Avoiding 'iffy' expats......

[AYJAYDEE]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Yeah, I'm not sure why Nancy's taking so much heat over this. Even what's legal for some British "financial professionals" to do is against the law in some other countries. "Commissions for financial "products"? C'mon! Sure there are dodgy Americans, Australians and Europeans in that trade as well but the vast majority are British and the vast majority of those they cheat are British as well. Same applies to Hong Kong and Singapore. Drummond rings them up regularly:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/11/exclusive-hsbc-now-laundering-cash-for.html

it was wall street that perfected the derivative scams that almost brought the world economy down!!

[HerbalEd]

Perhaps ask yourself why in the back of your mind you're looking for faults in other expats as soon as you come across them, sizing them up, wondering what they're doing here, what their work is, are they 'straight arrow' etc., instead of just giving them the benefit of the doubt.

The wise man looks for faults in himself not others. If you find yourself being suspicious of others maybe it's a reflection of yourself.

I see this 'anti-expat' phenomenon a lot, essentially I think it stems from insecurity and not wanting an influx of other expats on your 'patch' making you feel less unique. So the tendency is to want to convince yourself they're below you in some way, broke, a criminal, desperado, 'iffy'.

For me the caution doesn't stem from insecurity but from lots of past experience. Indeed most expats are good folk, but too often I've found that the expat communities I've experienced in places like Asia, Latin America Africa, etc. have a high percentage of "iffy" characters and that one needs to vet with extra scrutiny and caution.

Edited December 24, 2014 by HerbalEd

[lannarebirth]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Yeah, I'm not sure why Nancy's taking so much heat over this. Even what's legal for some British "financial professionals" to do is against the law in some other countries. "Commissions for financial "products"? C'mon! Sure there are dodgy Americans, Australians and Europeans in that trade as well but the vast majority are British and the vast majority of those they cheat are British as well. Same applies to Hong Kong and Singapore. Drummond rings them up regularly:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/11/exclusive-hsbc-now-laundering-cash-for.html

it was wall street that perfected the derivative scams that almost brought the world economy down!!

Wall Street, The City, don't disagree. So are they now "iffy expats"?

[BKKdreaming]

we have an area about 70 miles from here , it is basically desert with street signs !

You always wonder why someone wants to live 5 miles down a dirt road ,

and yes there are a lot of iffy people out that way , I think they filmed some Twilight zone shows out there !

so look out for people who do not want to be found

[AYJAYDEE]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Yeah, I'm not sure why Nancy's taking so much heat over this. Even what's legal for some British "financial professionals" to do is against the law in some other countries. "Commissions for financial "products"? C'mon! Sure there are dodgy Americans, Australians and Europeans in that trade as well but the vast majority are British and the vast majority of those they cheat are British as well. Same applies to Hong Kong and Singapore. Drummond rings them up regularly:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/11/exclusive-hsbc-now-laundering-cash-for.html

it was wall street that perfected the derivative scams that almost brought the world economy down!!

Wall Street, The City, don't disagree. So are they now "iffy expats"?

the vast majority are americans

[lannarebirth]

Yeah, I'm not sure why Nancy's taking so much heat over this. Even what's legal for some British "financial professionals" to do is against the law in some other countries. "Commissions for financial "products"? C'mon! Sure there are dodgy Americans, Australians and Europeans in that trade as well but the vast majority are British and the vast majority of those they cheat are British as well. Same applies to Hong Kong and Singapore. Drummond rings them up regularly:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/11/exclusive-hsbc-now-laundering-cash-for.html

it was wall street that perfected the derivative scams that almost brought the world economy down!!

Wall Street, The City, don't disagree. So are they now "iffy expats"?

the vast majority are americans

If you're talking sub-prime lending for housing you're right. If LIBOR fixing, Currency fixing, JPM's "London Whale", AIG's London CDS losses and subsequent bailout then you have to look more broadly. Hey, I'm not defending these a-holes; none of'em. They should all be stoned to death in the public square.

Edited December 24, 2014 by lannarebirth

[jpeg]

Perhaps ask yourself why in the back of your mind you're looking for faults in other expats as soon as you come across them, sizing them up, wondering what they're doing here, what their work is, are they 'straight arrow' etc., instead of just giving them the benefit of the doubt.

The wise man looks for faults in himself not others. If you find yourself being suspicious of others maybe it's a reflection of yourself.

