When Paradise becomes a Nightmare

[Grazel]

Hi Guys

 

Whilst there are many straight minded people who make their life in Thailand and have a successful business, job or a steady income, there are many that have not planned their dream and end up broke, no job, no business, no girlfriend and have burnt their boats in their own country and have no property, no money reserves and no friends. These are the people who I concentrate on in this thread.

 

I have seen over my many years of association with Thailand , those who’s lives are distinctively lacking in their home country, maybe excessive maintenance payments, broken marriages , bankruptcy, you name it.

 

They often are people who for right or wrong reasons have sold their assets, come into inheritance, borrowed money and have not paid it back, have criminal records or have just come out of a divorce settlement. Some cannot return to their own country for fear of being arrested. They often do a runner and buy a bar, knowing nothing about how to run it thinking that it will sustain them for a long period in Pattaya. Or they have no idea how to budget and eat through their money in a shorter period of time than they thought by boozing every day and acting as if they were on holiday. So what often happens when the money runs dry?

 

They start to retreat to their rooms, or sit around all day dinking cheap beer outside a mini mart

Take their laptops, if they have not porned them in Carfour already, use free wifi cyber connections and sit in a bar where they can make a bottle of beer last for 2 hours and try to communicate with the wider world

Some begin to ponce of off Tourist and try to make friends with them and ponce off of their mates too. They eventually lose their girlfriends when the money runs out and she gets tired of sitting around all day in the company of a drunk depressive . They start trying to borrow money and in some cases even resort to stealing. Or coning people out of their money

 

As a result, many become cynical and start to despise the Thai Culture and the people, they often become aggressive and short tempered, they become more racist in their views and start blaming the rest of the world for their own misfortune. I have seen a lot of guys who become clearly jealous of those that are better off than themselves and will try to stir up trouble as a relief to their boredom. Gradually their behaviour becomes more erratic and they find themselves becoming isolated from the ex-pat community.

 

For those that can barely survive by ducking and diving, they are smart enough to have the money for a ticket out , but to where is another question. But for others, sometimes on an overstay, they could not pay the fine or get out, suicide is sometimes the only option as we so often see in the local Pattaya press of those jumping from the 10th floor of an apartment block. The UK Embassy does provide some assistance to those trying to get out but they have to pay the money back when they return to UK, I suspect most other Embassies do the same. For many others, Pattaya is an alcoholics paradise until their liver finally packs up

 

I once heard a saying “You can run away from your situation, but you can never escape from yourself”

 

I shall be retiring fairly soon and will probably get a place outside Pattaya. Before I do I shall insure that I have something of worth back in UK, not buy a bar, have been there done that and look for a profitable business which I will not be totally dependant on and take up hobbies and stuff other than the bar scene. Leave that to weekends. Do I want to end up like them? No way

 

About 7 years ago I got all my stuff nicked from a hotel security - passport , travellers cheques and credit cards, all gone. What a nightmare that was for a week with fuck all in my pocket and having to borrow money. That was only a week and enough for me, so I cannot imagine what a nightmare the place can be if you fall into the category above. Just some thoughts………

 

Grazel

[pauljo]

this story happens quite a lot in patts very well explained i dont think buying a bar is a good investment too much competition i think many people jump the gun and dont realy think long and hard about if things dont go as planned but im pretty sure that you have and i wish you very well in the future when moving there im also thinking of moving to patts but outside as its cheaper but not for a couple of years yet and i definately wont be buying a bar i know its not easy as it looks

[Frank La Rue]

Stories from the dark side have their rightful place

Edited August 20, 2007 by Frank La Rue

[Jonny5]

Good points you made there.

I,ve been unfortunate to get scamed out of money to help a 'friend'.

After 6 months still aint seen anythink of the cash, he says he's got none to pay me back but he can still afford to live there while i have to come home and work . what a

[richardb22]

just slightly on topic . In June my mbna card ceased to function. Too high tech for old Thai atms sais the call center. ATM does not recognize the new chip so mbna locks the dam thing till I can get through to the UK to unlock it . Nightmare. Now I am no stranger to LOS and am somewhat a creature of habit in the places I stay and the girlies I meet.

