Phuket mini-crepe maker saved from sharks, gets gift of a lifetime

[webfact]

Phuket mini-crepe maker saved from sharks, gets gift of a lifetime
Phuket Gazette


Mr Prayoon and his partner stand proudly in front of his new mini-crepe sidecar. Photo: Saran Mitrarat

PHUKET: -- A Phuket vendor who saw his only source of livelihood – a mini-crepe cart – go up in smoke was able to avoid going to loan sharks to replace it because of help from an unlikely source, a New Zealander who has been to the province only twice.

Prayoon Inpuang, 44, was preparing to sell mini-crepes in Phuket Town on February 13 when he smelt fuel and heard it leaking. Before he was able to control the leak, his stall burst into flames and was quickly incinerated (story here).

“My first thought when I saw it burned up was: I have no future anymore,” Mr Prayoon said.

That night, he thought of how else he could make money. He considered applying for a job somewhere, but soon abandoned the idea.

“No one would hire me, because I have only a primary education,” he said.

Mr Prayoon was in despair. There was no way for him to support his wife and two children, but his daughters, 14 and 16 years old, inspired him not to give up.

“I got strength from my daughters. That night, they gave me a hug and said, ‘Don’t give up Daddy,’” Mr Prayoon said.

Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette.

She offered to buy a new crepe stall for Mr Prayoon.

“I know the struggle of finding work and the difficulties of financial pressure,” the self-employed single mother said. “It made me feel extremely sad to hear that he had lost his livelihood and has a family to support,” she said.

“I have been fortunate that, over the years, lots of good things have happened for me and now, later in life, I am able to reciprocate.”

When the Gazette called Mr Prayoon to tell him about Ms Gibson’s offer, he wept.

“I can’t explain how touched I feel,” he said. “Even though we are from different countries, she is willing to help me. I want to thank her for paying attention to this poor and unimportant person.”

Ms Gibson explained that her motivation for helping Mr Prayoon also came from her special feelings for Phuket, having fallen in love with the island on her first visit last year. Within three days of being on island, she had decided to retire here. Within a month, she had bought an apartment in Kamala.

“The people are so lovely, the food amazing and the beaches great. Phuket, for me, is like coming home. It makes me really happy to be there,” she said.

The Gazette visited Mr Prayoon last Wednesday. He had already bought a new motorbike with a sidecar and was preparing to resume work that afternoon.

The second-hand setup cost 20,000 baht, he said.

“I was going to borrow the money from a loan shark, despite the high interest rate. I thought I had no choice,” he said.

“I have no words to express my appreciation, my heart is just full,” he said, eyes shining.

“I can’t speak English, but Ms Gibson is welcome to visit my shop anytime. I’ll make her the greatest kanum tokyo ever.”

Ms Gibson said that she plans to come to Phuket this month to claim her mini-crepe.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-mini-crepe-maker-saved-from-sharks-gets-gift-of-a-lifetime-26746.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-03-05

[Pimay1]

What a lovely story. Brought tears to my eyes.

[stevenl]

Good story, with a header that implies something completely different.

[CiaranO]

A really nice story

[Smiles]

A very kind lady. May she be blessed with more good things in life.

[steelepulse]

Good on the Kiwi lady. I do doubt that no one would hire this guy though, as pretty much every hotel and resort is always looking for labour.

[Costas2008]

After reading this, I feel there is still hope in this ugly world we live in.

Well done Ms Gibson, may others follow your charitable and kind actions.

[chooka]

I concur with all the above posts.

[andreandre]

Very kind gesture from the fellow Kiwi lady...

Nice to see a genuine good hearted piece on TV for a change...

[fatdrunkandstupid]

This story carries a profound message for all Western men.

And no its not any of that "pass it on" or random acts of kindness drivel.

It is this:

That Mr Prayoon can support a wife and two TEENAGE daughters (in Phuket the most expensive place in Thailand) with a business that only required a capital injection of 20,000THB (USD 615).

