About to be homeless - any suggestions?

[lovelomsak]

Heres my advice if thats all you are asking for. Try every embassy in Bangkok not just your countries. Use the shot gun approach. It appears you have internet so email any and everyone you know from your past in your home country and tell them your situation and ask for help. I mean everyone,friends,employers,banks anyone and everyone. Find a chat room in your home country and get on. The longer you wait the harde it will be when money is gone.

[nicolas18]

Heres my advice if thats all you are asking for. Try every embassy in Bangkok not just your countries. Use the shot gun approach. It appears you have internet so email any and everyone you know from your past in your home country and tell them your situation and ask for help. I mean everyone,friends,employers,banks anyone and everyone. Find a chat room in your home country and get on. The longer you wait the harde it will be when money is gone.

thanks

[DipStick]

Its hard to believe there is no one in your life who would be prepared to help you.

Best of luck in any case.

Six months ago, I would have said that I was certain that, if I ever faced serious issues, plenty of people would have been there to lend me a hand. Then those issues happened and I realized no one either wants or can help me.

Nicholas, welcome to the big world. Don't expect others to breast feed you, I would suggest many on this forum are probably in the same situation as yourself, that may be another valid reason why you are not getting the finances you appear to be asking. Break away, do things for yourself, raise your air ticket, pay your overstay fine and start again. DONT expect charity

[jamiesmith]

The only solution is to get some money and you need it for free...but the problem is if anyone was handing out free money there would be a very long line.

[chonabot]

My own advice would be to find more writing work

Just Google 'article writers wanted' and you'll soon have some options

Best of Luck!

[DipStick]

Get a teaching job out in a rural area. They will take a non native speaker out there. A lot of schools have teacher housing, find one that will let you stay for free. Live like a monk and save money and get your visa sorted out. It might take a while but you can survive.

Oh DP 25 great advice to one who is an overstayer. Brilliant suggestion !

[plachon]

I would not normally offer advice on a forum like this to someone who I do not know, based on relatively scant information, but I will make an exception here. You are clearly intelligent and articulate, but have fallen on hard times, not helped by a mental illness (depression), which will have combined and added with your physical health to leave you in this predicament.

You are both broke and in trouble with the Thai law. You could end up in the immigration prison, unless you get the money together to pay for your overstay fine. If you really have no one to rely on who you can borrow from, then your only option is to return to your embassy, throw yourself at their mercy, borrow the money for the overstay fine and a one way ticket to Belgium, and worry about everything else once you get back to Belgium.

Trying to figure out how to stay in Thailand any longer in your state could be seriously bad for your mental and physical health......don't believe me.....just go and check out an immigration jail. Oh, and the final piece of advice is, don't try to respond and answer to every post on TV, as that will not do your mental health any favours either.

Good luck.

[silverado]

I would not normally offer advice on a forum like this to someone who I do not know, based on relatively scant information, but I will make an exception here. You are clearly intelligent and articulate, but have fallen on hard times, not helped by a mental illness (depression), which will have combined and added with your physical health to leave you in this predicament.

You are both broke and in trouble with the Thai law. You could end up in the immigration prison, unless you get the money together to pay for your overstay fine. If you really have no one to rely on who you can borrow from, then your only option is to return to your embassy, throw yourself at their mercy, borrow the money for the overstay fine and a one way ticket to Belgium, and worry about everything else once you get back to Belgium.

Trying to figure out how to stay in Thailand any longer in your state could be seriously bad for your mental and physical health......don't believe me.....just go and check out an immigration jail. Oh, and the final piece of advice is, don't try to respond and answer to every post on TV, as that will not do your mental health any favours either.

Good luck.

best advice

[55Jay]

Every obvious avenue is a non-starter with you. I get the feeling you are looking for more than suggestions here.

Start selling stuff, and start calling those friends and family you don't have.

See my reply to the post above. You don't believe me? Fine. At this point, I can't say I really give a damn. I do truly appreciate the fact that the majority of people here spent time giving constructive advice, but I lack the willpower at the moment to deal with trolls.

Also, over the past six months, I have already sold everything I own. I wouldn't be asking for advice if I had a car, an iPhone or an expensive gold chain lying around.

Finally, I'm not looking for a handout. I was asking for advice.

So, 6 months ago, you were selling off your personal property to make ends meet, and didn't have the bloody sense to start thinking of a Plan B?