 

" Ooooo Richaaad you atm no work No problem you live with me and sister no problem "

" eeee richaaa why you not have money now i tell my boyfriend I have problem and borrow from ladies how much you need?"

 

In the UK karma does not seem to work, the nasty and ruthless get rich ( ok lets leave the Thai oligaths out of my simplistic view ) Somehow in Thailand Karma does work at least for me. OK a cynic will say the girls are making an investment knowing they will get it all back when the muppets at mbna unlock my card for a few hours before locking it again (( morons ) mbna I mean. ) You have heard the phrase an elephant never forgets. Well be nice to your Thai friends and they will not forget in a hurry either.

 

Richard

 

 

Richard

[The Deported One]

very well written Grazel!

[Lumbai5]

Have seen some of what you talk about .

 

thanks for sharing

Edited August 25, 2007 by Lumbai5

[friends]

Good Post.Makes one sit back and think.Thanks for sharing

[Newton]

I have been to Thailand twice. Once for tree months last year, and 4 months this year, O k not been there every year for a few weeks holiday for the last ten years. BUT , most of what this thread says is true, if not all and more. People take there problems with them ,Thailand is not the place to be if your head is full of sh.t , sorry dought. about your marrage ,or legal problems . Because the Thais will skin you .. I know a young man may be between 25 and 30 ish , been out there once , now sold every thing he had , maybe got 30,000 ,gone to live the dream ,ha more like living a dream . I think if he looks after his money he will get 3/4 years out of it . Then what. back to the U k . with nothing. maybe. I for one have been out there a while, and my attitude has changed. Dont like the place much.. Been up and down Thailand quite a few times on buses and on planes. There attitude has changed i think . I am not a pervert who goe,s to pattaya to explot the bar girls,So that doe.s not appell to me . I am not running from the law. dont have a broken marrige,by my own falt. which many men have because they cannot keep it in there trouses.. I dont like the double standards in Thailand, farang rule and prices , and Thai price and rules. Like farang pays for every thing wether write or wrong.Dont like the constant lie,s and decitefulness, and because i am in Thailand i have to eat sh.t because a Thai can do, or say anything to me because i am a farang in Thailand. I know not all Thais are like that , but many are . May be thats why farang are leveing Thailand for better places ..And there are a lot of farang there that would not be welcome back were ever they are from , or maybe would so that there crimes can be delt with.. So its not all Thai that is killing Thailand . I think that if you have a lot of unsavory people they must be teaching bad habits and doing the same lieing and being decitefull....am i cynical or bitter

[Dr.Winston]

just slightly on topic . In June my mbna card ceased to function. Too high tech for old Thai atms sais the call center. ATM does not recognize the new chip so mbna locks the dam thing till I can get through to the UK to unlock it . Nightmare. Now I am no stranger to LOS and am somewhat a creature of habit in the places I stay and the girlies I meet.

 

" Ooooo Richaaad you atm no work No problem you live with me and sister no problem "

" eeee richaaa why you not have money now i tell my boyfriend I have problem and borrow from ladies how much you need?"

 

In the UK karma does not seem to work, the nasty and ruthless get rich ( ok lets leave the Thai oligaths out of my simplistic view ) Somehow in Thailand Karma does work at least for me. OK a cynic will say the girls are making an investment knowing they will get it all back when the muppets at mbna unlock my card for a few hours before locking it again (( morons ) mbna I mean. ) You have heard the phrase an elephant never forgets. Well be nice to your Thai friends and they will not forget in a hurry either.

 

Richard

Richard

 

 

I have had similar experiences in the past. In 1989 a BG that I had only just met lent me 200 Sterling (Maybe more. Cannot remember) when I ran out of cash. That was a lot of money to a BG back then. Sometimes the Thai's can seem so greedy and many of them appear to worship money like a god. But if you are good to them you might well discover the other, more positive side to their nature.

 

I do hate it when I see farangs in Thailand with no self respect. I can remember seeing seeing one near to the Khao sarn Rd. in BKK. He was sitting there begging, holding a sign in Thai script which read " I have no money and need to eat". I told him that I could read the sign and asked him where he was from. Switzerland he replied. I told him that he had a Swiss passport, something many Thai's would love to have and I refused to believe that he could not find a way to get home if things were so bad.

