Advice For Homeless Brit Guy

[I Go With You]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

[Couthy]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

Simple answer : IDC.

It's not as bad as some say, especially for caucasians.

Food, water, clean abolutions.

Best he starts the process somehow to get home.

Otherwise.............who knows.

Cheers,

Couthy.

[taxexile]

He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang.

He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food.

he seems to have got his priorities wrong.

[skippybangkok]

Well, what has he got to loose ? Not much I guess. From what I know, go to the authorities, i think they will put him away, goes to court in a jiffy, and some how will be deported ( not sure who pays ).

But I suspect sleeping on a thai bench would be more amicable that on the cold streets of London at this time of year !

[backflip]

Assuming you give him enough money for his overstay, and he goes on his visa run, then what?

Are you going to adopt him? Did his briefcase contain sufficient funds so that he could have stayed in Thialand, living the life of Riley? Forget what he's expecting, what are you expecting from all of this?

[taxexile]

Assuming you give him enough money for his overstay

this is no time for sentimentality , get real.

[Wolfie]

He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang.

He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food.

he seems to have got his priorities wrong.

Indeed... if he was that concerned with the direction his life is taking, why doesn't he contact his embassy? surely they can help him? (and if they cant/wont he should just camp out at the embassy until they can/do!)

[samtam]

The embassy will definitely assist - maybe only in getting touch with relatives etc, who could fund him the requisite fine. Sounds as though the problem is far more serious though; more of a mental block

[poorfarang]

This is the kind of trash that thailand is trying to get rid of with these new visa laws.

Seems like a smart fellow, eating trash so he can spend his cash on beer. Wow

[helicoptor]

Sad, Pathetic Story but it ain't your problem, this will sort itself out without your input.

The guy was a teacher so should have the minerals upstairs to figure out what to do thats right for him.

Money for beer? scroungin in bins, if you want to be a good samaritan at least choose a subject that isnt a sad case like this one - plenty of soi dogs that through no fault of their own have ended up on the streets hungry - help one of them

[Douggie Style]

This is quandary..my immediate reaction is one of suspicion...however if this is genuine, I will kick in a few baht, whether he wants to go home or not, he needs a few coins...better than eating garbage.

As to how to get it checked out???

[CRUNCHER]

This is the kind of trash that thailand is trying to get rid of with these new visa laws.

Seems like a smart fellow, eating trash so he can spend his cash on beer. Wow

Spot on Poorfarang.

This man a teacher??? How would you like someone like him, with his sense of moral responsibility, teaching your kids?

I can have sympathy for peolple with problems, but not with those who do not try to help themselves.

I Go With You - If you want to do something positive just turn him in. If not just keep out of it or perhaps keep him supplied with Chang

[Douggie Style]

So the consensus seems to be the embassy will help him out.

Which assumes he wants help and is not suffering from some type of mental illness.

'I Go With You' are you going to have another word with him? if so can you kindly update the thread.

thanks.

BTW is he suffering from any obvious mental impairment (excluding the chaang)

[Lite Beer]

Try buying him Chang Light. Much more beneficial.

[taxexile]

i think all the embassy will do is try and contact a friend or relative back in the uk to send some money over to pay for his fare home , assuming he wants to go home.

i would imagine if he has allowed his life to deteriorate to such an extent that he is eating out of garbage cans and sleeping rough then he has psychological problems.

just giving him cash is not likely to solve anything , better to feed him.

if he wants help , then take him to the embassy and get the process started.

Edited November 13, 2006 by taxexile

[Robski]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

I find this hard to believe, that you are in a city but have never come across a jakey before, in your naivety if you really are just a good heart 'I go with you' , ask the guy if he would like help contacting the embassy, if he does, fine help him do that, otherwise stay well away from him, he will drag you down with him.

[Mentors]

This is the kind of trash that thailand is trying to get rid of with these new visa laws.

exactly my thought!

