How Do Most Of The Tatooed Types Make A Living Here?

[Junglejumbo]

Reading today the news on Gavin Mann dying in the motorcycle accident at the weekend and then seeing his picture from an article earlier when he struck a bar girl over the head with a beer bottle, it made me wonder how do people like him survive in Thailand?

There are several like him, whether in Pattaya, Bangkok or some of the Issan towns. In Molly Malones during the afternoon and evenings in Bangkok, its mainly 40+ year olds with shaved or balded heards many with Tatoos just like Gavin Mann. I don't want to sound patrinising but I am just wondering what most people live on? I was talking to one such skiknhead in Chiang Mai not so long ago and he was a trades man in the UK, worked his guts out, saved up all his overtime money and then came out here to live for a year or two (his money has now run out after 6months)...I am wondering if its the same story for others...They don't look like English teachers....they don't look busy or devious enough to be involved in organised crime.

For me, I've realised how expensive Thailand is becoming especially without work. I've worked very hard over the past several years but without work I no longer feel like drinking regularly or going down to the girlie bars. I've calculated that to have a reasonable life here with fairly cheap accommodation, but including a couple of girls a week, drinking 4-5times per week would cost somewhere between 50,000-70,000 baht per month depending on how generous and prudent you were. That's why I am wondering how so many people who give the appearance of being pretty poor manage to live here for so long.

If many are tradesmen who've made it in the boom time back in the UK, then surely once their monies out, then they'll be heading back to the job seekers benefit and Thailand will be losing at least one niche of girlie bar customers..

[bertlamar]

most you see are probably tourists rather than residents here, riggers, contractors, guys in jobs able to take off a few months or weeks without too much problem.

A lot of tradesmen earn decent money, and even in times of recession, someone needs to reroof or fix the dunny.

But yeah, a fair few leave quite a bit to be desired in the presentation stakes; that said, their holiday, their right to do what they want. No worse or better than the old coots with the 18 year old at Emporium strutting around or whatever.

[Maizefarmer]

You hit the nail on the head - alot of them are indeed living off savings: beleive it or not Thailand is still a new experiance for a lot of folk in there 40's and 50's - they find it, they like it, they cash in come over and spend a few years here, but in time the resources run out and they head back home.

For most ex-pats Thailand becomes one of lifes many experiances - it seldoms becomes life!

[bkkjames]

most you see are probably tourists rather than residents here, riggers, contractors, guys in jobs able to take off a few months or weeks without too much problem.

A lot of tradesmen earn decent money, and even in times of recession, someone needs to reroof or fix the dunny.

But yeah, a fair few leave quite a bit to be desired in the presentation stakes; that said, their holiday, their right to do what they want. No worse or better than the old coots with the 18 year old at Emporium strutting around or whatever.

You were there on the weekend as well - thought I recognised you.

[PhilHarries]

Well a lot of them live the lives you outline. Work their butts off for six months, spending as little as possible, living like hermits just for the six months they can live like kings. Not my idea of life but it's not my life, not my business.

Some of them may have inherited money and are living the life any of us would in the same circumstances, well maybe not exactly the same but if you had a few hundred thousand GBP/USD you'd be tempted. I knew a guy in this category but he was reasonably turned out, not shaven headed and had no tattoos so would have slipped under your radar.

Some of them are retired having made their fortune very quickly in various lines of work. Good luck to them, if they earnt their money legally they are entitled to spend it as they choose.

I guess that those in the latter two categories will bail out when the money runs out an go back to whatever they can pick up. They probably qualify for dole payments, if from the UK or other country with a welfare state system, but from personal experience it aint fun. Unless you have dependants (children) you will only get the basic jobseeker's allowance plus rent and that doesn't go far.

I try not to prejudge people and if a man is happy with shaved head and tattoos sitting drinking beer all day, provided he does so without bothering others, that is up to him. Whilst people of this profile are generally the sort to cause trouble wherever they go they don't have a monopoly on it.

All people are different and they probably look down on the guy teaching English, living a frugal lifestyle with his "good" Thai wife. If we all lived the same lifestyles there'd be no point indulging in people watching.

[Soutpeel]

its mainly 40+ year olds with shaved or balded heards many with Tatoos just like Gavin Mann.

And once again we have plenty of generalising and being judgemental on TV

I am all of the above who fits the above description and do very nicely thank you very much in Thailand and make a lot more money here than I would in the UK, US or other countries I have worked in...

So to answer your question...this shaved, bald headed, tatooed type makes his money in Oil and Gas...

[Ricardo]

Do you mean to say, they're not all ex-SAS or Navy-Seals, here on a secret mission, as they claim ?

