Are Any Farangs Helping In Bkk Floods?

[thaibeachlovers]

I thought that there would be at least a few farangs out helping with the sandbags, or the supply packing at Don Muang. However, not a single one on the Thai tv news. In fact the only farang I saw was a female who walked past a Thai woman struggling to carry her few possessions in some plastic bags, but gave her not as much as a glance.

Googling "Foreign volunteers Bangkok floods" brings zero relevant result. There were volunteers in a 2009 crisis, but none now.

I know that there were some foreign students filling sandbags, but that seems to be it.

I'd like to be wrong, but has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them? Lots on the net from farangs pointing out that it's against the law to help without one.

There was post from someone saying to volunteer with an NGO, but they're not advertising for helpers that I can find. Please prove me wong!

I'm not advocating that farangs should just rush to the nearest sandbag filling point, but I'd like to think that some organisation in Bangkok could do with some assistance from those that wish to contribute, but don't want to be causing more disruption than help.

[trigger571]

Actually there were a few Farangs shown on thai TV news helping out. Of course it was not a feature about 'Farangs Helping with flood releif' but a general feature about the floods and the farangs ( 2 women and 3 guys) just happened to be in the frame in the background.

[h90]

If you don't have a work permit, you should keep it secret if you help.

A lot of Farangs who helped after the Tsunami got into troubles (I got told)

[thaibeachlovers]

Actually there were a few Farangs shown on thai TV news helping out. Of course it was not a feature about 'Farangs Helping with flood releif' but a general feature about the floods and the farangs ( 2 women and 3 guys) just happened to be in the frame in the background.

Glad to hear that.

I must have missed that clip. Everytime I see a news clip I'm looking for a farang face.

[Semper]

has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them?

If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Untill they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country.

[thaibeachlovers]

If you don't have a work permit, you should keep it secret if you help.

A lot of Farangs who helped after the Tsunami got into troubles (I got told)

Wouldn't surprise me at all. When there's money to be made in bribes, it's always going to be a threat to the well meaning helper. TIT.

When we had a big flood on our housing estate I was out "helping" the contracters that came to sandbag the stream ( river ), but have to admit that I was very nervous about the possibility of the BIB turning up to take me away. Obviously didn't happen, but made me think twice about doing it again.

[thaibeachlovers]

has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them?

If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Untill they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country.

For once, I'm inclined to agree with you.

If only I wasn't brought up with the inclination to help the less fortunate ( or white liberal guilt ) I wouldn't even be considering going to help, LOL.

[impulse]

"If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Until they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country. "

The folks in Bangkok that passed the law aren't the ones suffering. It's the little guys on a patch of dirt in the country that have lost everything they own. They don't pass laws, they just live with the consequences. Kind of like the folks demonstrating first in the Middle East and now in the west. My heart goes out the them.

[gummy]

Correct to do even volountary work requires and appropriate WP. Given the general Thai arrogance and brainwashing why would they want volunteers anyway ? as any Thai will tell you Thais are experts at almost everything and have totally closed minds to "foreign" ideas. It is all part of the conditioning system to ensure compliance with the feudal system and keeping the influential families here disgustingly rich and the others in their place.

Anyway if anything goes wrong it is never their own fault anyway is it ?

Of course being brainwashed into a non-confrontational and even unwilling to challenge others is the reason why Thailand has stayed still in terms of social responsibility and development.

[billd766]

has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them?

If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Untill they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country.

A very small part of it is (indirectly through my wife and son) my country.

In times like this I really don't think anything would happen especially if you were on TV3 or another channel.

The law sir, is a ass to quote Mr Bumble from Oliver Twist, but in times like this blind eyes are usually turned.

I would think that the people you would be with would think much more of farangs even for a short time like this.

I would like to help out but at 67, fat with shot out knee caps plus living 400 km from Bangkok would make me more of a liability than an asset.

[thaibeachlovers]

"If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Until they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country. "

The folks in Bangkok that passed the law aren't the ones suffering. It's the little guys on a patch of dirt in the country that have lost everything they own. They don't pass laws, they just live with the consequences. Kind of like the folks demonstrating first in the Middle East and now in the west. My heart goes out the them.

I agree.