 

I have visited Thailand many times in the past 20 years and have had budgets ranging from 250 Baht a day (First trip 1987) to 10000 baht a day. One thing I know is that when the money dries up it is time to go home.

 

There are so many Farangs trying to make the dream become a reality in Thailand now. Many of them are good honest people but surely it is only a matter of time before the Thai's get fed up with all the losers and scammers. When they do we will all suffer. I feel that it has already started to happen with the tightening up on visas and all the new regulations for foriegn run businesses.

 

To add insult to injury most of these scammers are actually proud of their stunts whether it be not paying a BG for his night of fun or ripping off a farang from his life savings in a joint business venture.

 

About 8-10 years ago acouple of Brits who fancied themselves as the Kray twins set up a bar in pattaya. Their new gangster image went to their heads and they even had a Rolls Royce imported. There was a shooting incident where one of them shot a Thai. To cut a long story short one of tham was murdered whilst riding a motorcycle to Jomtien. The other one panicked and turned himself in to the Thai Police. He was later found in his cell dead from an "overdose". A few bargirls I know were telling me that so many of the customers they chat to try to impress them by saying they are gangsters. I have taught them to reply "Oh no, not another gangster. They're so boring"!

 

I guess LOS can go to peoples heads. For next to nothing you can have a few beers and be surrounded by dolly birds. Actually this is exactly what I like to do but I do try to keep my feet on the ground about it all.

[galt67]

I don't believe ANYONE should move to Pattaya unless they have the following:

 

1) A GUARANTEED income to cover their living expenses in Pattaya

2) A 'plan' for doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING other than hitting the bars. After a weeks, any sane person is looking for something productive to do.

3) An attachment to their 'home'. I think keeping a room, small apartment, etc is essential as it becomes an escape hatch for you if things go south.

[BorisBroomhead]

I don't believe ANYONE should move to Pattaya unless they have the following:

 

1) A GUARANTEED income to cover their living expenses in Pattaya

2) A 'plan' for doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING other than hitting the bars. After a weeks, any sane person is looking for something productive to do.

3) An attachment to their 'home'. I think keeping a room, small apartment, etc is essential as it becomes an escape hatch for you if things go south.

 

I agree I have 3 and in the next couple of years will have 1, but can’t think of anything for 2 except play golf.

[swanks]

Good points you made there.

I,ve been unfortunate to get scammed out of money to help a 'friend'.

After 6 months still aint seen anything of the cash, he says he's got none to pay me back but he can still afford to live there while i have to come home and work . what a

 

 

Me too Johnny , when I first got here . The guy in question is called Dave and is a former Jomtien bar owner!

 

On the original subject of financial planning I know I sometimes go on a bit but I have seen too much happen to people to ignore it !

 

I worked as a volunteer with a UK homeless and drug unit for a fair few years and it opened my eyes ( and sometimes scared the shit out of me ).

The poverty trap does exist , even in our so called progressive society . If you arrive as an asylum seeker or such then facilities and services exist to make your life comparatively very very pleasant.

If you are a former resident that has fallen on hard times it can be much more difficult.

 

Yes , you will not be refused medical treatment even though you may have lost your domicile status .

A hospital is not a hotel and they can not feed and house you unless there is no choice for your treatment.

 

Other than that it is a nightmare. It might be slightly easier if you have family that will help you but you might find they have a million reasons not to put a roof over your head .

You have probably lost contact with your friends.

You have no where to stay , no money and you are hungry.

 

The DHSS? OK , the first thing they will want is proof you have register as available to work . Another half day gone. Then an address.

No , the bus shelter at the edge of town wont do even if that is where you spent last night.

They direct you to direct access accommodation for shelter.

It takes you 5 hours to find it walking and your clothes are meant for the UK cold.

It's full, very sorry , only so many places. it takes you an hour to find the soup kitchen you were told about. The soup is good and the bread reasonably fresh but you cant sleep there .

 

The next day , cold , tired , unshaven and hungry you try the local housing office.