What device and internet connection are you using to reach out to anonymous strangers for suggestions in General Topics?

Come on, you're pulling our plonker. I call troll.

[puukao]

OP........OP..........first, laugh. smile. the haters on here are just having fun, so don't let it drain your energy. ok, you might be homeless, broke, ruined.....oh, life is over!!! of course not. i am sure many people are much closer to homeless than they would like to believe, and they are not homeless because they keep a life they hate. weird thing..

advice? sure, teach english if possible. go to a cheaper place.....apply for english teaching in china and have them pay some things for you. have the deep talk with landlord.....see if he can give you 6 more months....

just try to do something positive every day, little steps forward, keep trying, don't give up...no drugs, keep a clear mind. it's to easy to give up....don't do that.

[phil2]

You could try some of the Churches here.

[55Jay]

And stop being so smug and critical of the people on this forum - old codgers, fat, especially those on small pensions because in your not so humble opinion, they don't add any value to Thailand.

And now you ask us fat old codgers, et al, for suggestions and get all sensitive if criticized.

I'll quit busting your balls, tip my hat and bid you good luck in your dilemma.

/rolls eyes

[Walter Travolta]

Really not sure about how much chance you have of going up country and getting a teaching job so maybe the best thing is to stick to what you know - writing. Failing that, why not ask your landlord if you can work your rent off by cleaning or whatever other opportunities the accom may offer. Failing that it seems joining the monks may be your last resort or going to the jungle and becoming a muay thai punchbag for a few thousand baht a fight?

Or if you can get to Vietnam you can teach there but Im not sure how far down the preverbial shute you are to help yourself into a better situation.

I got ill (DVT) in May/June time this year and when I realised what I may have to pay for medical care in Thailand (uninsured) I am now back in my home country being cared for on the NHS.

Maybe if you could have gotten back to Belgium while you had some funds you might not be in the mess you find yourself. Sorry if I sound like I am bolting the barn door long after the horse has bolted but always best to be safe than sorry. I realise that it would be an uncomfortableflight with your condition but flying with DVT isnt too great either!

Best of luck I hope you get on the right road to being where you want to be

[RolandRat]

First and foremost you must address your legal status, if you get stopped on a routine check or stupid accident you'll end up in the Thai slammer (IDC) and there you will rot/remain, game over pal!

So, one way or another get that sorted, once it is, you can relax a little, look for work, travel without worry to find whatever it is you need/want. Whether that be into a neighboring country or remaining in Thailand on appropriate Visa or even going "home".

BUT make no mistake, get caught here illegally and your out of options, as according to you there is NO ONE who is going to rescue you.

Sorry if that seems harsh pal, but that's the reality of your situation, and if your Landlord knows any of your situation HE might even make that call, be careful, be lucky, best of luck.

Hard lesson to learn, but family and friends are a very important and should be cherished, sorry you seem to have neither and that's something else you really need to examine in the future, they are more important than any money or material possession.

Edited August 23, 2015 by RolandRat

[HeijoshinCool]

Would it be fair to say that you, like hundreds if not thousands of others have assisted in your own downfall. As soon as I read that you will have to pay to leave Thailand, meaning you are a voluntary over stayer, then my sympathy when down the plug hole.

Not only are you a possible illegal over stayer, but reading your "story" which seems to hinge on a physical issue, that can and does happen to many, but you at 38 did not consider this a possibility that could occur, and plan and save for it.

Suggest you borrow your overstay fine, get the hell out of Dodge then get yourself sorted in your home country then pay the bills you owe in Thailand.

Well that is if you are honourable, but if your are one of the generation who considers the world owes you a living, then good luck

.

Your name is well-chosen.

[fish fingers]

What a position to be in. Normally I'm not that receptive to foreigners down on their luck in Thailand but I really hope you can find a solution. Having been there a few years back I know how it feels.

I take it your physical health is now OK. Maybe look at a live-in bar job on a more remote island like Lipe or somewhere like that? I know of a few farangs working there without a visa etc.

Edited August 23, 2015 by fish fingers

[konying]

Going home would be your best option, however i do understand your position, no family and/or friends back home.

Check out Odesk.com and Freelance.com and Elance.com

All 3 sites are platforms connecting providors with employers.

Basically people post jobs, jobs such as creating writing, marketing writing, blog writing, virtual agent etc.

You bid on this jobs and so on

Keep in mind you would be competing with millions from India and Bangladesh, who often will bid very low, waste time and provide nothing.

