if the truth were known most of these people are not 'happy campers' themselves for one reason or another.

Well said - Thailand has many ex-pats down & out for all sorts of reasons: alcholism, drug-addiction, family problems back home (hence few resources to draw on for financial help). Personality problems and mental illness is also a characteristic of some "down & outs".

The problem is that for many of them, it isn't the first time: for many much the same has happened to them back home - before they came here. Coming here was viewed as an "escape". The problem with that is, you take yourself with, where ever you go.

If one can't make a success of life back home, one is extremly unlikely to do any better in Thailand.

Ultimately its up each of them to pick themselves up and resolve their circumstances.

[dumball]

I agree with Huey. Khunandy is way out of line and should apologise for comparing timeshare salespeople with whores. Apologise to the whores, I mean

Yehova's witness and timeshare salesman. Maybe Amway too.

By becoming a timeshare salesman he believes he has pulled himself out of the filth?

Hey you smug and arrogant people , when a person is down you denigrate him , when a person pulls themselves up by their boot laces , you pour scorn upon him , what , may i ask , is the humanitarian point to this ? Silver spoons need not reply .

[thaigene2]

I have a difficult time feeling sorry for anyone who fails to plan ahead. I too was forced to return to my home country when I went broke. The difference was that I had a little fund that I refused to touch. There was enough in that fund for an air ticket and enough to rent an apartment for a couple of months until I was able to get setup and start a new job.

This is a very important point you raise.

I have seen friends here listen to advice on planning, or marriage breakdowns, or job terminations, but they still ignore the sound advice and end up screwed out of home and family. Very sad. Perhaps some people just can't get it together..

Even if I ended up a total wreck, I would always have an escape plan..I guess it's inherent within one - you are able to do this, or you are not.

[eggomaniac]

No wonder they are losers; they cannot even recognise the only 2 options avialable. Somebody blows their wad to get into Thailand for a 'dream' that could not come true and there is supposed to be some answer of 'sympathy'.

A. No matter what country they came from, they should weigh if living homeless, collecting bottles and or working 'legally' as dishwasher or delivering newspapers or something else IN THEIR HOME Country is better than skulking illegally in Thailand doing what? picking at garbage dumps?

B. Take their passports with Expired visa and get deported.

See, there are only 2 choices, skulk or go home!?

C. Oh a 3rd option would be to join the freedom fighters in NE Burma, if they have any skills.

[Huey]

I agree with Huey. Khunandy is way out of line and should apologise for comparing timeshare salespeople with whores. Apologise to the whores, I mean

Yehova's witness and timeshare salesman. Maybe Amway too.

By becoming a timeshare salesman he believes he has pulled himself out of the filth?

Hey you smug and arrogant people , when a person is down you denigrate him , when a person pulls themselves up by their boot laces , you pour scorn upon him , what , may i ask , is the humanitarian point to this ? Silver spoons need not reply .

They are like crabs in a barrel.

For those that don't know you can fill a barrel with live crabs almost to the very top, and despite their many strong legs and tough pincer's none will escape. Why? because as soon as one crab starts his way up, there are 10 more pincing and grabbing at his legs to pull him back down..mad because they ain't making it or can't make it.

[dumball]

No wonder they are losers; they cannot even recognise the only 2 options avialable. Somebody blows their wad to get into Thailand for a 'dream' that could not come true and there is supposed to be some answer of 'sympathy'.

A. No matter what country they came from, they should weigh if living homeless, collecting bottles and or working 'legally' as dishwasher or delivering newspapers or something else IN THEIR HOME Country is better than skulking illegally in Thailand doing what? picking at garbage dumps?

B. Take their passports with Expired visa and get deported.

See, there are only 2 choices, skulk or go home!?

C. Oh a 3rd option would be to join the freedom fighters in NE Burma, if they have any skills.

May i add to your simple explanation , there is 1 more option , i took a down and out to the Embassy , it took 3/4 visits , but they finaly furnished a 1 way ticket home for him . It was 1 way first class , they explained , we take away his passport , give him papers correlated to his flight .1st class because he has to pay this back before he can ever get another passport , to deter him from doing the same again .

[Huey]

Heh the old saying holds true, never argue with a fool, as onlooker's can't tell who is who.

Laugh as you will, I'll join you in laughing on my way to the Bank...

Cause I can sell ice to Eskimos and sick buffaloes to bar girls.

Nothing in this world moves without sales, nothing, believe that.

Drink up Sheep.....

Cheers

Your reply is exactly why you are seen as worse than most whores. You think it's bragworthy that you can trick an eskimo into buying ice, but I've got news for you; most people don't.

In fact it would be interesting if you could explain why you questioned another posters ethics. Why is tricking another human out of money better than "swallowing another man's load" as you put it for an honest 500bht?

Wow you know, at first I was angry a lil, but after thinking about your post, I find it kinda sad really. Firstly, pulling a rabbit out of a hat or your Thai wife away from her evening soap operas, that's a trick.