Edited November 13, 2006 by Mentors

[Morty]

This is the kind of trash that thailand is trying to get rid of with these new visa laws.

Seems like a smart fellow, eating trash so he can spend his cash on beer. Wow

Just out of curiosity. How would you recon these new visa laws would hinder

anyone/everyone to overstay the same way they've allways done?

Visas are for ppl who wants to follow the law of the land, and it's not getting easier,

that's for sure

I totaly agree that this is the kind of trash should be deported/ blacklisted.

Problem solved

But then again

TiT

Morty

[rocky]

I know a guy that went through exactly the same thing here in Pattaya some 10 years ago, Started out on holiday, then stayed on. When his money ran out he contacted his family back in the UK who soon got tired of giving their hard earnt money away. Eventually the police picked him up, prison. When he was released the English embassy had paid his airfare. He was transported onto the plane by gun point and the handcuffs only released when he was sitting in his chair. When he arrived back in the UK his passport was stamped on every page. He now was unable to leave the UK until the money was paid back to the government for the air ticket.

The problem now is most airlines will not take overstayers as they are not happy with prisoners being escorted on to the plane in front of other passengers by gun point.

You new friend has some big problems ahead.

A I see it you have 3 choices

1) Walk away

2) Pay his fine plus airfare home (if he has one)

3) Try to collect money to pay for number 2

[Pink Mist]

I know a guy that went through exactly the same thing here in Pattaya some 10 years ago, Started out on holiday, then stayed on. When his money ran out he contacted his family back in the UK who soon got tired of giving their hard earnt money away. Eventually the police picked him up, prison. When he was released the English embassy had paid his airfare. He was transported onto the plane by gun point and the handcuffs only released when he was sitting in his chair. When he arrived back in the UK his passport was stamped on every page. He now was unable to leave the UK until the money was paid back to the government for the air ticket.

The problem now is most airlines will not take overstayers as they are not happy with prisoners being escorted on to the plane in front of other passengers by gun point.

You new friend has some big problems ahead.

A I see it you have 3 choices

1) Walk away

2) Pay his fine plus airfare home (if he has one)

3) Try to collect money to pay for number 2

A voice of reason and genuine options

[libya 115]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

I have read this post several times and accept that what you say is true, in good faith.

There are many people in Thailand 'down on their luck'. There are also many who are at 'overstay status'.

This man is homeless, and drinking Chang beer from cans, (probably cheaper by bottle), but I might guess you are using the English parlance, of 'down and outs' drinking cans of beer. You also say he is "about 53"; could you be more precise?

This man, might be very happy with his predicament. In every country of the world there are 'down and outs' living as they choose, short of money, yet at peace with the world, content and without mental anguish.

I suggest, that you help this man, by offering food and shelter, but not with cash. Sooner or later local police will demand to see his passport, then he will be processed and deported.

[englishoak]

So he's been here on overstay for years??. This is a guy who was supposedly an English teacher so he must have some braincells and reasoning.

As he's managed to survive this long and still has'nt bothered to arrange savings for his trip home I find it hard to believe this is not self induced.

The world is full of dropouts who refuse to live in the real world for one reason or another.As other posters have said the embassy will help out and contact relatives etc. I suspect however you are not the first who has tried to help.

It is my personal experience that if he is more bothered drinking Chang than saving for his trip he is probably a lost cause.Sad as it may seem there are far too many out there not in the least bit bothered about helping themselves.

It reminds me of a lowlife I came across in Bangkok living like a bum off the goodwill of Thai street sellers, ex English teacher, bad luck story,always sleeping in bars, the street etc ......

Turned out he was an ex heroine junkie from the UK. Subletting his council alotted flat...... getting his mate to claim his dole and drug allowance...... and getting a fat cheque of about £1000 sent every month that he would piss away within a fortnight, only to repeat his begging antics..... The real problem I had with him is he'd managed to have a baby with a local girl and was always telling her how he would take care of her back in the UK for the past 2 years,but she was the one who was working selling everyday while mum looked after the baby. He too was overstay by about 2 years........ eventually he beat her up once too often so I shopped him to the police........ don't know the outcome for him but the girl is doing nicely still selling t shirts in bangers and still thanks me everytime I see her.

