American Farang Needs Help With $$ Or Job - Advice For Friend

[ZenTraveler]

* I hope I am posting this in proper forum. I saw a lot of threads in the 'Farang Pub' forum were moved. *

I've been in BKK for 2 months now and over that time I had made friends with another American who lives in my apartment building on late Sukhumvit. He has been here for about 7 months now and came here after visiting China to get in touch with his roots - he is Chinese American. He quit a computer tech job in San Fran where he lived and instead of returning he came to Thailand. He has been living off his savings but over the time I've known him he has become increasingly depressed. He just extended his stay here by 3 more months and doesn't want to return back to Cali. I think he is running from something there (stressful life, failed life, etc. not the law) or just doesn't have anything to return too... but he is just about out of money he was telling me last night at dinner. I wanted to suggest he get a job here as he is a Native English speaker (he doesn't speak Chinese or Thai) but I didn't know what to suggest since I work online. He mentioned he went to college some but never finished so I surmise he doesn't have a bachelor's degree, let alone a TEFL certificate.

So, can anyone suggest anything he can do to get some money or a job he can do here? He says all he does is stay in his room during the day and watch movies from utorrent or youtube. He goes out some at night to the pubs and I've gone with him a few times. He's not spending his money on girls or booze because he just kinda sits there with one drink and chats some with other expats.

Thanks in advance,

Zen.

[Moonrakers]

Well to state the bleeding obvious, he's not going to find a job by sitting about watching movies is he?

[ZenTraveler]

Well to state the bleeding obvious, he's not going to find a job by sitting about watching movies is he?

haha. Yeah, I know. I sent him an email with links to different job networks. jobjob.co.th, ajarn, this website, even craigslist Thailand. Last night he said he was surfing them but didn't find anything for him. He did just Skype me though and said he contacted some people about English editing jobs. So at least that's a start.

[britmaveric]

Tell him to go home, seems like a perfect candidate to jump off a building.

[CelticBhoy]

Get him to look on ajarn.com and I'm sure

(if he wants) that he'll get some kind of job

there to generate some income.

[Sabum]

Wait, he was a computer technician? Well uh, shouldnt he continue in that field? How old is this guy? If he is not too old he has a better chance of finding work.

[Jingthing]

No jobs back in the states now either. I don't blame him for not wanting to go back to nothing.

[JimmyTheMook]

why don't you give him some money , concerned kind soul.....

[edwinclapham]

* I hope I am posting this in proper forum. I saw a lot of threads in the 'Farang Pub' forum were moved. *

I've been in BKK for 2 months now and over that time I had made friends with another American who lives in my apartment building on late Sukhumvit. He has been here for about 7 months now and came here after visiting China to get in touch with his roots - he is Chinese American. He quit a computer tech job in San Fran where he lived and instead of returning he came to Thailand. He has been living off his savings but over the time I've known him he has become increasingly depressed. He just extended his stay here by 3 more months and doesn't want to return back to Cali. I think he is running from something there (stressful life, failed life, etc. not the law) or just doesn't have anything to return too... but he is just about out of money he was telling me last night at dinner. I wanted to suggest he get a job here as he is a Native English speaker (he doesn't speak Chinese or Thai) but I didn't know what to suggest since I work online. He mentioned he went to college some but never finished so I surmise he doesn't have a bachelor's degree, let alone a TEFL certificate.

So, can anyone suggest anything he can do to get some money or a job he can do here? He says all he does is stay in his room during the day and watch movies from utorrent or youtube. He goes out some at night to the pubs and I've gone with him a few times. He's not spending his money on girls or booze because he just kinda sits there with one drink and chats some with other expats.

Thanks in advance,

Zen.

You seem a good guy and he is lucky to have you take an interest. He does sound depressed and Thailand isnt the place, to be broke, depressed etc and he probably needs to get back home with his family and friends so that he can be supervised. His chinese roots probably mean that family's expectations of him are far greater than he can give, Wish you both well

[sassienie]

And yet another bleeding heart story.