I see this 'anti-expat' phenomenon a lot, essentially I think it stems from insecurity and not wanting an influx of other expats on your 'patch' making you feel less unique. So the tendency is to want to convince yourself they're below you in some way, broke, a criminal, desperado, 'iffy'.

Ah well, there's the rub. I could be accused of always given the benefit of too much doubt. I'm not a mug, but have been constantly surprised at just how many nutters and outright con artists (If a business has a farang behind the plate glass window, I've learned to beat a hasty retreat, for one), trip up to these shores. There again, I live on Phuket

[jpeg]

The Word of the Year....... STREETSMART........ Sadly no everybody has it......

Which year? 1962?

[Rykbanlor]

Thailand.. I came for the sun and the sand. I stayed for the Thaivisa forums.

[jpeg]

Ihave read this post and several replies with interest.

A few points i would like to make. I have found NancyL helpful not anti British (i am British).

Also i have been subject to a British man using his position of representative of a UK charitable organisation to make money out of funds destined to help me have a better life (i am paralysed from chest down) for his own selfish ends.

Oh I've been attempted to be ripped off by all sorts here, but definitely some Brit pr1ck was the worst. And I'm British.

I think it may because there seem to be more of them here. On Phuket anyway.

[micmichd]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Yeah, I'm not sure why Nancy's taking so much heat over this. Even what's legal for some British "financial professionals" to do is against the law in some other countries. "Commissions for financial "products"? C'mon! Sure there are dodgy Americans, Australians and Europeans in that trade as well but the vast majority are British and the vast majority of those they cheat are British as well. Same applies to Hong Kong and Singapore. Drummond rings them up regularly:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/11/exclusive-hsbc-now-laundering-cash-for.html

it was wall street that perfected the derivative scams that almost brought the world economy down!!

Wall Street, The City, don't disagree. So are they now "iffy expats"?

the vast majority are americans

The vast majority are bankers.

[frank0424]

Hard to judge anyone by their clothes as a monkey in a suit is a monkey no less.

[toooa]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Perhaps ask yourself why in the back of your mind you're looking for faults in other expats as soon as you come across them, sizing them up, wondering what they're doing here, what their work is, are they 'straight arrow' etc., instead of just giving them the benefit of the doubt.

The wise man looks for faults in himself not others. If you find yourself being suspicious of others maybe it's a reflection of yourself.

I see this 'anti-expat' phenomenon a lot, essentially I think it stems from insecurity and not wanting an influx of other expats on your 'patch' making you feel less unique. So the tendency is to want to convince yourself they're below you in some way, broke, a criminal, desperado, 'iffy'.

Well said.... this is no place for tossers who have an inferiority complex and gloss it over by acting superior....and if it is, I'd rather not associate with such people.

[ATF]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Perhaps ask yourself why in the back of your mind you're looking for faults in other expats as soon as you come across them, sizing them up, wondering what they're doing here, what their work is, are they 'straight arrow' etc., instead of just giving them the benefit of the doubt.

The wise man looks for faults in himself not others. If you find yourself being suspicious of others maybe it's a reflection of yourself.

I see this 'anti-expat' phenomenon a lot, essentially I think it stems from insecurity and not wanting an influx of other expats on your 'patch' making you feel less unique. So the tendency is to want to convince yourself they're below you in some way, broke, a criminal, desperado, 'iffy'.

Well said.... this is no place for tossers who have an inferiority complex and gloss it over by acting superior....and if it is, I'd rather not associate with such people.

There's a Malteser stuck on your face.

[DaffyDuck]

Not if your willing to give up your US citizenship. Some of us have dual citizenship and can do that easily others can by applying thru ancestry or becoming a citizen of another country. You would be surprised how many US expats are doing that now.

170-200 per year. Not a significant amount. Numbers and names are public. It costs around $4,000 to do so.

As of this year, renouncing US citizenship for tax reasons is the equivalent of a felony.

[12DrinkMore]

treat people as you would in your home country

many expats expect you to relate here and you dont have to play the tourist role and prove anything to anybody

learn to not just give out personal info on why your here and how. its bs. you dont have to answer this stuff just because your in a new location. thailand is one of the best places there is to practice that skill of being your own man and not explaining everything to everybody. makes bar chatter difficult though, learn to have a conversation about something interesting

when you learn to be your own man and dont feel like you have to explain or give whatever is asked you become an extremely difficult target for scammers, in fact they will likely move to a softer target.

If anyone asks me what I do in Thailand and why I`m here, I tell them, have nothing to hide. As regards being scammed, I am not so gullible, I can smell BS from a mile off.