 

No, you have not been a resident in that town for the last two years.

No, you have not been made unintentionally homeless there .

So, No, you are not entitled to emergency housing ( Hostel ) under the local authority housing act.

 

They send you back to the DHSS.

Have you register for work they ask again?

How can you with no address!

 

You will get a job?

You are dirty with no fixed abode.

P45?

You are probably older than all the other applicants and your knowledge of the kind of job you could get ( washing up ext ) is

zero.

 

 

 

One year on .

You may have found a way out . It IS possible just and charities such as the one I worked with do help sometimes although they seem to 'lose' more money than they spend helping people.

 

I'm sure it is perfectly proper that MS Guest , marketing director ( 8 years ago , at least ) of the UK charity Cancer research, has a stunningly beautiful antique ridden second home overlooking the sea in a Cornish village .

It is one of the few with a garden and her house having views of the sea and garden made it one of the most expensive in the aria .

I'm certain that when she charged a fare from London to Cornwall to the charities account ,that was the proper thing to do!

I'm equally certain that her Cornish boyfriend had no right to say what he did after visiting London at 'her' expense and enjoying the pleasures of the entertainment budget at London's finest. He was quit happy for her to pay if she wanted , but not others. I do wonder what her London home is like . I bet it's nice.

 

 

One thing , for you , is certain .

You will know every free meal , every hand out and every song on the sally army song sheet as they won't give you anything unless you praise the lord!

You will know where the skip ( outside warm , dry place) is .

You will know the delights of cheap sherry and cider as a means of keeping out the cold .When you wake up shivering and hurting a quick slurp will send you off again into a warm stupor. Just be careful of those kids though ! 'Torching' vagrants feet with lighter fuel gives them endless amusement. It warms you up a bit too.

 

 

 

Sorry if I go on a bit lads , but financial planning and an escape plan is vital. The other way is the condo high jump club!

 

Grezel

In my experience here I have never seen someone who can see the problem , as you obviously can , come 'unstuck' so don't be put off.

It's when you can't see the hole you fall into it.

I know a lot of ex-pats who have been here for years and are thriving on it.

I'm one of them!

Edited August 29, 2007 by swanks

[whitespider - RIP]

I don't believe ANYONE should move to Pattaya unless they have the following:

 

1) A GUARANTEED income to cover their living expenses in Pattaya

2) A 'plan' for doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING other than hitting the bars. After a weeks, any sane person is looking for something productive to do.

3) An attachment to their 'home'. I think keeping a room, small apartment, etc is essential as it becomes an escape hatch for you if things go south.

 

 

I agree I have 3 and in the next couple of years will have 1, but can’t think of anything for 2 except play golf.

 

A Job????

 

I work 9-9 providing the income and that keeps me well occupied.

[Grazel]

Me too Johnny , when I first got here . The guy in question is called Dave and is a former Jomtien bar owner!

 

On the original subject of financial planning I know I sometimes go on a bit but I have seen too much happen to people to ignore it !

 

I worked as a volunteer with a UK homeless and drug unit for a fair few years and it opened my eyes ( and sometimes scared the shit out of me ).

The poverty trap does exist , even in our so called progressive society . If you arrive as an asylum seeker or such then facilities and services exist to make your life comparatively very very pleasant.

If you are a former resident that has fallen on hard times it can be much more difficult.

 

Yes , you will not be refused medical treatment even though you may have lost your domicile status .

A hospital is not a hotel and they can not feed and house you unless there is no choice for your treatment.

 

Other than that it is a nightmare. It might be slightly easier if you have family that will help you but you might find they have a million reasons not to put a roof over your head .

You have probably lost contact with your friends.

You have no where to stay , no money and you are hungry.

 

The DHSS? OK , the first thing they will want is proof you have register as available to work . Another half day gone. Then an address.

No , the bus shelter at the edge of town wont do even if that is where you spent last night.

They direct you to direct access accommodation for shelter.

It takes you 5 hours to find it walking and your clothes are meant for the UK cold.

It's full, very sorry , only so many places. it takes you an hour to find the soup kitchen you were told about. The soup is good and the bread reasonably fresh but you cant sleep there .

