I am sure that anyone who has spent sometime in Thailand, has met a few of these characters in their time. I am not one of them, but have seen a fair few in action.

There is a notorious balloon chaser on our island, who went around to a number of restaurants on Boxing day, asking if they had leftover Christmas Dinner. This individual is known to attend any gathering of free food - he goes on scouting missions during the day, and gets quite agitated if there is a delay in serving. There are numerous stories involving said person.

I'd be interested to hear of others experiences of this particular type of person as this phenomenon seems quite prevalent here. Maybe there is a specific demographic?

What type of people are balloon chasers?

How do they become an experienced balloon chaser?

What particular skills does a balloon chaser need?

Are you a balloon chaser?

Is Balloon chasing a disease?

They are obviously non ThaiVisa members, ThaiVisa members are beyond reproach so flame away.

They are obviously non ThaiVisa members, ThaiVisa members are beyond reproach so flame away.

No idea, I think there maybe a thread ongoing at the moment that has bought a number of them out and about. The mention of free food, and a drink is far too much for some. They'll be counting down the days

theres a party tonite in a new bar in 3rd road, pig roast ect, mate of mine opening a bar,,,

ill be watching for them, there will be at least 60 of us expats there most work here in thailand,

be warned,,,lol

jake

theres a party tonite in a new bar in 3rd road, pig roast ect, mate of mine opening a bar,,,

ill be watching for them, there will be at least 60 of us expats there most work here in thailand,

be warned,,,lol

jake

Jake, I'm upset that I can't attend. A bit far to chase a balloon for me

I am sure there will be some experienced BC's turning up, they can smell out a free food offer from miles away

You are s strange little man gobbler.

Balloon chasers..... funny !

You are s strange little man gobbler.

Balloon chasers..... funny !

You must have met a fair few over the years

You are s strange little man gobbler.

Balloon chasers..... funny !

You must have met a fair few over the years

I have, many strange b@stards.

They are obviously non ThaiVisa members, ThaiVisa members are beyond reproach so flame away.

No idea, I think there maybe a thread ongoing at the moment that has bought a number of them out and about. The mention of free food, and a drink is far too much for some. They'll be counting down the days

Some of us would rather go for a pleasant meal then drop in later when the freeloading leeches have moved on. There used to be a routine for these guys ...and gals....around lower Sukhumvit of free food and cheap happy hours.

Mildly amusing or really irritating if you forgot the schedule...

I had a receptionist once who I hired because she was a friend of a friend. Pommy chick. Had spent a few years backpacking and ended up in NZ. She would always grab whatever was free, with gusto. Always looking for invites to dinner from anyone, even strangers she'd met in the pub. She said her motto (acquired during her backpacking days) was, if it's free, grab two.

They are obviously non ThaiVisa members, ThaiVisa members are beyond reproach so flame away.

No idea, I think there maybe a thread ongoing at the moment that has bought a number of them out and about. The mention of free food, and a drink is far too much for some. They'll be counting down the days

Some of us would rather go for a pleasant meal then drop in later when the freeloading leeches have moved on. There used to be a routine for these guys ...and gals....around lower Sukhumvit of free food and cheap happy hours.

Mildly amusing or really irritating if you forgot the schedule...

Not long after I moved to Bangkok many years ago, I remember chatting with an American TEFLER who knew the place to go for free food on everyday of the week. His whole routine was built around it

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

These would be the same people who steal the toilet paper out of the toilets in the malls so they dont have buy bog roll for their "houses " and they are in the mall so they dont have to switch the aircon on in their "rooms"

And they also steal the small packs of sauce from the fast food restaurants so they don't have to buy any

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

These would be the same people who steal the toilet paper out of the toilets in the malls so they dont have buy bog roll for their "houses " and they are in the mall so they dont have to switch the aircon on in their "rooms"

And they also steal the small packs of sauce from the fast food restaurants so they don't have to buy any

Yeah, and they will sit in a coffee shop, buy drink and spend all day surfing the internet.

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

These would be the same people who steal the toilet paper out of the toilets in the malls so they dont have buy bog roll for their "houses " and they are in the mall so they dont have to switch the aircon on in their "rooms"

And they also steal the small packs of sauce from the fast food restaurants so they don't have to buy any

Yeah, and they will sit in a coffee shop, buy drink and spend all day surfing the internet.

You mean buy 1 drink, then spend all day enjoying the air con and free internet. Sounds just like my BIL, he does that every saturday!

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

These would be the same people who steal the toilet paper out of the toilets in the malls so they dont have buy bog roll for their "houses " and they are in the mall so they dont have to switch the aircon on in their "rooms"

And they also steal the small packs of sauce from the fast food restaurants so they don't have to buy any

Yeah, and they will sit in a coffee shop, buy drink and spend all day surfing the internet.

You mean buy 1 drink, then spend all day enjoying the air con and free internet. Sounds just like my BIL, he does that every saturday!

Yeah 1 drink, normally water. Tight gits.

Some have made a full time living out of it. They drive new cars and load up their tupperware containers with enough food for a week. Sometimes they get embarrassed into buying a bottle of water which breaks their hearts.

These would be the same people who steal the toilet paper out of the toilets in the malls so they dont have buy bog roll for their "houses " and they are in the mall so they dont have to switch the aircon on in their "rooms"

And they also steal the small packs of sauce from the fast food restaurants so they don't have to buy any

Yeah, and they will sit in a coffee shop, buy drink and spend all day surfing the internet.

