Donations For Distressed Uk Nationals

[rak sa_ngop]

Visiting the British Embassy, consular section, I noticed that there was a donation box for distressed nationals in the waiting room. There certainly were a few distressed looking people (men) hanging round so I assume this money is distributed to them.

Anyway after I made a donation I got to thinking that generally I would not give money to somebody on the street. But of course there must be some genuinely distressed nationals who actually DO want to go home, as opposed to using hand-outs to sustain their existence in Thailand.

What would you do? How much would you donate?

[patklang]

Depends if he was an alcoholic or druggie,as i would not donate a satang for self infliction

[sanook2me]

Depends on the individual situation.

Self inflicted - no sympathy

Are there people at the embassy - waiting for handouts?

[rak sa_ngop]

[quote name='sanook2me' date='2009-04-08 16:02:18' post='2648591'

Are there people at the embassy - waiting for handouts?

On the two occasions I was there I saw different 'distressed looking' guys turning up. One entered the waiting room and laid out along the seats for a nap. The other looked in really bad shape.

I don't know how the 'donated money' gets distributed, but surely it must act a magnet for anybody in need of a free handout?? (they don't even check your passport to enter the consular section so maybe anybody can get in.)

[coventry]

I've no sympathy for them, whatever their circumstances. Any sensible adult, going away from home, who hasn't got a back up plan for the unexpected, shouldn't be allowed out of their country.

[nonthaburial]

My answer is Z E R O, my name is not charity. I work dam_n hard for my income and so should others

[Martian]

I've no sympathy for them, whatever their circumstances. Any sensible adult, going away from home, who hasn't got a back up plan for the unexpected, shouldn't be allowed out of their country.

I concur. Any responsible person would keep a safety fund with enough money in it to get home. I don't assist irresponsible people.

Regards

[coventry]

Thanks for the backup 'Martian', but the biggest gripe I have is that the British government actually allow for a charity collection box to be positioned in their building. Are they there to assist, or there to divide up the donations fairly ?

[GuestHouse]

Ah people in a mess... At last someone to look down upon from your own dizzy heights.

[PhilHarries]

I'm kind of torn between the two camps here. Half of me sides with those who say they'd give sweet Fanny Adams as any responsible person always has back up and they don't give to irresponsible idiots. The other half thinks that you can't always cover all the bases and you can always get turned over no matter how careful you are.

Does anyone know for sure who administers the box and any donations made? Is it the embassy staff, either officially or as part of their own persoanl charitable sfforts, or is it an outside charity?

If I was ever in there, and I expect I will be one day, I expect I'd chuck a couple of hundred in just on the basis that nobody can fully predict the future and any good karma, however small, can only be a positive thing. It's always easy to kick someone when they're down but sometimes it is much more rewarding to give them a little help up again.

[Birdman]

...thanks for the hint - I will suggest that to my embassy.

[draggons]

Well someone needs to help these poor unfortunates, the british goverment certainly wont!

Anyway on a serious note any expat, not tourist, living and working abroad should have the good sence to have, at least, their airfare home stashed away.

Plenty freeloaders hanging about looking for freebies.

[pattaya_girl]

No way - "I would take money out of the box if I could." They should have rainy day money saved, no one ever helped me so why should i help them.

[Spee]

Anyway after I made a donation I got to thinking that generally I would not give money to somebody on the street.

Sorry but I feel just the opposite and voted N O N E. I have no problems with putting a few baht in the cup of a sidewalk leper in need, and often do. But an expat in Thailand, distressed or otherwise, obviously had some means and ability to get to Thailand in the first place, and any dire circumstances are very likely of their own doing. To me there's a big difference between charity and a hand-out.

[473geo]

Should I be visiting the Embassy just the once......I'd drop in 500baht.....there but for the grace of God go I.....

You are all heart guys.....

[sanmiguel]

There must be some genuine cases out there you big big hearted people.

My problem is i wouldnt trust the civil servants with my donations, so none.

[ronz28]

I would feel like I would be enabling the person to continue with their bad habit. Contributing to an organization that would provide food and a bed to sleep in would be another matter but no distribution of money directly to someone who is addicted to whatever.

[Livinginexile]

My friends and I all chipped in once to get a fellow Aussie home.

His ticket had expired, he lost his passport and was facing a 20k overstay fine at the airport

The poor bugger had been in Thailand 3 years and had been robbed blind by a Thai woman and her family.

In 3 years he had lost of given away more than AU$250k. When one of my friends happened opon him he was in a backpacker hotel in KSR.

The Aussie embassy would do NOTHING to help him.