 

The next day , cold , tired , unshaven and hungry you try the local housing office.

 

No, you have not been a resident in that town for the last two years.

No, you have not been made unintentionally homeless there .

So, No, you are not entitled to emergency housing ( Hostel ) under the local authority housing act.

 

They send you back to the DHSS.

Have you register for work they ask again?

How can you with no address!

 

You will get a job?

You are dirty with no fixed abode.

P45?

You are probably older than all the other applicants and your knowledge of the kind of job you could get ( washing up ext ) is

zero.

One year on .

You may have found a way out . It IS possible just and charities such as the one I worked with do help sometimes although they seem to 'lose' more money than they spend helping people.

 

I'm sure it is perfectly proper that MS Guest , marketing director ( 8 years ago , at least ) of the UK charity Cancer research, has a stunningly beautiful antique ridden second home overlooking the sea in a Cornish village .

It is one of the few with a garden and her house having views of the sea and garden made it one of the most expensive in the aria .

I'm certain that when she charged a fare from London to Cornwall to the charities account ,that was the proper thing to do!

I'm equally certain that her Cornish boyfriend had no right to say what he did after visiting London at 'her' expense and enjoying the pleasures of the entertainment budget at London's finest. He was quit happy for her to pay if she wanted , but not others. I do wonder what her London home is like . I bet it's nice.

One thing , for you , is certain .

You will know every free meal , every hand out and every song on the sally army song sheet as they won't give you anything unless you praise the lord!

You will know where the skip ( outside warm , dry place) is .

You will know the delights of cheap sherry and cider as a means of keeping out the cold .When you wake up shivering and hurting a quick slurp will send you off again into a warm stupor. Just be careful of those kids though ! 'Torching' vagrants feet with lighter fuel gives them endless amusement. It warms you up a bit too.

Sorry if I go on a bit lads , but financial planning and an escape plan is vital. The other way is the condo high jump club!

 

Grezel

In my experience here I have never seen someone who can see the problem , as you obviously can , come 'unstuck' so don't be put off.

It's when you can't see the hole you fall into it.

I know a lot of ex-pats who have been here for years and are thriving on it.

I'm one of them!

 

 

Excellent post Swank, for some reason, I missed this. Made me a bit depressed though , but the taste of reality is a wake up call for everyone

 

Cheers

Grazel

[balls]

Me too Johnny , when I first got here . The guy in question is called Dave and is a former Jomtien bar owner!

 

On the original subject of financial planning I know I sometimes go on a bit but I have seen too much happen to people to ignore it !

 

I worked as a volunteer with a UK homeless and drug unit for a fair few years and it opened my eyes ( and sometimes scared the shit out of me ).

The poverty trap does exist , even in our so called progressive society . If you arrive as an asylum seeker or such then facilities and services exist to make your life comparatively very very pleasant.

If you are a former resident that has fallen on hard times it can be much more difficult.

 

Yes , you will not be refused medical treatment even though you may have lost your domicile status .

A hospital is not a hotel and they can not feed and house you unless there is no choice for your treatment.

 

Other than that it is a nightmare. It might be slightly easier if you have family that will help you but you might find they have a million reasons not to put a roof over your head .

You have probably lost contact with your friends.

You have no where to stay , no money and you are hungry.

 

The DHSS? OK , the first thing they will want is proof you have register as available to work . Another half day gone. Then an address.

No , the bus shelter at the edge of town wont do even if that is where you spent last night.

They direct you to direct access accommodation for shelter.

It takes you 5 hours to find it walking and your clothes are meant for the UK cold.

It's full, very sorry , only so many places. it takes you an hour to find the soup kitchen you were told about. The soup is good and the bread reasonably fresh but you cant sleep there .

 

The next day , cold , tired , unshaven and hungry you try the local housing office.

 

No, you have not been a resident in that town for the last two years.

No, you have not been made unintentionally homeless there .

So, No, you are not entitled to emergency housing ( Hostel ) under the local authority housing act.

 

They send you back to the DHSS.

Have you register for work they ask again?

How can you with no address!

 

You will get a job?

