Hundreds of westerners living on the streets of Thailand

[Soutpeel]

Does anyone really accept the premise of this news article? 100's? of Foreigners living on the street? You can't even tell if the photograph of the homeless guy is a foreigner or a Thai. I don't believe it. With Thai immigration and the men in brown on the prowl none of claims in this article compute.

Yes the premise is perfectly reasonable, if they had said thousands then I might agree with you

[rufanuf]

The point I make here with that comment and on other similar threads is that farangs in Thailand could be just as exposed to risk of the loss of thier assets back in thier home country if someone they trust is planning deceit. That could leave a person homeless and potless in both country of origin and Thailand...how would many of the posters on this forum deal with that as their "lot" likely go sifting thru garbage cans and turn to alcohol and drugs for solice!

[atyclb]

“Some people come to Thailand and they already have a drink or drug problem but they have it under control in their own country,”

To those with experience treating addicts the above statement is funny. So many believe it but their belief is based on self delusion.

It is quite possible the alcohol/drug problem homeless foreigners in thailand would be in the same situation back home. Their home country may have some welfare or assistance for them but still many many are homeless. IN the west the homeless addicts usually are unfit to or not willing to work. Many dont even care about homelessness as long as they they can get a bottle or a syringe.

Typically addicts con and scam loved ones and friends very much akin to what bar girls do. Not infrequently their families / friends have enough and "let go" Often they speak with addiction professionals and are told the correct and loving thing to do is stop "enabling" them. Let them descend as it is the only way they will experience the negative aspects of addiction and motivate them to get sober.

Their embassies should really send them to detox / rehab directly beit in thailand or the home country.

[sandhurstmolonski]

Its a Hard Line to have no Empathy .

Its pretty easy to Say DYOR , and you should have known this and done that . This is certainly true to some extent and I'm sure all have seen examples of the Same ,,But many of these people come with very little to begin with .

The best course of Action really is to Ship them Back to Where they came , and the argument really just revovles around how you Fund this .

Really , Dont buy property in a Nations Name ( Unless you are prepared to completely loose those Funds ) , Count it as what it is ..A Gift ,

Yes , Love is forever , and temptation awaits in Every Soi , On every Corner , they are all so Lovely . Its matters not , if we are talking " High Society ..Chinese / Thai " or an Issaan girl , there are good / Bad in Each as there are in Every Culture .

The Westernisation of Thailand and the Internet have made meeting Multiple Farangs Much Much Easier than before , and if its a Really pretty one ..Well , you can Count on it . A World of Wonder ..Paradise in which to Believe ? ..Well Yes ..But Ying / Yang always meet at some point .

I wouldn't be too Judgemental .

[BlackJack]

My GF does legal work and I have read and seen it all.

Her business is growing fast as people still make the same mistakes.

She advises clients to cover their butt and get things on paper.

If or when things go pear shaped then these documents can be used to support their case in the courts.

So guys get smart and dont think that your girls different - because 9 times out of 10 there's a family pushing her to get benefits. Your benefits.

Get all you paperwork in order - your contracts (chanots, loans etc.), your Will, car ownership, bank accounts etc.

It doesnt cost much and will save/minimise future problems.

Sounds like a well written advert for your GF, but you are spot on about the family coercing Thai daughters to con foreighers. Even if a daughter sets out with good intentions, the family will not allow her to sit by without tapping into and draining the foreigner's resources.

no ad

no mention of name or office

its all word of mouth referals

but i get to see how people lose the plot and become to trusting and complacent

ie some paperwork is in Thai and hubby says - you take care of that honey

she slips in a power of attorney document and hubby signs it as he thinks its for registering the car

next thing she's sold the house, boat, car, dog etc.

bye bye

[sandhurstmolonski]

One other thing that I see All the Time , especially with a " Newbie " who has found Paradise ..and thats Not thinking in Barht , constantly converting in his head . If you are here this is completely irrelevant , Think in Barht , Tour the Country ..find out what it actually Buys ..

Check Wage levels , Its soon very easy to see when you might be getting Stiffed .

The Comment heard all the Time .." Ohh it only so many Pounds/ USD / AUD " ..that doesn't matter ! That the Exchange rate for a Tourist ..

If mums " Operation " just seems a Tap Crazy ..You can count it is . Think Barht , Work and Live with Barht , you'll soon work out the Ridiculous demands . Pretty much every Farang will face this at some Point .

Give Em little ..You'll work out quickly what is Real . Its not a Case of living like a Tourist .