However, for the very first time, last night I saw houses of the rich and the cars outside submerged. I said to my wife, now that it's rich people suffering and not just poor people's shacks floating away there might be some proper effort put into it by the "authorities", whoever they may be.

At the moment it's all a bit confused. Lot's of stern faced people sitting around tables deliberating, statements about how certain areas won't flood ( and then they do ), LOADS of photo ops, but in the end it comes down to lots of poor people building sandbag walls.

A real hero has to be the guy who submerged himself in the drain, with no protective gear, to clear it out. I hope he doesn't suffer for it.

[thaibeachlovers]

has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them?

If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Untill they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country.

A very small part of it is (indirectly through my wife and son) my country.

In times like this I really don't think anything would happen especially if you were on TV3 or another channel.

The law sir, is a ass to quote Mr Bumble from Oliver Twist, but in times like this blind eyes are usually turned.

I would think that the people you would be with would think much more of farangs even for a short time like this.

I would like to help out but at 67, fat with shot out knee caps plus living 400 km from Bangkok would make me more of a liability than an asset.

Wow, apart from being a few years older than I, you could be describing me, LOL.

I'm still trying to find out whether I can get some sort of work permit ( the office won't answer the phone ) to cover myself, but even if I can't do anything, my wife wants to help out, so we'll probably be going down anyway. At least there is no rush, as it's going to be a mess there for a very long time.

[MrRed]

Sandbagging i always try to help out the neighbors........wait a minute "sandbagging" in Thailand aha!!

[eq2]

I've made a few hundred sandbags at Rangsit and international students have also helped.

I'm well aware of the laws and penalties regarding unpaid working without a work permit. However the reality is that many farang do unpaid and paid work without a permit. There has not been a single reported incidents of a farang doing community work suffering for enforcement of these laws.

If immigration decides to enforce these impractical laws at a community sandbag depot it would sure make some impressive headlines.

[thaibeachlovers]

I've made a few hundred sandbags at Rangsit and international students have also helped.

I'm well aware of the laws and penalties regarding unpaid working without a work permit. However the reality is that many farang do unpaid and paid work without a permit. There has not been a single reported incidents of a farang doing community work suffering for enforcement of these laws.

If immigration decides to enforce these impractical laws at a community sandbag depot it would sure make some impressive headlines.

Thank you for your informative reply. It's good to know that some farangs are indeed able to help out.

The following story shows what can happen if governments pass stupid rules. Note the last sentence.

Published Monday, October 17, 2011 More than a dozen passers-by ignored a two-year-old girl as she lay critically injured on a street in southern China after being run over twice, the official Xinhua news agency said Monday.

The incident has sparked outrage on China's hugely popular social media sites.

Surveillance cameras showed a series of people walk past the girl, named Yue Yue, after she was hit first by a van and then a truck outside her family's shop in the southern Chinese city of Foshan.

Xinhua said a rubbish collector who finally came to the girl's aid, moving her to the curb and shouting for help, was ignored by several shopkeepers before he finally tracked down her mother who took her to hospital.

In response, one netizen on Sina Weibo, a Chinese micro-blog similar to Twitter, wrote: "This society is seriously ill. Even cats and dogs shouldn't be treated so heartlessly."

But others linked the incident to an earlier case in which a man who tried to help an elderly woman after she fell over was prosecuted, apparently because his intervention broke government rules on dealing with accident victims.

[jalansanitwong]

Some farangs got into trouble with immigration for overstaying visas after helping with the tsunami relief in 2004. If you want to fill some sandbags to boost Yinglucks popularity then fine otherwise mind your own business in LOS. Thai's arent interested in farangs.

Edited October 18, 2011 by jalansanitwong

[Bkkorupcountry]

Correct to do even volountary work requires and appropriate WP. Given the general Thai arrogance and brainwashing why would they want volunteers anyway ? as any Thai will tell you Thais are experts at almost everything and have totally closed minds to "foreign" ideas. It is all part of the conditioning system to ensure compliance with the feudal system and keeping the influential families here disgustingly rich and the others in their place.

Anyway if anything goes wrong it is never their own fault anyway is it ?

Of course being brainwashed into a non-confrontational and even unwilling to challenge others is the reason why Thailand has stayed still in terms of social responsibility and development.