You are dirty with no fixed abode.

P45?

You are probably older than all the other applicants and your knowledge of the kind of job you could get ( washing up ext ) is

zero.

One year on .

You may have found a way out . It IS possible just and charities such as the one I worked with do help sometimes although they seem to 'lose' more money than they spend helping people.

 

I'm sure it is perfectly proper that MS Guest , marketing director ( 8 years ago , at least ) of the UK charity Cancer research, has a stunningly beautiful antique ridden second home overlooking the sea in a Cornish village .

It is one of the few with a garden and her house having views of the sea and garden made it one of the most expensive in the aria .

I'm certain that when she charged a fare from London to Cornwall to the charities account ,that was the proper thing to do!

I'm equally certain that her Cornish boyfriend had no right to say what he did after visiting London at 'her' expense and enjoying the pleasures of the entertainment budget at London's finest. He was quit happy for her to pay if she wanted , but not others. I do wonder what her London home is like . I bet it's nice.

One thing , for you , is certain .

You will know every free meal , every hand out and every song on the sally army song sheet as they won't give you anything unless you praise the lord!

You will know where the skip ( outside warm , dry place) is .

You will know the delights of cheap sherry and cider as a means of keeping out the cold .When you wake up shivering and hurting a quick slurp will send you off again into a warm stupor. Just be careful of those kids though ! 'Torching' vagrants feet with lighter fuel gives them endless amusement. It warms you up a bit too.

Sorry if I go on a bit lads , but financial planning and an escape plan is vital. The other way is the condo high jump club!

 

Grezel

In my experience here I have never seen someone who can see the problem , as you obviously can , come 'unstuck' so don't be put off.

It's when you can't see the hole you fall into it.

I know a lot of ex-pats who have been here for years and are thriving on it.

I'm one of them!

 

very emotional post there, and as i worked for jobcentreplus for 5 years on the other side of the counter i can tell you exactly that is is like how you describe, but they will pay money at a "care of" address, so you can get money staying at a friends or a shared house. There is also special provision for "no fixed abode" payments where money can be collected from the office directly.

 

(just in case anyone needed to know that or had a friend in a similar position)

 

on another note, the guys that grazel describes sound like just the sort of guys ruining other forums at present, with nothing good to say about pattaya or thailand in general, just slag it all off.

 

not my idea of a life, so the balcony dive seems the better alternative.

[Grazel]

not my idea of a life, so the balcony dive seems the better alternative.

 

God forbid, if I were ever in a similar position, I agree that the skydiving option would be most favourable and lets face it how many times do we read in the local Thai press of cases like this? nearly once a fortnigh on average and they are just the reported cases.

 

Its easy for those living here to become out of touch with the rest of the world, which is changing and perhaps not the world they new 3 or 4 years ago.

 

Keep yer head screwd on and Pattaya is a Paradise for sure

[onourway]

very emotional post there, and as i worked for jobcentreplus for 5 years on the other side of the counter i can tell you exactly that is is like how you describe, but they will pay money at a "care of" address, so you can get money staying at a friends or a shared house. There is also special provision for "no fixed abode" payments where money can be collected from the office directly.

 

(just in case anyone needed to know that or had a friend in a similar position)

 

on another note, the guys that grazel describes sound like just the sort of guys ruining other forums at present, with nothing good to say about pattaya or thailand in general, just slag it all off.

 

not my idea of a life, so the balcony dive seems the better alternative.

 

With advice like that, I'm glad you weren't working for the Samaritans

[swanks]

very emotional post there, and as i worked for jobcentreplus for 5 years on the other side of the counter i can tell you exactly that is is like how you describe, but they will pay money at a "care of" address, so you can get money staying at a friends or a shared house. There is also special provision for "no fixed abode" payments where money can be collected from the office directly.

 

(just in case anyone needed to know that or had a friend in a similar position)

 

on another note, the guys that grazel describes sound like just the sort of guys ruining other forums at present, with nothing good to say about pattaya or Thailand in general, just slag it all off.

 

not my idea of a life, so the balcony dive seems the better alternative.

 

Thanks for that info Tomski.