You must suffer from a constant stink.

There are few places on the globe 1 km distant from BS, it competes with stupidity.

Recently scientists have proven that the combined hidden mass of the two forces of BS and Stupidity comprises most of Earth's Dark Matter, which can even be observed from the Moon. It has a noticeable effect on the rotation of our planet, as the Dark Matter shows excessive concentrations over certain areas such as Thailand, Westminster, Washington and Brussels.

[smotherb]

treat people as you would in your home country

many expats expect you to relate here and you dont have to play the tourist role and prove anything to anybody

learn to not just give out personal info on why your here and how. its bs. you dont have to answer this stuff just because your in a new location. thailand is one of the best places there is to practice that skill of being your own man and not explaining everything to everybody. makes bar chatter difficult though, learn to have a conversation about something interesting

when you learn to be your own man and dont feel like you have to explain or give whatever is asked you become an extremely difficult target for scammers, in fact they will likely move to a softer target.

If anyone asks me what I do in Thailand and why I`m here, I tell them, have nothing to hide. As regards being scammed, I am not so gullible, I can smell BS from a mile off.

Smelling the BS may not be enough, some can be very fragrant. I make it a point to talk to everyone, but keep them at arms length until I know them better. I give no one money unless immediate gratification in the form of equally valued goods or services is received there and then. I have been an expat for almost 50 years, and I have seen many scams, or attempted ones, from male and female, local and expat. It seems every country has its share of shysters, scams, and iffy characters. I've known of swindles in every country I've ever been; although, they seem to flourish in the lesser developed countries frequented by expats. I see susceptible people being conned all the time--just take a look at the tales of woe posted herein. The old saying, "There's a sucker born every minute," appears to be all too true.

[orpheus454]

Others were being too polite:

Excellent point Mr. Toad. I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but yes, having been involved in these type of clubs in my home country, I've been a little surprised with what I've heard about them in the beach resort areas of Thailand.

I've heard other expats say this happens in other expat parts of the world, too -- in Spain, the Middle East, etc. It seems to be a British problem, where British con men gather to try to pry money out of their fellow countrymen. Maybe has something to do with the way their pension system works. Doesn't much matter with U.S. expats -- we're going to owe Uncle Sam taxes no matter where we live.

This is a blinkered, ignorant and offensive post that is saying "The British seem to pry money out of each other... whereas it doesn't apply to Americans because they have to pay taxes to their government."

Apart from the xenophobic slant and grossly generalized world view, it's attempting to claim American people are better than British yet, highly ironically, only based on being forced to pay money to their government.

I wonder what kinds of gross generalizations this poster would make behind closed doors about all kinds of other people.

You won't be voting for Nancy, then...?

[Patsycat]

Now for a little cat interlude.

[orpheus454]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Yep, I'm a Brit too, and I think it's an inbreeding issue.

The Australians began as our outcasts, and I've always wondered why they now seem to be superior to us in most every way.

Most of them don't smell, either...

[orpheus454]

One guy I knew from CM conned a certain Rotary Club by telling them his daughter needed an operation which could only be performed overseas.

So they raised about a million baht, he had a nice holiday, returned to Thailand and bought a brand new pick-up truck. He wasn't British.

No-one's suggesting that all crooks are British...

...just most.

[Beetlejuice]

I'd say there are more Ex pat wrong-uns in Thailand than elsewhere in Asia. Probably because it used to be easy to come here with no money and eek out a living working without a Work Visa. Some of those people are ok I'm sure, but being skint in a foreign country doesn't usually bring the best out in people

I would guess that the Philippines is well ahead of Thailand regarding unsavoury farangs.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Beetlejuice

[NoshowJones]

BTW Nancy, your post seems to have an Anti British slant to it.

Can you blame her? I bet she's glad she wasn't born there.

[awayego]

The only reason I read, and occasionally post on, ThaiVisa is to remind me why I avoid most farang like the plague in the first place.

I'm not saying there aren't any 'nice' farang worthy of a nod or smile occasionally but, generally speaking, I've usually found them to be opinionated, 'all-knowing' (though frequently vapid), self-satisfied BS'ers.

They also spoil the illusion of being in a foreign country.

Just saying like.

[NoshowJones]

I have mentioned in these threads many times in the past regarding unregistered self appointed do gooders that are not regulated and answerable to no one, seem to have their fingers in many pies and could be placing the too trusting and the vulnerable at risk.