Really sad case. He's back on his feet now in Sydney but all of us never got a cent back from him, I will never help anyone else again

[Tonycheston]

Nearly everyone seems to be talking about "bad habits", "self Infliction" or "back up plans" I am sure that some people who need financial help may well have had a back up plan that went wrong. I myself thought I had covered everything. I have 3 different bank accounts with 3 different credit cards. I organised online banking. I brought enough cash in USD and GBP to cover any disaster that might occur. I do not drink, I do not take drugs of any kind and I do not pay for sex. I have been to some of the bars just for the experience. It is all part of Thailand and something you should see. However I now have a problem. Chinese New Year I went to Chinatown to see the celebrations, I had only been there 10 minutes when my wallet was stolen. I DID take the precaution of not having a lot of money on me. I was stupid in that I had all my credit cards in the same wallet also my pins for doing home-banking. That means that I now have a problem, I cannot get new credit cards here, I have to travel back to England or Korea where my bank accounts are. I cannot do money transfers because I have no "pins" to do home-banking. 4 weeks ago my condo was broken into, my iPhone and some other personal things were stolen, fortunately the thief/thieves didn't find the cash that I had left. If the had, I would have been left with only 2000 THB (that is the most I take with me when I go out, safety reasons-being careful) I would have been right in the sh*te.

Please people, do not always judge without thinking. There are definitely some people who are seriously in need through no fault of their own. Go back to last November when the airport was taken over by demonstrators. The British Embassy was one of the few countries who did NOTHING for their citizens stranded here. It is good that there are donation boxes. The problem is who is entitled and who hands it out?

[Carmine6]

There are situations where I'd help, but that someone doesn't have a friend back home they could contact for help says a lot about them.

[PhilHarries]

Tony, your case highlights what I was alluding to. No matter how careful we are there is always the chance that that one time we lose concentration, drop our guard for a fraction of a second fate will strike. My M. O., like many others I'm sure, is if I go out at night to take ONLY the cash I intend to spend plus a little extra just in case but no cards at all, ever. Having said that I have lost count of the times I've left home, got to the bar, pulled out my wallet and there are all my plastics . It happens, luckily for me I've made it through unscathed but it only takes one lucky pickpocket that night and you are on your ar5e.

And the above does not take into account the strong chance, these days, of a burglary at your home.

For sure there are more spongers and freeloaders than genuine cases but we should live our lives mindful of the fact that we could so easily become one of the unfortunates and similtaneously hopeful that we never will.

[bdenner]

I, like others here have been stung after given a real sob story and all sorts of promises. NEVER AGAIN!

Som Nom Nah really fits well here. That's to me, there's probably a better Thai term for the losers or free loaders.

Edited April 9, 2009 by bdenner

[BigSnake]

Depend on how the donation would be use. You would think if a UK national was in that much distress a one way ticket home should be in order, I don't know something just do not set right with a donation box for UK nationals at the Embassy or any embassy for this matter.

[Birdman]

No way - "I would take money out of the box if I could." They should have rainy day money saved, no one ever helped me so why should i help them.

because, if some unforeseen difficulty, something really bad happens to you - reasons for that can be many - which brings you down to nothing and you are on your own, you would appriciate every help you can get!

If only a small percentage of your donation should help a real distressed person, it's still worth it.

[Neeranam]

Ah people in a mess... At last someone to look down upon from your own dizzy heights.

Along the lines of what I was thinking.

Many hate to help their own country's unfortunates, mock those at the embassy, but have in tow one of Thailand's unfortunates from Pattaya or Pat Pong.

Don't you realize that ANYONE can fall upon hard times.

I would help an alcoholic/drug addict as I would someone with cancer - they are diseases that can hit anyone.

[Neeranam]

As for the poll - 77% would give nothing or take money from the box - shame on you!

[keestha]

I think it does occasionally happen that people from first world countries get stuck pennyless in a third world country, really not being able to get hold of the money for the plane ticket back home, where the social security system would take care of them right away.

Some countries still help their luckless citizens to go home, Germany does, but the Netherlands and France don't, about the UK I don't know.

Case story: a Dutch guy ended up broke and ill in Goa, India. Somehow he made his way to New Delhi, where the Dutch embassy refused help. He went back to Goa, where a few months later he succumbed to his disease. His western "friends" there brought him to a hospital then, claiming he was alive, being afraid of problems with the Indian authorities.

If I would be 100% sure that somebody had no other way of going home, I would be willing to chip in to raise the money for a cheap plane ticket.

[Jimjim]

Ah people in a mess... At last someone to look down upon from your own dizzy heights.

True, but I don't have sympathy with those who try to scam me, no matter how down they are. I guarantee I've been in their place and didn't resort to such tactics.

[stiggy]

Neernam wrote

I would help an alcoholic/drug addict as I would someone with cancer - they are diseases that can hit anyone.

Finally someone with some compassion........

People get robbed, have insurance run out or not pay out,have there safety nets cut away from overseas or make a mistake in life and get addicted and stuck. Mental illness can develop at any time in life for no reason.

Obviously there are also those that just don't care and expect help all the time ,but for the sake of the freeloaders do you turn your back on everyone ?

I have contributed to those in need and will again.

[coventry]

I would help an alcoholic/drug addict as I would someone with cancer - they are diseases that can hit anyone.

An alcholic/drug addict is someone who knew what they were getting into, it is self induced. Cancer is a totally different thing. If people want to abuse their bodies then good for them, but don't expect me to pick them up when they fall.