Because of that, many employers not only hide jobs from certain regions(available feature) but also prefer to give jobs to Western origin people.

Keep your bids low to gain feedback/reputation and go from there.

There are literally millions of jobs posted daily.

[HeijoshinCool]

The sailboat idea is a good one. I have direct knowledge that it's been done before. Find a busy marina and ask around, but be sure to cut the "woe is me" look from your face and voice. Keep any promises you make.

Teaching for a year somewhere remote is also valid. Even at 15k per month, if you don't spend it on beer, you should save enough for the overstay and a ticket in a year and a half.

Hope is the strongest human emotion.

This too shall pass.

[konying]

sounds like looking for handouts and a sucker to give money

at 30 prime of life should be working not on drugs here

Thanks a lot for your amazing advice.

If I may, I would like to give you some advice as well:

- You may want to thoroughly read a thread before commenting on it. I'm not on drugs and I'm not 30.

- I hope nothing will ever happen to you, be it an accident, an illness, the death of a loved one or any other thing life sometimes likes to throw at people. Because then you would know how bad it makes you feel when you are down and people use it to throw one final little jab at you. Yes, like you just did here.

I like to let you know, you are not the only one in same situation.

I lost my entire family 2 years ago and am alone just like yourself, strangely enough i am 39.

I know exactly where you coming from and what you mean.

But you have to keep in mind, life MUST go on and you MUST take care yourself, because there is no one else out there who would.

When my mother died, i did not have access to immediate money, and in my home country funeral was going to cost over $15 000

None of my friends or my mothers friends were willing to help, being well aware they would be repaid in less than 3 months, after sale of the property.

My millionaire friends all over sudden had no money.

The reason why i am telling you all these is because you MUST get yourself together and get on with your life.

I am not taking a jab at you, but hoping to motivate you from experience,

I will add, after i lost entire family, i hit the bottle on regular basis and even now, 2 years later have days, sometimes weeks when i hit it again, because when i think about what has happened and disappointment over friends and everything else related, drinking becomes the only solution for the day.

Do not do what i did and still doing. Does not help with reality.

I found my peace with rescuing animals, i now have quite a few, do NOT do that either, its expansive and really hard work, but if you can have 1, do it.

Read my previous post about work sites, and get on it ASAP, and as many have suggested, get a teaching job in the middle of nowhere, i doubt they would be checking for anything.

Once you save up some money, do a visa run, and pay off your landlord in installments. I know it sounds BIG, but baby steps and i am certain you would be back on your feet in less than a year with teaching and internet work

If you want to talk or more detail, just PM me.

Edited August 23, 2015 by konying

[chonabot]

sounds like looking for handouts and a sucker to give money

at 30 prime of life should be working not on drugs here

Thanks a lot for your amazing advice.

If I may, I would like to give you some advice as well:

- You may want to thoroughly read a thread before commenting on it. I'm not on drugs and I'm not 30.

- I hope nothing will ever happen to you, be it an accident, an illness, the death of a loved one or any other thing life sometimes likes to throw at people. Because then you would know how bad it makes you feel when you are down and people use it to throw one final little jab at you. Yes, like you just did here.

I like to let you know, you are not the only one in same situation.

I lost my entire family 2 years ago and am alone just like yourself, strangely enough i am 39.

I know exactly where you coming from and what you mean.

But you have to keep in mind, life MUST go on and you MUST take care yourself, because there is no one else out there who would.

When my mother died, i did not have access to immediate money, and in my home country funeral was going to cost over $15 000

None of my friends or my mothers friends were willing to help, being well aware they would be repaid in less than 3 months, after sale of the property.

My millionaire friends all over sudden had no money.

The reason why i am telling you all these is because you MUST get yourself together and get on with your life.

I am not taking a jab at you, but hoping to motivate you from experience,

I will add, after i lost entire family, i hit the bottle on regular basis and even now, 2 years later have days, sometimes weeks when i hit it again, because when i think about what has happened and disappointment over friends and everything else related, drinking becomes the only solution for the day.

Do not do what i did and still doing. Does not help with reality.

I found my peace with rescuing animals, i now have quite a few, do NOT do that either, its expansive and really hard work, but if you can have 1, do it.

Read my previous post about work sites, and get on it ASAP, and as many have suggested, get a teaching job in the middle of nowhere, i doubt they would be checking for anything.