In the old days one could join the foreign legion to escape their troubled lives from wherever they came from.

Thailand is not a grazing ground for those who wish to get away from the mundane and boredom of everyday life.

Living in Thailand requires money and lots of it.

Not so easy for foreigners to find work here, especially now that there are millions of Thais out of work.

Staying in Thailand for the long term requires financial planning and acquiring a permanent income without relying on becoming employed for financial support.

[OxfordWill]

What kind of computer skills does he have? I might be able to give him some temporary work if he can be of use.

[Maizefarmer]

If he cant make a success of it in his home enviroment, its unlikely he'll be able to hack in a culture and enviroment so different as Thailand - on both a personal and business level - especially if he's just sitting around like you say he is.

[ZenTraveler]

I understand about not wanting to go back to America and feel like a failure. I hear that the job market in America is even worse now than it has been over the last one or two years of the economic downturn.

He is of Chinese descent so I honestly can't tell his age and never asked. He's about my age I guess from his talk and candor. I'm 27.

I know he has been learning a lot about creating website traffic such as creating backlinks, improving Google PR, video marketing stuff like that. But he did some type of entry level computer IT job that he hated. Not sure the specifics on that. We've just been talking about Internet Marketing and the above is what I've gained he knows about.

I never thought about the Chinese expectations. Good point.

I don't really have the cash to spare right now - I'm kind in a funk myself with online sales. Friendship is my best help so that's why I thought I would post on here since I use this website a lot.

I've noticed some threads about foreigner suicide here in Thailand. I didn't notice until my g/f said she saw it on the news recently and then I saw it on the forum. It seems, possibly, a lot of people come to Thailand to try to escape their life, try to improve it maybe by going somewhere exotic, or start traveling the world. I can't speak for his situation or reasons but I would agree that this is not the best place for him to be. I've encouraged him to look for jobs online for America and other Western countries like Australia and such where he may have better spirits. Maybe it's the mix of no money/job and the environment. Going from San Fran to Thailand with the summer heat starting and not having money may be the nail on the head. I'm from Maryland and NC so I'm use to a more hot and humid summer, although not as much as here, but at least the weather isn't of a huge difference like the North of the U.S..

He said some people emailed him back about doing English editing so he is following up with them. I think he does want to find a life line, he just doesn't really know anyone here who can make that connection for him.

[wefearourdespot]

I would avoid him like plague. He will soon start to ask for money and possibly even shelter. Let's hope he jumps soon so that you''ll be relieved of his presence.

[Jingthing]

Seriously, you ought to encourage him to go back to San Francisco. There are mental health resources there available to people without money, unlike here. He is young and probably physically healthy, but it sounds like he has lost his way.

[simon43]

Could he earn some money by designing/repairing websites? Many people do this sort of work for customers in and outside of Thailand, and it can help to pay for your food and hopefully help him out of his depression and onto better things.

He could place a free advert here on Thaivisa or on Bahtsold, Craigslist etc.

Relaistically, it can be better to try to attract customers to buy your products/services, rather than chasing job vacancies that are also being chased by hundreds of others!

(When my finances were at an all time low, I resorted to website work for a few months until things improved).

Good luck to him

Simon

[edwinclapham]

I would avoid him like plague. He will soon start to ask for money and possibly even shelter. Let's hope he jumps soon so that you''ll be relieved of his presence.

God your one sick critter, I seriously worry about people like you walking the streets! The OP is concerned and is asking for legitimate advice and you come out with something as sick as this. Get a grip man of your brain, coz karma will bite you on your fat bum!

[Tinkelbell]

Quote from 'wefearourdespot'.........

"I would avoid him like plague. He will soon start to ask for money and possibly even shelter. Let's hope he jumps soon so that you''ll be relieved of his presence".....

......................................................................

I couldn't believe anyone could be this cruel.

Judging from his/her above comment, I wonder... will there be anyone showing up at his funeral ? ? ?

Jai-daam !

[Carmine6]

I'm with Jingthing. Gotta get back to Cali.