Sales is a Art, a art that requires skill, persistence, dedication and enthusiasm. And like it or not, the world needs sales. Don't believe it? Run a business. I don't trick anyone, I just simply show them how they can use what I have and get them excited about it. It's been 5 Years since I sold a time share, and I STILL have happy clients email me from time to time THANKING me telling me how much they like being able to travel cheaply with their families.

So I don't know what kind of work is "Honest" in your opinion, maybe you need to examine your spine, or your own personal integrity, if you think Sales is on the same level as tricking.

If you had a daughter would you consider her blowing random men off the street for 500bht a head (no pun intended) "Honest" work as you put it?

Do you think that little of yourself that you find whoring so virtuous, and Self confident, savy Sales people so truely repugnant.

Thats incredibly soft, and it speaks well of your lack of character and your abismal sence of self worth.

[dumball]

Well said young man , i admire your fortitude .

[RakJungTorlae]

Wow you know, at first I was angry a lil, but after thinking about your post, I find it kinda sad really. Firstly, pulling a rabbit out of a hat or your Thai wife away from her evening soap operas, that's a trick.

Sales is a Art, a art that requires skill, persistence, dedication and enthusiasm. And like it or not, the world needs sales. Don't believe it? Run a business. I don't trick anyone, I just simply show them how they can use what I have and get them excited about it. It's been 5 Years since I sold a time share, and I STILL have happy clients email me from time to time THANKING me telling me how much they like being able to travel cheaply with their families.

So I don't know what kind of work is "Honest" in your opinion, maybe you need to examine your spine, or your own personal integrity, if you think Sales is on the same level as tricking.

If you had a daughter would you consider her blowing random men off the street for 500bht a head (no pun intended) "Honest" work as you put it?

Do you think that little of yourself that you find whoring so virtuous, and Self confident, savy Sales people so truely repugnant.

Thats incredibly soft, and it speaks well of your lack of character and your abismal sence of self worth.

well im sold, how much for a Time share

[siamamerican]

Heh the old saying holds true, never argue with a fool, as onlooker's can't tell who is who.

Laugh as you will, I'll join you in laughing on my way to the Bank...

Cause I can sell ice to Eskimos and sick buffaloes to bar girls.

Nothing in this world moves without sales, nothing, believe that.

Drink up Sheep.....

Cheers

You are quite cocky. If you walk the talk, you are probably a successful salesman. Being successful professionally is important but not nearly as important as being successful. I could have knowingly sold bad financial products to people and the personal financial gains wouldn't hide the fact that I failed at life.

Your use of clisches makes you out to be a scammer. IMO, an awful sales person that has difficulty selling parkas to naked Eskimos is a better person when compared to the one that excels at selling them ice.

Congrats at climbing out the financial mess and hope that you didn't sell any beach front property time shares in Burriram.

[PeaceBlondie]

At the risk of getting back to what I thought was the topic, it would be nice to show compassion for our fellow posters.

[Kaojai]

At the risk of getting back to what I thought was the topic, it would be nice to show compassion for our fellow posters.

Compassion isn't selective, i.e. exclusively available for fellow posters or other farang. If your concern for others is limited to those who belong to your own race or nationality or economic class, then it's little more than self-serving empathy of the "Ye gads, that could be me" sort.

Considering that much of the posting on these boards is bashing of people with whom the posters can't relate... Thais, Asians, et al, it's really disingenuous to expect the milk of human kindness suddenly to spring forth for other people who some of us consider beneath our notice.

as Einstein said:

A human being ... experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

Too many of the peopel who post here are incarcerated in a prison of their own making.

[Huey]

At the risk of getting back to what I thought was the topic, it would be nice to show compassion for our fellow posters.

Exactly, it seems as if its easy for some of us to hate and point the finger. But the truth is, many of us who have been down before can see something of ourselves in those that are down now. Sympathy, mercy and charity (especially charity) are virtues rooted in strength not weakness. And while nobody is expected to be some sort of savior for the downtrodden or excuse piss poor decision making (which getting back to the OP, is often why so many foreigners end up destitute here in the first place) We can at the very least help when we can and do no harm when we can not.

[petitechevre]

if you're too much of an asshol_e to have friends or family left in your country.

Theres no reason u cannot move to a remote part of the country and teach english where u can live off 5k baht very nicely.

There's no way to go broke in south east asia.. being poor yes, broke no.

If you're a drunk or whatever, it's just natural selection telling you to hurry up.

[2711]

Good info. Helpful in many ways.

I can see better why, after 3+ years of struggling Thailand/U.S, that I made the hardest decision to return to the States.

It would be crazy to try and budget what really isn't enough of money to begin with to stay in Thailand, considering visa expenses and all the hidden stuff that pops up. And in particular with T/W that has no concept of the words "not enough of money."

My road was hard. Still is, but try as I will then it's welcome immigrant T/W to America. Unless the dim chance of survival in Thailand shines through somehow.

I can say I miss the place allot.

[AlexLah]

Hi all,

Lost my job in Thailand working for a multinational.

I recognise now, I was way over stressed, travelling 35 weeks a year and being the only one doing operational work.

Besides that I was trying or better said not trying to deal with another personal trauma.

Am I a looser?

I do not think so.

Alex