[Nana Cowboy]

Reading " Money number one " should be made mandatory before you can purchase a ticket to Thailand.

good reply my friend. I do believe your idea would help. I remember a guy I met in a bar my 1st months here insisted that I read it and brought his copy for me to borrow. I am forever grateful to him. thumbs up pal

[Nana Cowboy]

Odd, I came here 4 years ago with $2500 and have never left. I have no rich family/friends, no assets back home, no investments to cash in (I lost everything to escape from my last divorce to a farang woman). However, I have never had to sleep on the street. Granted, I don't drink or do drugs (had enough in my younger days), I have never been conned or given a sob story (that I bought into)by a bar girl (but I know many bar girls). My wife I met here is NOT hi-so Chinese-Thai with a rich family and 2 MBA's. She is an Issan ex-factory worker and I am the only support for the family as she stays home and cares for our child. What did I do that kept me off the streets?

1. When I knew I was running out of money I got a job (and I wasn't picky, or arrogant, anything that pays the rent).

2. I didnt quit my job until I had a new one.

3. When my job ended unexpectedly I lived off what little I had saved, leaned back, and looked for another job,

4. I don't loan money I cannot afford to get back (and I NEVER loan to a farang anymore). Only time I was ripped off was by farangs.

5. I dont shop at Paragon or Emporium, I shop at Big C or the markets.

6. I don't spend 500 baht on a frang meal because the same amount would buy 10-15 Thai meals.

Now I don't live a rockstar lifestyle but i also dont live in misery. I am happy living within my means and have all my needs met. While I am just being honest and open, I am sure I will receive some type of critism, but my point is, most farang who bottom out here do so because of their own actions or stupidity. For ever case of asset theft or medical problems that spiraled out of control, there are 20 cases of blatent stupidity and arrogance; "Its the 3rd world, I am a European God, what could possibly go wrong???"

As it has been stated many times in this thread, most just don't listen. It is hard for me to feel sorry for them...

its nice that you are proud and you made it 4 years but 4 years is a very very short time and life if very long. good luck I hope you can keep it going forever. maybe you can

[zxray]

Friends and family back home are sounded out for a loan, but should none be forthcoming the government will stump up the cost to be repaid upon return. Other embassies work on a similar basis.

That policy must have been introduced overnight.

You learn something new every day, isn't it ?

Better to be homeless in Thailand, than it is to be homeless back home!

[FiftyTwo]

I wonder if life would be any better for a homeless UK guy in Thailand to be shipped back to the UK.

The UK doesn't have a good record for dealing with single male homeless people.

Many of you are imagining support in the west that just isn't there.

(Can't imagine the USA is any better, loads of homeless there)

At least here, you may be homeless, but you are unlikely to die from exposure.

(and the local Temple will feed you, if you ask)

Without any stats on where these homeless foreign people came from the story is pointless.

'Western foreigner' is not a nationality, although the xenophobic Thai authorities may wish them to be.

For all we know all the 200 'western homeless' in Thailand might be Russians!

Edited September 14, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[snake24]

OMG how could farangs from first world nations actually come to a 3rd world nation and end up worse than the majority of citizens of a developing nation. That must be a new low.

[snake24]

Reading " Money number one " should be made mandatory before you can purchase a ticket to Thailand.

Honestly how different is this from other places? Try being broke in a western country.

[Soutpeel]

I wonder if life would be any better for a homeless UK guy in Thailand to be shipped back to the UK.

The UK doesn't have a good record for dealing with single male homeless people.

Many of you are imagining support in the west that just isn't there.

(Can't imagine the USA is any better, loads of homeless there)

At least here, you may be homeless, but you are unlikely to die from exposure.

(and the local Temple will feed you, if you ask)

Without any stats on where these homeless white people came from the story is pointless.

'Western foreigner' is not a nationality, although the xenophobic Thai authorities may wish them to be.

For all we know all the 200 'western homeless' in Thailand might be Russians!

Well Sherlock, we know at least one of them isn't Russian, as if you had taken the time to read the OP, one was stated as being American, my geography may be a rusty but don't think the US is part of the Russian empire....not yet at least Edited September 14, 2013 by Soutpeel

[chrisinth]

Every farang arriving in Thailand for the first time should be locked in a rubber room and forced to read the Marriage and Divorce section on this forum for 24 hours straight.

Oh well, if some guy is determined to drink and/or drug himself to rags or to death with some bar girl no one can stop him. Even if he's completely sober but chooses to throw it away on some cute thing half his age no one can stop him.