I would wager that it's often the general arrogance of "know-it-all" farangs (as evidenced by this post) that actually cause Thais to refuse their help.

Edited October 18, 2011 by metisdead
Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[bkkjames]

Well, I volunteered some cash to one of those daily deal sites that is doing a thing for the Thai Red Cross and my Mrs is donating clothing and food to our condo committee who will give it over to the appropriate authority.

[BabySun]

Correct to do even volountary work requires and appropriate WP. Given the general Thai arrogance and brainwashing why would they want volunteers anyway ? as any Thai will tell you Thais are experts at almost everything and have totally closed minds to "foreign" ideas. It is all part of the conditioning system to ensure compliance with the feudal system and keeping the influential families here disgustingly rich and the others in their place.

Anyway if anything goes wrong it is never their own fault anyway is it ?

Of course being brainwashed into a non-confrontational and even unwilling to challenge others is the reason why Thailand has stayed still in terms of social responsibility and development.

.

I would wager that it's often the general arrogance of "know-it-all" farangs (as evidenced by this post) that actually cause Thais to refuse their help.

I am not in LOS,but reading TV - there was one poster with similar views as above,who came with that sh...t about work permitt

and that he wuold not move a finger to help.He was scolded by others,they called him"you arogant loser!get real!" - they wrote about their own work with their community and how they were welcomed by locals.So,there are decent farangs among us,not only arogant losers

[thaibeachlovers]

Some farangs got into trouble with immigration for overstaying visas after helping with the tsunami relief in 2004. If you want to fill some sandbags to boost Yinglucks popularity then fine otherwise mind your own business in LOS. Thai's arent interested in farangs.

It's not about Yinluck, it's about poor people that have lost everything.

Besides, my wife is Thai, and she wants to help, I'd just like to know if I can help out while we're there.

[WarpSpeed]

has the Thai law against "volunteering" without a work permit come back to bite them?

If so, good. Maybe they'll realise that it's a stupid law. Untill they change the law, let them deal with their problems, it's their country.

A very small part of it is (indirectly through my wife and son) my country.

In times like this I really don't think anything would happen especially if you were on TV3 or another channel.

The law sir, is a ass to quote Mr Bumble from Oliver Twist, but in times like this blind eyes are usually turned.

I would think that the people you would be with would think much more of farangs even for a short time like this.

I would like to help out but at 67, fat with shot out knee caps plus living 400 km from Bangkok would make me more of a liability than an asset.

There's other ways you can help if you're really inclined..

[Abduljabbar01]

A group of us from (Thai., India, Pakistan, Malaysia, U.S. and some from European countries). Who came after Fridays Jema’ah Prayer service at Haroon Mosque, BangRak.

We went out and helped the people in the neighborhood with helping with sandbags, moving furniture to higher areas out of reach of the rising water. Some assisted in building walls in front of businesses, distributing food (instant noodles, rice, crackers, and instant baby formula mix to parents with babies) and water.

We kept a list of those who were elderly and disabled to keep track of in case of an emergency.

[philw]

A group of us from (Thai., India, Pakistan, Malaysia, U.S. and some from European countries). Who came after Fridays Jema’ah Prayer service at Haroon Mosque, BangRak.

We went out and helped the people in the neighborhood with helping with sandbags, moving furniture to higher areas out of reach of the rising water. Some assisted in building walls in front of businesses, distributing food (instant noodles, rice, crackers, and instant baby formula mix to parents with babies) and water.

We kept a list of those who were elderly and disabled to keep track of in case of an emergency.

Welcome to TV and nice post.

Good luck.

Edited October 18, 2011 by philw

[billd766]

Some farangs got into trouble with immigration for overstaying visas after helping with the tsunami relief in 2004. If you want to fill some sandbags to boost Yinglucks popularity then fine otherwise mind your own business in LOS. Thai's arent interested in farangs.

It's not about Yinluck, it's about poor people that have lost everything.

Besides, my wife is Thai, and she wants to help, I'd just like to know if I can help out while we're there.

I am with you 100%.

If Yingluck loses all she has in Bangkok then she has other places and more funds to replace them.