[Pdaz]

Yep.. It's easy to jump to conclusions cos of people's appearance.. I'm guilty of doing it.. Worse many of my mates probably fit your description of 40ish, shaven headed and tatoos.. Funny thing is like me they are well qualifed engineer types who work offshore.. Either in Oil&gas directly or for one of the many service companies. I work around 4 Months of the year (sometimes more/less) often in the Gulf of Thailand of other parts of the World.. The rest of the time I'm here relaxing.. To my neighbors it must be very strange as I have a good standard of living but never seem to work. Worse (from their point of view) I've been doing this for 20yrs.. (had to work more often in the old days) So back when I was in my early 20's I don't know what people must have thought.. Of course just the fact that Pattaya/Thailand is far more 'well known' around the World now means there are far more guys in my line of work living here.. Then you have the computer types who can work from 'home' and the guys with companies that are being managed back in the home country.. I think that peoples ideas about life have changed. They realise that they 'can't take it with them' and many decide to retire earlier.. or maintain a business overseas but have more time off..

Then there are the guys 'living the dream' just squadering the proceeds of a house sale or their savings while enjoying the delights of Pattaya 'till the money runs out..

Of course you only have to look at the local press here in Pattaya to realise that there is a certain unsavory element who are involved in drugs, scams and other nefarious businesses.. Trouble is you can't always tell by just looking..

[Soutpeel]

Would the old saying "never judge a book by its cover" be appropriate about now ??

[sassienie]

When out on my travels and somehow got chatting, I have asked several under 50s Farangs, how do you make your living here? Usual answer is: a little bit of this and a bit of that.

For many years I have thought that the majority of under 50 year old Farangs living in Thailand long term, cannot be legit.

Many are behind the financial backup of bars, massage parlours, restaurants, drugs and escort agencies.

I know of 1 Farang in his late 30s who runs a massage parlour that is a front for a brothel. He does the visa runs and told me that at times he is down to only 20 baht. Lives on hope that he has a good month with his establishment so as to get living money again.

[Soutpeel]

For many years I have thought that the majority of under 50 year old Farangs living in Thailand long term, cannot be legit.

Well I know a lot of under 50 farangs who are here long term they are legit, owning real businesses and have real jobs...

So guess you thought wrong then, of course it could be the just to do with the farangs you associate yourself with...ie the "lower class farangs"...

[bkkjames]

When out on my travels and somehow got chatting, I have asked several under 50s Farangs, how do you make your living here? Usual answer is: a little bit of this and a bit of that.

For many years I have thought that the majority of under 50 year old Farangs living in Thailand long term, cannot be legit.

Many are behind the financial backup of bars, massage parlours, restaurants, drugs and escort agencies.

I know of 1 Farang in his late 30s who runs a massage parlour that is a front for a brothel. He does the visa runs and told me that at times he is down to only 20 baht. Lives on hope that he has a good month with his establishment so as to get living money again.

A massage parlour that is a front for a brothel - NO, I don't believe you.. Must be pretty piss poor at it if he is down to his last 20 baht a month. Restaurant is not legit?

Sass, the key to being a good troll is to re-read and think about your posts before making them.

[Soutpeel]

Sass, the key to being a good troll is to re-read and think about your posts before making them.

[GuestHouse]

Yep.. It's easy to jump to conclusions cos of people's appearance.. I'm guilty of doing it..

Actually we all prejudge otehrs on apperances, we have been preprogrammed to do so by evolution - It's some just don't like to admit they do.

[TexasRanger]

I don't want to sound patrinising

No, but you do sound like you aren't very intelligent.

[sgunn65]

I always enjoy these threads. Although not shaven headed I firmly come into the category of heavily tattooed 40+ living in Thailand. If you saw me in a cafe in a tee shirt you might well judge me harshly. But when I am in a shirt or suit for work you would not know about the tattoo's therefore leaving you the difficult job of judging me for who I am not my body art.

I recognise that this requires a bit of effort in that you would have to talk to me but you might be quietly surprised that someone with tattoo's is intelligent, well read and articulate. If I happened to roll up my sleeves during a conversation would you then re-appraise your view?

To answer the other part of the question I have a successful business employing 20 people in Thailand which allows me the freedom to live in this country.

I understand that there are many tattooed thugs out there but look at it this way; at least you can see them coming. Its the sociopaths with no visible clues you need to worry about.

Edited March 16, 2009 by sgunn65

[Alwaysright]

Do you mean to say, they're not all ex-SAS or Navy-Seals, here on a secret mission, as they claim ?

I am trying to spend my 2 million baht a year pension,guess what it is hard to do.

[dudeyone]

This seems to be an extension to my topic: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Washed-Faran...re-t241421.html

[DC1066]

Reading today the news on Gavin Mann dying in the motorcycle accident at the weekend and then seeing his picture from an article earlier when he struck a bar girl over the head with a beer bottle, it made me wonder how do people like him survive in Thailand?