Thanks Phuket Gazette. I am going to print out a copy of this story and keep it in my wallet.

I will use it to quickly end any discussion about money with any Thai girlfriend I have in the future.

I will also pull it out when some fellow bar goer is moaning to me about how much he is paying each month to support his wife and her family.

And fellow TV members, be warned, I will also provide a link to this story to end the discussion in any thread about how much money someone should give to their wife or girlfriend each month.

All that is required is a ONE OFF capital injection of $615 USD.

[impulse]

This story carries a profound message for all Western men.

And no its not any of that "pass it on" or random acts of kindness drivel.

It is this:

That Mr Prayoon can support a wife and two TEENAGE daughters (in Phuket the most expensive place in Thailand) with a business that only required a capital injection of 20,000THB (USD 615).

Yep, only $615, and a few years of struggling to dial in a business plan and to build a reputation.

That's all it takes.

[Gonzo the Face]

This story carries a profound message for all Western men.

And no its not any of that "pass it on" or random acts of kindness drivel.

It is this:

That Mr Prayoon can support a wife and two TEENAGE daughters (in Phuket the most expensive place in Thailand) with a business that only required a capital injection of 20,000THB (USD 615).

Thanks Phuket Gazette. I am going to print out a copy of this story and keep it in my wallet.

I will use it to quickly end any discussion about money with any Thai girlfriend I have in the future.

I will also pull it out when some fellow bar goer is moaning to me about how much he is paying each month to support his wife and her family.

And fellow TV members, be warned, I will also provide a link to this story to end the discussion in any thread about how much money someone should give to their wife or girlfriend each month.

All that is required is a ONE OFF capital injection of $615 USD.

This lady from NZ has done a very noble and good deed.

Then we have someone who twists and turns it into something for his personal sake. ....... but the good news is for the first time in all the years that I have been a member of this forum, I see a user who uses a nic that matches his mentality perfectly.\\\ Congratulations FD&S

[LivinginKata]

Good story, with a header that implies something completely different.

Yes, a heart warming story, what a generous offer. And when I looked at the title I was puzzled at the shark reference. Who at PG dreams up these titles.

[JesseFrank]

a New Zealander who has been to the province only twice.

No further comments.

[chrisinth]

Well done Delyse Gibson, in your kindness and generosity you have reminded us all that such a donation can be a such a game changer for someone in need.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

[Chainsaw]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

Oh shut up <deleted>! You're embarrassing yourself.

[impulse]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

And a guy working at the 7-11 making 9,000 baht without any investment at all is making a ga-jillion percent return, so high it can't be calculated.

Unless, of course, he considers the value of his time and other options for spending that time.

Hole's getting deep.......Stop digging.

[Dogmatix]

Thought he had been rescued from the sea but the reality is much nicer and unimaginable. Truly inspiring. Thanks Delyse.

[NamKangMan]

"Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

Anyone have any idea what online news source she may have been reading?

The incident was not report in the PG.

[kuiburi]

What a lovely story. Brought tears to my eyes.

Same here , thx for sharing ur emotion

[stevenl]

"Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

Anyone have any idea what online news source she may have been reading?

The incident was not report in the PG.

According to the article it was reported in PG.

Did you read this BTW 'Ms Gibson explained that her motivation for helping Mr Prayoon also came from her special feelings for Phuket, having fallen in love with the island on her first visit last year. Within three days of being on island, she had decided to retire here.'.

[Pimay1]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

I know I'm old and sometimes a little slow to comprehend things but can you explain what you are driving at? Are you saying this guy would be better off rejecting the offer of 20,000 Baht and find a job?

[NamKangMan]

"Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

Anyone have any idea what online news source she may have been reading?

The incident was not report in the PG.

According to the article it was reported in PG.

Did you read this BTW 'Ms Gibson explained that her motivation for helping Mr Prayoon also came from her special feelings for Phuket, having fallen in love with the island on her first visit last year. Within three days of being on island, she had decided to retire here.'.