[Jamesy_863]

So he's been here on overstay for years??. This is a guy who was supposedly an English teacher so he must have some braincells and reasoning.

As he's managed to survive this long and still has'nt bothered to arrange savings for his trip home I find it hard to believe this is not self induced.

The world is full of dropouts who refuse to live in the real world for one reason or another.As other posters have said the embassy will help out and contact relatives etc. I suspect however you are not the first who has tried to help.

It is my personal experience that if he is more bothered drinking Chang than saving for his trip he is probably a lost cause.Sad as it may seem there are far too many out there not in the least bit bothered about helping themselves.

It reminds me of a lowlife I came across in Bangkok living like a bum off the goodwill of Thai street sellers, ex English teacher, bad luck story,always sleeping in bars, the street etc ......

Turned out he was an ex heroine junkie from the UK. Subletting his council alotted flat...... getting his mate to claim his dole and drug allowance...... and getting a fat cheque of about £1000 sent every month that he would piss away within a fortnight, only to repeat his begging antics..... The real problem I had with him is he'd managed to have a baby with a local girl and was always telling her how he would take care of her back in the UK for the past 2 years,but she was the one who was working selling everyday while mum looked after the baby. He too was overstay by about 2 years........ eventually he beat her up once too often so I shopped him to the police........ don't know the outcome for him but the girl is doing nicely still selling t shirts in bangers and still thanks me everytime I see her.

Nice one, id say you done the right thing be getting her life back to normal, well done!

As for the teacher id say buy him some food and have a talk about bringing him to the embassy.

Edited November 13, 2006 by Jamesy_863

[I Go With You]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

I have read this post several times and accept that what you say is true, in good faith.

There are many people in Thailand 'down on their luck'. There are also many who are at 'overstay status'.

This man is homeless, and drinking Chang beer from cans, (probably cheaper by bottle), but I might guess you are using the English parlance, of 'down and outs' drinking cans of beer. You also say he is "about 53"; could you be more precise?

This man, might be very happy with his predicament. In every country of the world there are 'down and outs' living as they choose, short of money, yet at peace with the world, content and without mental anguish.

I suggest, that you help this man, by offering food and shelter, but not with cash. Sooner or later local police will demand to see his passport, then he will be processed and deported.

I say about 53 because I asked him and I dont remember if he said 53 or 54, not that it makes a diff. He does always drink his Chang from a can. This dude is just content to do his thing and no one does anything about it. In talking to this guy he speaks like a very educated guy and looks like he would be rather dapper with a cleanup job. I'm going out now to have a beer and I bet you he is crashed out in his chair. btw, no I will not give this guy any cash. Also the guy said that he has no one back in England but I somehow cannot believe this. I also asked him why he doesnt get a 2K baht apt and he said he doesn't have the cash up front to move in. I dont really know how long is overstay is but he is beyong caring about it

[Strap]

So he's been here on overstay for years??. This is a guy who was supposedly an English teacher so he must have some braincells and reasoning.

As he's managed to survive this long and still has'nt bothered to arrange savings for his trip home I find it hard to believe this is not self induced.

The world is full of dropouts who refuse to live in the real world for one reason or another.As other posters have said the embassy will help out and contact relatives etc. I suspect however you are not the first who has tried to help.

It is my personal experience that if he is more bothered drinking Chang than saving for his trip he is probably a lost cause.Sad as it may seem there are far too many out there not in the least bit bothered about helping themselves.

It reminds me of a lowlife I came across in Bangkok living like a bum off the goodwill of Thai street sellers, ex English teacher, bad luck story,always sleeping in bars, the street etc ......