This is something I find very concerning, especially when these outfits start becoming businesses and more on a commercial level rather than just social activities completely run on a voluntary basis

As regards the OP, my opinion is; never judge ex-pats we don`t know on face value and to treat with caution, especially when money is involved, the simple solution being once money is demanded for whatever reasons is to walk away and don`t become involved with these outfits and people.

I am at a loss to understand NancyL comments that ex-pat conmen is a British problem? Total nonsense. Those who are credible, seen to be credible and who`s organisations have good reputations have no need to be constantly on the defence by hitting back with smart answers.

I have not yet met an uncredible ex pat who is not British, but met three who are British, but in fairness, I know a lot more expats from Britain, than any other countries, and my three best friends are British.

[NoshowJones]

@David could you and your bunch of merry jokers who have nothing to ad to this topic but inane drivel from dusk till go back to poster of the year topic.

I think this post is very unfair, David is among our better posters.

[AYJAYDEE]

I have mentioned in these threads many times in the past regarding unregistered self appointed do gooders that are not regulated and answerable to no one, seem to have their fingers in many pies and could be placing the too trusting and the vulnerable at risk.

This is something I find very concerning, especially when these outfits start becoming businesses and more on a commercial level rather than just social activities completely run on a voluntary basis

As regards the OP, my opinion is; never judge ex-pats we don`t know on face value and to treat with caution, especially when money is involved, the simple solution being once money is demanded for whatever reasons is to walk away and don`t become involved with these outfits and people.

I am at a loss to understand NancyL comments that ex-pat conmen is a British problem? Total nonsense. Those who are credible, seen to be credible and who`s organisations have good reputations have no need to be constantly on the defence by hitting back with smart answers.

I have not yet met an uncredible ex pat who is not British, but met three who are British, but in fairness, I know a lot more expats from Britain, than any other countries, and my three best friends are British.

well I think thats a bit harsh. some of them are truthful.

uncredible (ʌnˈkrɛdɪbəl)

Definitions

adjective

1. (archaic) not able to be believed

[NoshowJones]

"There is a constant debate as to what constitutes the 'right' of 'wrong' type of expat.

How does one differentiate?"

Your op smacks of elitism and frankly it's an imature question. Here is a clue for you. Judge people on their actions, not their looks.

One of my best friends is British, he is fat, ugly, facial haired, and covered in tattoos, but he is decent, honest and generous, and has never been known to do anyone a bad turn.

[marko kok prong]

Dont write off the Singha Vest guys too soon.... Most are very decent people... As you already pointed out - the ones that pretend to be well connected ie: expats/lions/rotary clubs etc.. are the ones that do the most damage..

Agree,it's the Chang vests,you have to watch out for.

[fey]

No bashing intended here and I am a Brit, but I have to say that of all the western expats I've met over the past twenty years of being here (permanently and as a visitor) the dodgy ones have always been Brits and I'm not sure why that is. Just an observation.

Thank you for coming forward with this observtion, Chiang Mai. And for disclosing that you're a Brit.

I knew I'd get bashed for making the observation I did in the previous page (and I probably lost votes for it) but I've heard others make the same observation, too.

I'm not anti-Brit. I'm just at a loss to understand why both the con-men and the victims seem to be disproportionately British. Trying to make sense of it. And I don't think it's totally fair to blame good social service organizations. If the OP and others are trying to come up with an explanation for the phenomenon, can't another slant be offered? One that doesn't just blame the social service organizations entirely?

And imply that everyone who assumes a leadership role in those organizations also has the same motivation? That, I suspect, is really what some posters are on about.

I think it has something to do with how many Brits are in Thailand. I agree most doggy news items about Western scammers (not ATM fraud that is Eastern European) are often Brits. My personal experience was always with drunk / alcohol abusing Brits, but maybe because I noticed that when I was still a teen, i kept noticing it later on in life too. Just like the black fortuner thing, once you notice one as driving like an ass you will see more and more of them because you focus on them.

I seldom see something about the Dutch and being Dutch I know we are no angels, just a lot less of us. So I think it could be a case of having many Brits, and a bit of personal bias.

had some brits move in next door in chiang mai. they would smoke weed almost daily and it would waft over, later found out they were shooting porno scenes outside in the common yard area in the daytime behind sheets they would hang up acting like they were sunbathing. it was all lowlife druggie types that would come in from the uk.

drinking, overweight, loud lowlifes. the whole area lost face. one guy was really fat and had long unkept hair and would come up to me or just appear within eyeshot. what a fat f*k loser. hated the guy.

there goes the neighborhood!