The story of the donation was reported, obviously, that's why we have this thread, but I briefly checked the PG news history page and I did not see any report of the original incident, the fire. Not surprising, because it's a minor incident for Phuket/Thailand/Global - but major incident for the owner.

It interests me that such a minor incident, on Phuket, is reported in a particular online website, and I would like to know the source, if possible.

Did you read this BTW: "Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

You have mentioned the fact that she had decided to retire here, but the article says she read about it online in NZ. What is your point????

[stevenl]

"Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

Anyone have any idea what online news source she may have been reading?

The incident was not report in the PG.

According to the article it was reported in PG.

Did you read this BTW 'Ms Gibson explained that her motivation for helping Mr Prayoon also came from her special feelings for Phuket, having fallen in love with the island on her first visit last year. Within three days of being on island, she had decided to retire here.'.

The story of the donation was reported, obviously, that's why we have this thread, but I briefly checked the PG news history page and I did not see any report of the original incident, the fire. Not surprising, because it's a minor incident for Phuket/Thailand/Global - but major incident for the owner.

It interests me that such a minor incident, on Phuket, is reported in a particular online website, and I would like to know the source, if possible.

Did you read this BTW: "Meanwhile, Delyse Gibson at home in Hamilton, New Zealand, had read Mr Prayoon’s story online and contacted the Phuket Gazette."

You have mentioned the fact that she had decided to retire here, but the article says she read about it online in NZ. What is your point????

Took me all of 1 minute to find the original article on PG website, see here http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-crepe-vendor-s-livelihood-up-in-flames-24585.html

Just mentioning that according to you Phuket is not attractive anymore, seems others disagree and keep returning. Seems you missed the point since you distorted the quote.

[eezergood]

someone did something nice for a total stranger, and rather than admire her some of you have to try and somehow sully the story.... you must be a ball at Christmas

[kuiburi]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

I know I'm old and sometimes a little slow to comprehend things but can you explain what you are driving at? Are you saying this guy would be better off rejecting the offer of 20,000 Baht and find a job?

Gotta agree with both of u . I am an independant contractor in construction sinds i was young , it would be really hard for me to adjust to work for a boss and get a regular job ,

But I could , just to survive .

If I would loose my livelyhood and somebody with a good heart would help me back on track I would thank this person on my knees with tears in my eyes .

Just because its my love and joy .

[LivinginKata]

weeding out all the off topic and/or negative posts

[Dap]

Many on this thread found what i had to say in my previous post somewhat unsavoury.

But here is another bitter fact for the Thai apologists.

There is effectively zero unemployment amongst fit and healthy Thais here on Phuket.

The only people who do not work, cannot, or they are just lazy.

The minimum wage in Thailand is 9000 THB per month.

Just try to get (and retain) a Thai employee for that amount here in Phuket. It is impossible. The reality here is that the minimum wage here in Phuket is around 12-15000 per month.

But anyway, lets just assume Mr Prayoon works for himself at a profit margin of at least 10,000 per month (otherwise he would be better off getting a job). He is therefore obtaining a return on the 20,000 THB invested capital (ROI) of about 50 percent PER MONTH. Or 600 percent per annum.

I know I'm old and sometimes a little slow to comprehend things but can you explain what you are driving at? Are you saying this guy would be better off rejecting the offer of 20,000 Baht and find a job?

I am under the impression that he is saying, here is a story of a man who will accept this gift and continue making a living to suport himself and

his family on (what we "farang" would consider) such a small amount/investment that it is almost incomprehensible to most of us. A simple note to those who complain about how difficult it is to get by on the wages offered.

[Torrens54]

What a wonderful gesture by Delyse Gibson.

If there were more people like her in this world, the world would be a far better place! She isn't giving a hand-out to some lazy bum who is afraid to work, she is helping a good and honest man who works so hard to provide for his family.

Khun Prayoon is also very lucky to have a friend such as this lady from New Zealand but also LUCKY to have his wife and two daughters who had faith in him.

Congratulations to all concerned, including the Phuket Gazette.