Turned out he was an ex heroine junkie from the UK. Subletting his council alotted flat...... getting his mate to claim his dole and drug allowance...... and getting a fat cheque of about £1000 sent every month that he would piss away within a fortnight, only to repeat his begging antics..... The real problem I had with him is he'd managed to have a baby with a local girl and was always telling her how he would take care of her back in the UK for the past 2 years,but she was the one who was working selling everyday while mum looked after the baby. He too was overstay by about 2 years........ eventually he beat her up once too often so I shopped him to the police........ don't know the outcome for him but the girl is doing nicely still selling t shirts in bangers and still thanks me everytime I see her.

Nice one, id say you done the right thing be getting her life back to normal, well done!

As for the teacher id say buy him some food and have a talk about bringing him to the embassy.

You do seem to be a generaly nice person, "I go with you" and that is a nice change of pace, it is very good hearted of you to try and help a fellow down on his luck. All I am going to say is becarefull , I was trying to be good hearted not once but twice ( yes I was burned twice ) and got burned both times.. 1st time I offered some minimal work to a guy to try to help him out ( very easy ) and he robbed my place of biz after the 3rd day . The second time I met up with a person I met along time ago and to keep the story short I gave him a few baht to help him out with eating that night, 10 mins latter he was sitting in the same bar as me and buying a beer, This time I was angry so I had the service girl walk past and knock his drink off the table ( by accident ofcourse ) and when he procceded to complain they just said 'you buy one more no problem " I new he couldnt. As he walked past me on his way out after having 2 sips of a beer that he had to pay for I asked him " hey how was you dinner? Good I hope.

Just becarfull , If he wants or asks for your help to leave then the rest is up to you , but if he just wants to try and stay on the streets , let it go.

Good Luck

Strap

[unforgiven]

I have seen this British guy in the city who is down on his luck. He is homeless sleeping on chairs in all night city restaurants. I have spoken to this gent and he confided to me that he is on multi year overstay. He is a former teacher and is about 53. He has no cash to speak of except for enough to buy his daily cans of chang. He has been spotted scrounging in garbage cans for food. He had his brief case stolen and went to the police to get a police report. He has no fear of the police so he says. Police in fact have questioned him and thrown him out of his favorite sleeping chair a number of times but he keeps returning. I want to advise this guy on what to do but he won't do a border run as he does not have the 20K max fine. Can I suggest anything to this man?

I have serious doubts about you story.BOB asks for your passport and you don't have, he' ll escort you to domisile,visa expired you get reservation at hilton............who do you think we are ,newbies?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Good advice. Going to his Embassy is the sanest thing to do. Sooner rather than later.

[britmaveric]

embassy, but one has to be at the point when wants help and especially wants to help oneself. Being skint in Thailand is absolute hel_l, so one can be sympathetic to a point.

[brahmburgers]

He could try cleaning up his appearance a bit (the good Samaritan could perhaps assist) and perhaps find one or more Thais to tudor in English - to scrape up some funds. He could also try going door to door to restaurants and similar touristy places to help them get their menus/signs written correctly- perhaps as a trade for food. Drinking fermented sugar (alcohol) is self depreciating. Yes I now it's a strong lure for some types of depressed people, but it's not a disease (a disease is an infection, not a compulsion). To me, a down-on-his luck guy who drinks is like someone with a wound which he rubs on garbage - yet complains that it stays infected and won't heal.

[on-on]

Is this the older gray haired gentleman with a relatively slight build who hangs around the back side of Silom/Patpong? I live in that area and run into him occasionally when I'm catching Tom Jones or something silly. He's really nice, if it's him, and all he ever asks me to buy him is food at the 7-11. I've been pretty snockered every time he's told me his story, so I can't recall the particulars, but the description of a 50s Englishman who would look somewhat dapper if cleaned up really fits this guy I'm thinking of.

Edited November 13, 2006 by on-on