You mean buy 1 drink, then spend all day enjoying the air con and free internet. Sounds just like my BIL, he does that every saturday!

Yeah 1 drink, normally water. Tight gits.

Waiting for the balloons to go up

Edited June 27, 201412 yr by Soutpeel

I am wondering if the new TV lounge in Bangkok will be a central gathering for Balloon chasers?

theres a party tonite in a new bar in 3rd road, pig roast ect, mate of mine opening a bar,,,

ill be watching for them, there will be at least 60 of us expats there most work here in thailand,

be warned,,,lol

jake

I am in pattaya.

What will you be watching out for? Is it people who wander in and don't even buy a drink? I think these people are to be thrown out as well.

Do I have to make the owner more profit than the free food I consume?

So if I buy a drink and make the new owner say 30b profit, how much roast pig can I eat?

by the way, I wont be using the name Nick and also I maybe using a fake accent.

I am wondering if the new TV lounge in Bangkok will be a central gathering for Balloon chasers?

If the staff get shirty with my stingy behaviour can I say "Do you know who I am?"

Edited June 27, 201412 yr by smokie36

I am wondering if the new TV lounge in Bangkok will be a central gathering for Balloon chasers?

If the staff get shirty with my stingy behaviour can I say "Do you know who I am?"

Well, not sure I guess some names though wouldn't be too popular.

Are banned members also banned from the Lounge?

I know what you are talking about,my hi-so chinese/Thai{ degree at astrophyics at Yale } wife avoid them,whenever we are on walking street,or Bangla road.awful types.

Don't forget the Sunday buffet mob. They like some takeaway too when they aren't feeding their GF's on the sly. My mate has a bar/restaurant and he just throws them out and rips up their bill. Some of them even bring their own drinks to the buffet.

I've even seen falung scum warming up their own food in the microwave in 7/11. It's just pathetic.

.

Those are all good examples of penury at its finest. I just can't forget the sight of a guy I saw going around filling his glass with left over drinks from other tables. The joint was crowded and he was being cagey about it but got busted when a couple returned from the dance floor to find him sitting at their table and their glasses empty. I guess the free food was not enough.

'nuff said

~

My friend has a christmas party every year,food is supplied,but it is bring your own beer,one of the local expat's who is well known for his stingy ways,turned up lugging a box of Leo,he refused all offers to decant his bottles into a large esky holding the ice,it was then by chance noted the box contained 2 bottles,it was pointed out to him,one was expected to bring a 'box of beer',not a 'beer box',realising his plan had been thwarted,he became sullen and unresponsive and left shortly after,no doubt gutted that he would not be drinking free leo at someone else's expense,he is the same down the local bar,usually nursing a bottle of water for hours,but if some one has a birthday and put's on a free keg,he gulps down the beer at a ferocious rate.

A post containing a derogatory slur has been removed.

<Snip!> We have a Christmas dinner every year at a friends place, for us local foreign people. One of our American friends, who is well know for his stinginess, turned up with a bowl of semolina, as his way of paying for the dinner. We all actually throw in 300 baht towards all the foods, and it goes a long way. He couldn't understand why his offer of a bowl of semolina was seen as a joke, although anyone who has been to school in the UK would remember the horrors of school dinners.

From a Pommie ****er

Edited June 28, 201412 yr by metisdead

<Snip!> We have a Christmas dinner every year at a friends place, for us local foreign people. One of our American friends, who is well know for his stinginess, turned up with a bowl of semolina, as his way of paying for the dinner. We all actually throw in 300 baht towards all the foods, and it goes a long way. He couldn't understand why his offer of a bowl of semolina was seen as a joke, although anyone who has been to school in the UK would remember the horrors of school dinners.

From a Pommie ****er

Mate i remember the school lunches back in England,my particular horror was the beef stew,which seemed to be 80% fat,we used to keep an empty crisp packet in our blazer pocket's to deposit this into,and later discard,and i concurr on the Semolina,looked tasted and has the same texture as wall paper paste.

<Snip!> We have a Christmas dinner every year at a friends place, for us local foreign people. One of our American friends, who is well know for his stinginess, turned up with a bowl of semolina, as his way of paying for the dinner. We all actually throw in 300 baht towards all the foods, and it goes a long way. He couldn't understand why his offer of a bowl of semolina was seen as a joke, although anyone who has been to school in the UK would remember the horrors of school dinners.

From a Pommie ****er

Mate i remember the school lunches back in England,my particular horror was the beef stew,which seemed to be 80% fat,we used to keep an empty crisp packet in our blazer pocket's to deposit this into,and later discard,and i concurr on the Semolina,looked tasted and has the same texture as wall paper paste.

Did you also have the green custard that they used to put on biscuits?

My friend has a christmas party every year,food is supplied,but it is bring your own beer,one of the local expat's who is well known for his stingy ways,turned up lugging a box of Leo,he refused all offers to decant his bottles into a large esky holding the ice,it was then by chance noted the box contained 2 bottles,it was pointed out to him,one was expected to bring a 'box of beer',not a 'beer box',realising his plan had been thwarted,he became sullen and unresponsive and left shortly after,no doubt gutted that he would not be drinking free leo at someone else's expense,he is the same down the local bar,usually nursing a bottle of water for hours,but if some one has a birthday and put's on a free keg,he gulps down the beer at a ferocious rate.

He's world class!