Poor people on the other hand generally don't have too much and a lot of them will share what they have with other people without thinking of what they may get in return

When you have little to start with and no way to replace what you have lost then you may get into a downward spiral that just may be stopped by a helping hand which in turn seeks no reward.

[lazygourmet]

Twice a day for nearly one week, I am jumping -usually with a box of mama noodles- in the food distribution truck, which is passing in front of our gated community.

For the late afternoon shift, most of the immigration folks are on it as well, to help... and the truck pick up them just in front of their rooms close to their office (Baan Buathong)...

But all of the time: I am the only "mamuang" on that truck...

PS: Saturday night, we had a "kind of" get together drinking party ; getting bored to be called "farang", I asked them to call me mango... and now, they are all calling me "mamuang"!

[Bkkorupcountry]

Correct to do even volountary work requires and appropriate WP. Given the general Thai arrogance and brainwashing why would they want volunteers anyway ? as any Thai will tell you Thais are experts at almost everything and have totally closed minds to "foreign" ideas. It is all part of the conditioning system to ensure compliance with the feudal system and keeping the influential families here disgustingly rich and the others in their place.

Anyway if anything goes wrong it is never their own fault anyway is it ?

Of course being brainwashed into a non-confrontational and even unwilling to challenge others is the reason why Thailand has stayed still in terms of social responsibility and development.

.

I would wager that it's often the general arrogance of "know-it-all" farangs (as evidenced by this post) that actually cause Thais to refuse their help.

I am not in LOS,but reading TV - there was one poster with similar views as above,who came with that sh...t about work permitt

and that he wuold not move a finger to help.He was scolded by others,they called him"you arogant loser!get real!" - they wrote about their own work with their community and how they were welcomed by locals.So,there are decent farangs among us,not only arogant losers

Decent farangs among us - ABSOLUTELY!! In any case, if any farang helping out is approached by the BIB, the locals might even turn on him (the BIB)

[jybkk]

There are quite a few foreigners helping, however it's not so visible... but who cares?

Despite it sometimes looks like there are so many of us, it's because we're all concentrated in a few "ghettos". Among the 60 million Thais, we're not many, and the immense majority of us are not in the areas the most affected.

Now for those who aren't affected, the help that can be given is mostly invisible. The best seem to be to donate money and food. Going to help on the field might not be the best idea. Many of us are not able to communicate fluently in Thai, which can be pretty dangerous if the situation were to change quickly. And it's pretty difficult to imagine taking your car, heading to some flooded zone, to help who, how, where? Thais already struggle to understand the situation and get information. The problem is worse for the farangs.

Now I'm sure if the flooding were to enter the zones with high concentrations of farangs, you'll see them sleeves rolled up and feets in the water. It's not selfishness, it's common sense. The thais you see on the TV filling the sandbags are the ones who live in the area and they are trying to protect their homes.

Let's not add ourselves to the list of victims to rescue.

[matilak]

I wish I had the financial resource to fly to Bangkok to go help these poor people. My heart bleeds for them. Every time Ive been in Bangkok they treated me better than my own country

[RedNIvar]

Surprising. I see foreigners helping everyday. Just here on TVF, there are some hardcore foreigners fighting tooth and nail to bring change to Thai politics by pointing out how incompetent the current Government is how this is all somehow linked to Taksin and/or this is part of his masterplan for personal enrichment. I see these foreigners blamestorming and coming up with an all in one solution of fixing everything from the economy to the floods by letting Abhisit run the country. Some others are helping by sending hopes and wishes that the floods inundate all the RED villages, because that is what they deserve and by wiping them out Thailand will have a better future.

You and I must roll in different circles, because I see on a daily basis how these foreign keyboard warriors vehemently champion for a better Thailand a quick fix for all their woes.

Saying foreigners do not do anything is simply wrong.

[KHUNDAN]

Have been helping for over a month now in all parts of Thailand.

Have been going with Frontline 4x4 as well as others.

Should anyone want to arrest me for helping it's ok as I will continue to offer as much help as I can to others in need during this crisis.

Want to see some pics and Videos, PM me ..

Sitting at home is like watching someone outside your window drowning and because of crazy restrictions you decide to stay inside and let them drown...

Take care everyone..Help if you can..

Dan