Once you save up some money, do a visa run, and pay off your landlord in installments. I know it sounds BIG, but baby steps and i am certain you would be back on your feet in less than a year with teaching and internet work

If you want to talk or more detail, just PM me.

Great advice from someone who has been there

On another point, ODesk is now Upwork

https://www.upwork.com/

I use this site for graphic designers and also get paid writing work now and then - if you can write and have access to a computer/internet cafe - do it!

[konying]

sounds like looking for handouts and a sucker to give money

at 30 prime of life should be working not on drugs here

Thanks a lot for your amazing advice.

If I may, I would like to give you some advice as well:

- You may want to thoroughly read a thread before commenting on it. I'm not on drugs and I'm not 30.

- I hope nothing will ever happen to you, be it an accident, an illness, the death of a loved one or any other thing life sometimes likes to throw at people. Because then you would know how bad it makes you feel when you are down and people use it to throw one final little jab at you. Yes, like you just did here.

I like to let you know, you are not the only one in same situation.

I lost my entire family 2 years ago and am alone just like yourself, strangely enough i am 39.

I know exactly where you coming from and what you mean.

But you have to keep in mind, life MUST go on and you MUST take care yourself, because there is no one else out there who would.

When my mother died, i did not have access to immediate money, and in my home country funeral was going to cost over $15 000

None of my friends or my mothers friends were willing to help, being well aware they would be repaid in less than 3 months, after sale of the property.

My millionaire friends all over sudden had no money.

The reason why i am telling you all these is because you MUST get yourself together and get on with your life.

I am not taking a jab at you, but hoping to motivate you from experience,

I will add, after i lost entire family, i hit the bottle on regular basis and even now, 2 years later have days, sometimes weeks when i hit it again, because when i think about what has happened and disappointment over friends and everything else related, drinking becomes the only solution for the day.

Do not do what i did and still doing. Does not help with reality.

I found my peace with rescuing animals, i now have quite a few, do NOT do that either, its expansive and really hard work, but if you can have 1, do it.

Read my previous post about work sites, and get on it ASAP, and as many have suggested, get a teaching job in the middle of nowhere, i doubt they would be checking for anything.

Once you save up some money, do a visa run, and pay off your landlord in installments. I know it sounds BIG, but baby steps and i am certain you would be back on your feet in less than a year with teaching and internet work

If you want to talk or more detail, just PM me.

Great advice from someone who has been there

On another point, ODesk is now Upwork

https://www.upwork.com/

I use this site for graphic designers and also get paid writing work now and then - if you can write and have access to a computer/internet cafe - do it!

Yes, sorry upwork, i still type in odesk and it redirects.

Been using it for 15 years

[phetphet]

Perhaps see if there are some charities that might be able to help you. Is there a Salvation Army in BKK?

[robertthebruce]

sounds like looking for handouts and a sucker to give money

at 30 prime of life should be working not on drugs here

Thanks a lot for your amazing advice.

If I may, I would like to give you some advice as well:

- You may want to thoroughly read a thread before commenting on it. I'm not on drugs and I'm not 30.

- I hope nothing will ever happen to you, be it an accident, an illness, the death of a loved one or any other thing life sometimes likes to throw at people. Because then you would know how bad it makes you feel when you are down and people use it to throw one final little jab at you. Yes, like you just did here.

I like to let you know, you are not the only one in same situation.

I lost my entire family 2 years ago and am alone just like yourself, strangely enough i am 39.

I know exactly where you coming from and what you mean.

But you have to keep in mind, life MUST go on and you MUST take care yourself, because there is no one else out there who would.

When my mother died, i did not have access to immediate money, and in my home country funeral was going to cost over $15 000

None of my friends or my mothers friends were willing to help, being well aware they would be repaid in less than 3 months, after sale of the property.

My millionaire friends all over sudden had no money.

The reason why i am telling you all these is because you MUST get yourself together and get on with your life.

I am not taking a jab at you, but hoping to motivate you from experience,

I will add, after i lost entire family, i hit the bottle on regular basis and even now, 2 years later have days, sometimes weeks when i hit it again, because when i think about what has happened and disappointment over friends and everything else related, drinking becomes the only solution for the day.

Do not do what i did and still doing. Does not help with reality.

I found my peace with rescuing animals, i now have quite a few, do NOT do that either, its expansive and really hard work, but if you can have 1, do it.

