Donations For Distressed Uk Nationals

[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.

Can I just ad two sayings!

What you give out in life you get back good or bad!

and..................don’t judge another person until you have walked a mile in there shoes

Still i guess its that attitude above that made the USA great

Wow! Are you one of the chancers at the embassy with smart remarks like this - lets all feel guilty about having money in our pockets !

I feel a little guilt when I walk past a severely disabled/limbless person begging with a cup or the sellers hawking their 5/10 baht stuff (i have the upmost respect for these / especially the older men who make things from bamboo or used drink cans. They are using their ideas and have self respect)

I happily give to good causes

- of my choice -

So take your sanctimonious babble back to your bible belt and preach to someone who gives <deleted>!!!!!

Anyone who has had a full Western education has no place begging anywhere! especially in a 3rd, 2nd World country ! its comical

or in other words you are saying: Anyone who has had a full Western education has no place here being completely ruined and destroyed by an uneducated daughter of a poor farmer!

[Neeranam]

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.

Can I just ad two sayings!

What you give out in life you get back good or bad!

and..................don’t judge another person until you have walked a mile in there shoes

Still i guess its that attitude above that made the USA great

Agreed - what a shitty attitude to life.

It's usually the Pattaya-types who have this feeling to those having a hard time. Could it be something to do with their feeling of inferiority living in the saddest city on earth?

[daveb1]

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.

Can I just ad two sayings!

What you give out in life you get back good or bad!

and..................don’t judge another person until you have walked a mile in there shoes

Still i guess its that attitude above that made the USA great

Wow! Are you one of the chancers at the embassy with smart remarks like this - lets all feel guilty about having money in our pockets !

I feel a little guilt when I walk past a severely disabled/limbless person begging with a cup or the sellers hawking their 5/10 baht stuff (i have the upmost respect for these / especially the older men who make things from bamboo or used drink cans. They are using their ideas and have self respect)

I happily give to good causes

- of my choice -

So take your sanctimonious babble back to your bible belt and preach to someone who gives <deleted>!!!!!

Anyone who has had a full Western education has no place begging anywhere! especially in a 3rd, 2nd World country ! its comical

or in other words you are saying: Anyone who has had a full Western education has no place here being completely ruined and destroyed by an uneducated daughter of a poor farmer!

"So take your sanctimonious babble back to your bible belt and preach to someone who gives <deleted>!!!!! "

Thays really funny considering

A I am from the UK

B I can’t stand anything to do with the bible or religion!

I just hope you never need any help in life because with your attitude you don’t deserve it mate as another poster said what a shitty attitude to life

[tim armstrong]

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.

I agree with you, even a little may help. Some of the happiest people I know have very little and live in one of the poorest countries on the planet, but would help just about anyone if they could. I guess it depends on your values. A few years ago I was teaching a group of University students about counselling. I asked them what 'altruism' was - they had never heard the word.

But no worries its Sonkran, we can all go and spend a few thousand baht on getting legless, another 4,000 people will die- doesn't matter!

[G54]

I would give a donation. I have been on my uppers before now through no fault of my own and if it was not for some kindly people I do not know what would have happened. Those kindly people were squatters back in the 70's in London. Took me in, helped me out and I moved on from there.

One can do their best to get on in life but sometimes we have everything but the kitchen sink thrown at us and we have to admit defeat. Then we can get back on our feet and be given the chance to start again and that is what it is really about - being given that chance by some kindly folk.

[sassienie]

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?

Personally I think it discracefull and embarasing that eduacted people from my counrty would allow themselve's to become destitute in a foriegn country.

Personal management, allow x amount for ticket home, easy.

How many peopkle do you know that are here short saty or long stay that are working illegaly here in Thailand, bet they are the first to moan about about foriegner's working in England, hypocrisy at its highest.

And whet is evan moore disgracefool & embassrising, R peopal form mai owen country, who cont spell.

Edited April 10, 2009 by sassienie

[96tehtarp]

What would you do? How much would you donate?

This is a great topic.

I voted no. (I may have clicked on take money out of the box by mistake.)

I think most of the people here would, in theory, like to help others. However the fear of embarrassment and anger from being ripped off and cheated prevents most from doing so. Imagine for a moment that (in a perfect world) we could be 100% certain that every satang in that little box would be put to good and just use. What then? I’d give. Wouldn’t you?