Things have changed a bit now and the sheer bloody mindedness we found in some 'jobsworths' is obviously far from you and good people like you.

One of the things I was trying to paint was the frustration , the despair and the loneliness of someone who finds himself in that position.

The feeling that you have no choices and no power over your life.

The balcony option?

Anyone who has seen that bottomless chasm of true despair will have considered it.

But just give it another week and see what turns up. Things might change . They often do. If not , pack what you have and go for a long walk . What have you to lose? See where it takes you ! If things are as bad as you think then a new start is better than being dead !

[jharrison]

This is interesting.

 

It looks like Pattaya is the same as anywhere else.

 

I've been broke in Los Angeles, and it's not easy here...

 

"Nobody knows you when you are down and out..."

 

It sucks but it's a worldwide situation and it's up to a person to feed themself and take care of themself.

 

Welfare in Thailand is their relatives who support each other. That kind of leaves out farang, but if you build a network of "relatives" then you can get some support. They do, as all relatives do, expect you to give something to the relationship, too.

 

All the best,

 

jH

[Burgy]

Hi Guys

 

Whilst there are many straight minded people who make their life in Thailand and have a successful business, job or a steady income, there are many that have not planned their dream and end up broke, no job, no business, no girlfriend and have burnt their boats in their own country and have no property, no money reserves and no friends. These are the people who I concentrate on in this thread.

 

I have seen over my many years of association with Thailand , those who’s lives are distinctively lacking in their home country, maybe excessive maintenance payments, broken marriages , bankruptcy, you name it.

 

They often are people who for right or wrong reasons have sold their assets, come into inheritance, borrowed money and have not paid it back, have criminal records or have just come out of a divorce settlement. Some cannot return to their own country for fear of being arrested. They often do a runner and buy a bar, knowing nothing about how to run it thinking that it will sustain them for a long period in Pattaya. Or they have no idea how to budget and eat through their money in a shorter period of time than they thought by boozing every day and acting as if they were on holiday. So what often happens when the money runs dry?

 

They start to retreat to their rooms, or sit around all day dinking cheap beer outside a mini mart

Take their laptops, if they have not porned them in Carfour already, use free wifi cyber connections and sit in a bar where they can make a bottle of beer last for 2 hours and try to communicate with the wider world

Some begin to ponce of off Tourist and try to make friends with them and ponce off of their mates too. They eventually lose their girlfriends when the money runs out and she gets tired of sitting around all day in the company of a drunk depressive . They start trying to borrow money and in some cases even resort to stealing. Or coning people out of their money

 

As a result, many become cynical and start to despise the Thai Culture and the people, they often become aggressive and short tempered, they become more racist in their views and start blaming the rest of the world for their own misfortune. I have seen a lot of guys who become clearly jealous of those that are better off than themselves and will try to stir up trouble as a relief to their boredom. Gradually their behaviour becomes more erratic and they find themselves becoming isolated from the ex-pat community.

 

For those that can barely survive by ducking and diving, they are smart enough to have the money for a ticket out , but to where is another question. But for others, sometimes on an overstay, they could not pay the fine or get out, suicide is sometimes the only option as we so often see in the local Pattaya press of those jumping from the 10th floor of an apartment block. The UK Embassy does provide some assistance to those trying to get out but they have to pay the money back when they return to UK, I suspect most other Embassies do the same. For many others, Pattaya is an alcoholics paradise until their liver finally packs up

 

I once heard a saying “You can run away from your situation, but you can never escape from yourself”

 

I shall be retiring fairly soon and will probably get a place outside Pattaya. Before I do I shall insure that I have something of worth back in UK, not buy a bar, have been there done that and look for a profitable business which I will not be totally dependant on and take up hobbies and stuff other than the bar scene. Leave that to weekends. Do I want to end up like them? No way

 

About 7 years ago I got all my stuff nicked from a hotel security - passport , travellers cheques and credit cards, all gone. What a nightmare that was for a week with fuck all in my pocket and having to borrow money. That was only a week and enough for me, so I cannot imagine what a nightmare the place can be if you fall into the category above. Just some thoughts………

 

Grazel

 

This sounds like the words of a man who knows!