Read my previous post about work sites, and get on it ASAP, and as many have suggested, get a teaching job in the middle of nowhere, i doubt they would be checking for anything.

Once you save up some money, do a visa run, and pay off your landlord in installments. I know it sounds BIG, but baby steps and i am certain you would be back on your feet in less than a year with teaching and internet work

If you want to talk or more detail, just PM me.

Excellent Post..... Heart Warming ........ There is always HOPE

[slipperylobster]

Heres my advice if thats all you are asking for. Try every embassy in Bangkok not just your countries. Use the shot gun approach. It appears you have internet so email any and everyone you know from your past in your home country and tell them your situation and ask for help. I mean everyone,friends,employers,banks anyone and everyone. Find a chat room in your home country and get on. The longer you wait the harde it will be when money is gone.

shot gun approach at the embassy....not a good choice of words. I know what you mean, though.

[slipperylobster]

Making friends here is tough, even when you have money.

In your situation..it is even harder.

Thailand is obviously not where you want to be, if you have nothing.

Hang out at Koh Chang Island. Lots of backpacker budget accomodations near Lonely Beach.

At least the scenery is nice. You might ask simple accomodations at a few of the lower end bungalows.

You cannot legally work, but there might be something you could do on the sly....for room and board.

Pretty empty now. I would not stay in a place like Bangkok..with no money.

As I mentioned earlier...after a matter of time..you might run into somebody with a boat...passing through.

Word of mouth, and an honest reputation, might get you passage out of the area,...and you might even get a small salary.

It was easy for me to chat with people at some of those ..out of the way, bungalow type places. I backpacked for a year (I was sandbagging it...I actually have a decent retirement income). I found Koh Chang very laid back and good for getting my head screwed on straight. Lonely beach was pretty empty in September...and I had no problem talking with some of the long staying, foreign business people there. I noticed (at that time) a low presence of immigration people/police...but now it might be different.

Like I said....you could actually run into some kind of positive situation there..which is what you need.

As others said...no handouts available..but perhaps food and accomodation for some ("illegal") work.

[gk10002000]

What is your nationality?

Do you have continuing health problems?

Have you worked in your home country and if so, for home long? Your writing sounds like you're from the U.S. If so, perhaps it would be worth returning and applying for disability and maybe returning.

Lots of people live here on U.S. disability income.

If the OP were from the USA, disability might be an option, however, even that i thought was based on some sort of income and while there are ways to file for it, most people I know used an attorney that knows all the ins and outs. It can take quite a while to get a proper claim filed and payments started. If you have been working overseas, that is unlikely to speed up any process through a judge or court back in the USA. Although I don't know what the minimum payouts if any are. If US, what state would you attempt to file in? I have a relative on disability, but I don't know the details or if it is even possible to file a claim while not in the USA and not ever have worked in a US state. Seems like it might be possible, but I don't know. anyway OP is Belgium.

Edited August 23, 2015 by gk10002000

[Toknarok]

I'd say your number one priority is to get out of Bangkok. With the increased security after the bombing it's only a matter of time before some army or police detail will check you out

The sugestions that you try to persue your writing carrear seem valid. You are articulate in English so presumably are fluent in French and Flemish.Surely there must be something out there. Nowadays with the net you can work from anywhere.

Good luck.

[craigt3365]

Tough situation. You should have done something before you go to this point. I would have headed home a long time ago. With no income, your country is better prepared to help out. As for income, have you thought about teaching English online? Just a thought. Best of luck.

[crazykopite]

Get a teaching job out in a rural area. They will take a non native speaker out there. A lot of schools have teacher housing, find one that will let you stay for free. Live like a monk and save money and get your visa sorted out. It might take a while but you can survive.

The guy has got bad / deep depression I do not think this would be a very good idea working at a school ! I think going into a temple for 6 months to sort his issues out may well be a very good idea that is what Thai's do when they have a drink or social problem !!!!

[NeverSure]

I'm sorry, I can't help with this one other than to hope the OP learns from it. In almost all airplane crashes, the cause can be traced back to a series of bad decisions based out of poor judgement. Weather, fuel supply, load, balance, a thorough walk around of the plane called a pre-flight exam, etc. etc. In any case those decisions lead right and directly to the point of impact.

OP, since I can't make your decisions for you I don't feel responsible to help you. I think you need this rough patch to learn some lessons. There's enough advice offered already that I just hope you latch onto something and run with it.

Good luck.