That’s the problem with street beggars, amputees on overhead walkways, and blind lepers in weekend markets. They almost all have handlers, watching from the shadows, who often provide housing and transport and all type of logistical support for dozens of beggars. It’s an industry. It’s a mafia and a rippoff. I very seldom throw ten baht in a cup. I figure there is always free food and shelter in the temple and I fear the embarrassment of being fooled and cheated.

I noticed most of the people here assume “distressed nationals” to mean people in need of financial assistance to purchase a ticket home. Funny enough that situation, although difficult, doesn’t fit my definition of distressed. Sitting in a Thai prison does. (Guilty or not.)

The Thai penal system requires that inmates have some family support from the outside. An inmate has got to have a small income to buy little things we all take for granted, and I’m not talking about cigarettes. I would imagine there must be quite a few sitting in prison now with no family, no friends, no money, and 10+ years to go. Guilty or not, I don’t care what they’ve done, they’re doing their time…

Imagine most all of the Thai inmates get some money from their families to buy things from the prison commissary. British Nationals on the other hand get nothing, and have to beg from the Thai inmates.

These are your compatriots. Wouldn’t some of you like to see them get some spare change once a month?

It’s funny, I thought of inmates first when I read the word “distressed”

I also found amusing all the valiant comments so far about “wasting the taxpayer's money” on “failures, junkies” and other sorted derelicts, in light of the recent trillion+ £ giveaway by the Bank of England to the criminal class of bankrupt and insolvent bankers.

Many here have taken offence to any of YOUR spare change given to “distressed nationals” and yet hardly a whimper over trillions in your TAXES to the criminal elite bankers.

Just bloody lovely. 

Ta ta

Cheers,

And Happy Sonkran… …don’t get killed out there.

Edited April 11, 2009 by 96tehtarp

[922JET]

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

I have read some appalling things in my lifetime, I have lived all over the world and have seen all types and socio-economic situations. Never, Ever say that your name is not charity ... Someday my friend you will find your self in need of the aid of some compassionate stranger and what will you do when there is not a penny offered you? Hopefully, you will remember the words you spoke here. You will definitely live in interesting times Karma is a wonderful thing!

[Texpat]

I'll give everything I have. My new president says financial irresponsibility is now forgiven, nay, rewarded by the government and all my sins will be lifted.

I have a newish house and car.

PM me for details.

[lazygourmet]

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

NO - Not shame on me! Shame on the people (some unknown) I have helped in the past without so much as a thank you. They have <deleted>#ked it for the genuine needy.

The last one I helped was a female at Don Muang, came up to me with a sob story about forgetting the 500 Baht airport tax and had no more money. All sorts of promises about paying it back, TW was fuming wanting me to get rid of her so I went to a counter and bought the tax coupon, not giving her the 500 Baht. If looks could kill I'd be dead from both sides. I'll bet her next step was to try to on sell to someone.

I promised myself that that was it NEVER AGAIN.

That was a classic scam back to the days of the, now defunct, airport tax.

People were hanging around Don Muang telling the same odd story.

Some of them (ex timeshare or boiler-room guys) were actually doing very well.

[lazygourmet]

The UK should repatriate its citizens and then withhold their passports until they have repaid the cost of repatriation.

Belgium embassy is doing it, in case you don't have any guarantor back home.

Social service will wait you, on arrival at Brussels airport, offer you a shelter and do all the paper for claiming social benefits.

Shelter offering free dormitory and three meals a day, benefits will be kept until debt fully reimbursed.

Nanny state by excellence, that I hopefully left 20 years ago...

[sanook2me]

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

I have read some appalling things in my lifetime, I have lived all over the world and have seen all types and socio-economic situations. Never, Ever say that your name is not charity ... Someday my friend you will find your self in need of the aid of some compassionate stranger and what will you do when there is not a penny offered you? Hopefully, you will remember the words you spoke here. You will definitely live in interesting times Karma is a wonderful thing!

Z E R O name for charity is not about bad karma !

If like me the poster probably gives to charity and people of his/her choosing not when being scammed into giving money for a non charity.

There is a huge difference and me and the other posters will both recieve good Karma when the time comes.

I work hard for my money too make sure that I don't end up in this position and I wouldn't be begging in Thailand if I was desitute I would either use a credit card /loan the money from friends/family/embassy to get home.

If a farang is begging/scamming in Thailand this is not charity its immoral and probably illegal too.

I know whose Karma i prefer and thats mine..its common sense dude!