There are several like him, whether in Pattaya, Bangkok or some of the Issan towns. In Molly Malones during the afternoon and evenings in Bangkok, its mainly 40+ year olds with shaved or balded heards many with Tatoos just like Gavin Mann. I don't want to sound patrinising but I am just wondering what most people live on? I was talking to one such skiknhead in Chiang Mai not so long ago and he was a trades man in the UK, worked his guts out, saved up all his overtime money and then came out here to live for a year or two (his money has now run out after 6months)...I am wondering if its the same story for others...They don't look like English teachers....they don't look busy or devious enough to be involved in organised crime.

For me, I've realised how expensive Thailand is becoming especially without work. I've worked very hard over the past several years but without work I no longer feel like drinking regularly or going down to the girlie bars. I've calculated that to have a reasonable life here with fairly cheap accommodation, but including a couple of girls a week, drinking 4-5times per week would cost somewhere between 50,000-70,000 baht per month depending on how generous and prudent you were. That's why I am wondering how so many people who give the appearance of being pretty poor manage to live here for so long.

If many are tradesmen who've made it in the boom time back in the UK, then surely once their monies out, then they'll be heading back to the job seekers benefit and Thailand will be losing at least one niche of girlie bar customers..

I'm balding and shaven headed.

As a present to myself for my 40th birthday I'm thinking of heading to Pattaya to get me sum tattoo's - waddya think?

[Heng]

Just because some folks have managed to make it through their entire lives so far without amassing any significant amount of assets and income streams, doesn't mean it has to be the same for others... tattooed or not.

[Birdman]

When out on my travels and somehow got chatting, I have asked several under 50s Farangs, how do you make your living here? Usual answer is: a little bit of this and a bit of that.

For many years I have thought that the majority of under 50 year old Farangs living in Thailand long term, cannot be legit.

Many are behind the financial backup of bars, massage parlours, restaurants, drugs and escort agencies.

I know of 1 Farang in his late 30s who runs a massage parlour that is a front for a brothel. He does the visa runs and told me that at times he is down to only 20 baht. Lives on hope that he has a good month with his establishment so as to get living money again.

FYI: Besides the places you are travelling, there are also countless offices located in the high rises between Chao Phaya, Rangsit and Ekkamai. In this offices thousands of Farangs under and over 50 work day by day, year by year.

[Junglejumbo]

As a present to myself for my 40th birthday I'm thinking of heading to Pattaya to get me sum tattoo's - waddya think?

Perhaps that is the answer to my question.....i change of life at 40...doing something more drastic...what's life about? I am heading there in a year or so.

[coventry]

I'm one of the heavily tattoo'd type the OP is describing but not shaven headed. How can I afford to live here ? Well in my case it was 35 years of hard manual labour. Nothing more nothing less. Retired at 53 without a financial care in the world. Sorry I forgot to mention. My tattoo's came from 12 of my 35 working years in the British army. Tattoo's well earned.

Edited March 16, 2009 by coventry

[Gary A]

My barber broke his #2 hair clipper rake so now I get a #1 haircut. I have never had my head shaved but the #1 makes it look almost shaved. I get my moneys worth from my 30 baht haircut. I have a tattoo from my US Navy days. My left forearm tattoo is about 45 years old and came from New Zealand. Does that make me a skinhead tattooed freak?

[thaiwanderer]

i always thought they were retired bankers???

[adjan jb]

One of those heavily tattooed guys owns a 500 million baht (from what I've heard) property on Koh Samui. He plays football and he's got plenty of dosh and Posh.

Edited March 16, 2009 by adjan jb

[TexasRanger]

I'm one of the heavily tattoo'd type the OP is describing but not shaven headed. How can I afford to live here ? Well in my case it was 35 years of hard manual labour. Nothing more nothing less. Retired at 53 without a financial care in the world. Sorry I forgot to mention. My tattoo's came from 12 of my 35 working years in the British army. Tattoo's well earned.

Enjoy your well deserved beers mate, the OP is obviously a plank.

[syd barrett]

I've seen a lot of people come and go in just a few years. They often sell-up everything in their home country after a wonderful holiday in Thailand and have dreams of running a small business here.

The initial money might come from the sale of a home and car, maybe an inheritence.

A few years back a mate of mine from the U.K. came here with around 150K GBP in his bank. It lasted just two years. It sounds unbelievable, considering the baht was 65+ and UK interest rates were around 6-7%.

The real long-term residents under 50 either actually work here or have a steady income and learn to live on it. There are always the October-March crowd who return home and do 6 months graft.

A suitcase full of football shirts and tobacco usually pays for a return flight ticket and the cycle goes on.

[Chaimai]

I have a tattoed friend in Thailand who makes a living as a.......

......tattooist !

[britmaveric]

Few I met - were conducting an Ebay Business.