Although it's not clear where his family/friends are located. He's not going to be able to just show up and find a decent apartment in SF without a job, or with little money. Gotta try to crash wtih a friend. The places he'd be able to get alone are not in the right area of town.

I do think he needs some change of scenery to find himself. Gotta snap him outta his current situation. Work could be one way, but how much is going to just fall in his lap in Bangkok? People actually try to find work and fail to make it there.

[desertrat]

After 35 years in Asia, I have been often approached by Asians for awkward personal advice for a "friend"..it was soon patently obvious that they were speaking on their own behalf, and due to the culture not admitting any defects.

The first occasion was from a highly placed manager about his mia noi (Chinese equivalent) and the hole he had dug.

When I told my girl friend, a Chinese girl, she immediately said.."It's him".

[barrybike]

better head back to his own country ,he needs help and hes in the wrong place to get it .......he will only get worse if he stays in the same situation as he is now ......tell him to go home and get things on track again and that thailand will always be there again if he wants to return.its a pity to hear of stories like this but i bet hes not the first or wont be the last ........

[notasexpat]

send me his email in a private message, i might be able to offer him a job if he likes computers

[Moonrakers]

Wow.

I must have had it wrong all along with regards to my job hunting, silly me for actively looking for a job. From now on I think that I'll sit about my apartment doing nothing all day and just wait for a job to come to me.

[Phatcharanan]

I would avoid him like plague. He will soon start to ask for money and possibly even shelter. Let's hope he jumps soon so that you''ll be relieved of his presence.

You are a bit weird and possibly in need of some professional help.

[chuang]

So, he doesn"t want to find a job nor go back home...then ask him to don a robe and join a monastery where free food are provided....or you could support him financially...

[bungy007]

If he cant make a success of it in his home enviroment, its unlikely he'll be able to hack in a culture and enviroment so different as Thailand - on both a personal and business level - especially if he's just sitting around like you say he is.

Yes indeed, without wishing to be insensitive, it might be worth deeming the area of pavement underneath his balcony as a hard hat zone!

[Jingthing]

The truth is he won't be any better off in San Francisco unless he has a support network of at least one person to welcome him back. San Francisco, suicide capital of America. He may be worse off. But realistically he is heading to a time where he won't be able to afford visa runs to stay legal so he is going to have to go anyway or end of illegal here and maybe in the monkey house.

[ZenTraveler]

The truth is he won't be any better off in San Francisco unless he has a support network of at least one person to welcome him back. San Francisco, suicide capital of America. He may be worse off. But realistically he is heading to a time where he won't be able to afford visa runs to stay legal so he is going to have to go anyway or end of illegal here and maybe in the monkey house.

Suicide capital of America? Really, I didn't know that. Is it always gloomy there? At one time before I came to Thailand I thought about spending some time in San Fran but found it too expensive to live there.

[JRinger]

I would avoid him like plague. He will soon start to ask for money and possibly even shelter. Let's hope he jumps soon so that you''ll be relieved of his presence.

So it appears, encouraging and/or condoning suicide (britmaveric: Tell him to go home, seems like a perfect candidate to jump off a building. ) is now acceptable on this forum?

[Jingthing]

The truth is he won't be any better off in San Francisco unless he has a support network of at least one person to welcome him back. San Francisco, suicide capital of America. He may be worse off. But realistically he is heading to a time where he won't be able to afford visa runs to stay legal so he is going to have to go anyway or end of illegal here and maybe in the monkey house.

Suicide capital of America? Really, I didn't know that. Is it always gloomy there? At one time before I came to Thailand I thought about spending some time in San Fran but found it too expensive to live there.

It appears that Vegas has overtaken it. Its not that SF is depressing, it is that it is a real place and people come from all over the US expecting it to be peace and love and free sex and lotus eating, and then the reality hits. Its considered an end of the road place for Americans much like Thailand is for many westerners. If you can't find happiness there, then where? The more travel savvy go to Thailand first, ha ha. Also people find the Golden Gate bridge too tempting.

Edited March 19, 2009 by Jingthing