Life has choices.

Agreed but the the one thing I can never get my head round are the farangs who are not the drink and drug types, some pretty wealthy, educated etc who manage to lose their lot in Thailand, for the most part one assumes these people are not stupid and are fully aware of the reputation of Thai ladies, and even if they truly believe, she is different, they haven't had the foresight to have a plan B in case thing do go tits up......for me personally if after nearly 12 years with Mrs Soutpeel, I had the dirty done to me, I know almost exactly what she could get away with financially, based on what i have " invested" in thailand, and this is the amount i have prepared to "risk" or walk away from if need be

I have further taken the liberty of keeping the bulk of my finances offshore in an account she can't get at directly, to me it's just common sense, you don't throw your lot in and hope for the best, you need to make provision for the rainy day that might happen

Sky-diving without a parachute springs to mind if you don't take these aspects into consideration................

Your observation about the visitors who are not the drink & drugs type, wealthy and educated, deserves a few words. I have also seen this, people you would never imagine getting into the trouble that they do. I have always maintained that you could be educated in the highest establishments, achieve the highest accolades in your chosen path, yet if you are not 'street educated', world-wise, then you will become a bigger mark than your average tourist.

While this obviously isn't the case across the board, there are a lot of well educated people out there lead very controlled lives, anything outside the normal considered a puzzle, but not recognized as the potential danger that it could be.

IMHO of course....................

Edited September 14, 2013 by chrisinth

[Mudcrab]

Odd, I came here 4 years ago with $2500 and have never left. I have no rich family/friends, no assets back home, no investments to cash in (I lost everything to escape from my last divorce to a farang woman). However, I have never had to sleep on the street. Granted, I don't drink or do drugs (had enough in my younger days), I have never been conned or given a sob story (that I bought into)by a bar girl (but I know many bar girls). My wife I met here is NOT hi-so Chinese-Thai with a rich family and 2 MBA's. She is an Issan ex-factory worker and I am the only support for the family as she stays home and cares for our child. What did I do that kept me off the streets?

1. When I knew I was running out of money I got a job (and I wasn't picky, or arrogant, anything that pays the rent).

2. I didnt quit my job until I had a new one.

3. When my job ended unexpectedly I lived off what little I had saved, leaned back, and looked for another job,

4. I don't loan money I cannot afford to get back (and I NEVER loan to a farang anymore). Only time I was ripped off was by farangs.

5. I dont shop at Paragon or Emporium, I shop at Big C or the markets.

6. I don't spend 500 baht on a frang meal because the same amount would buy 10-15 Thai meals.

Now I don't live a rockstar lifestyle but i also dont live in misery. I am happy living within my means and have all my needs met. While I am just being honest and open, I am sure I will receive some type of critism, but my point is, most farang who bottom out here do so because of their own actions or stupidity. For ever case of asset theft or medical problems that spiraled out of control, there are 20 cases of blatent stupidity and arrogance; "Its the 3rd world, I am a European God, what could possibly go wrong???"

As it has been stated many times in this thread, most just don't listen. It is hard for me to feel sorry for them...

its nice that you are proud and you made it 4 years but 4 years is a very very short time and life if very long. good luck I hope you can keep it going forever. maybe you can

and how did you manage to come here with $2500 and stay? What visa did you use? are you still legal? Just curious.

[cooked]

Odd, I came here 4 years ago with $2500 and have never left. I have no rich family/friends, no assets back home, no investments to cash in (I lost everything to escape from my last divorce to a farang woman). However, I have never had to sleep on the street. Granted, I don't drink or do drugs (had enough in my younger days), I have never been conned or given a sob story (that I bought into)by a bar girl (but I know many bar girls). My wife I met here is NOT hi-so Chinese-Thai with a rich family and 2 MBA's. She is an Issan ex-factory worker and I am the only support for the family as she stays home and cares for our child. What did I do that kept me off the streets?

1. When I knew I was running out of money I got a job (and I wasn't picky, or arrogant, anything that pays the rent).

2. I didnt quit my job until I had a new one.

3. When my job ended unexpectedly I lived off what little I had saved, leaned back, and looked for another job,

4. I don't loan money I cannot afford to get back (and I NEVER loan to a farang anymore). Only time I was ripped off was by farangs.

5. I dont shop at Paragon or Emporium, I shop at Big C or the markets.

6. I don't spend 500 baht on a frang meal because the same amount would buy 10-15 Thai meals.

Now I don't live a rockstar lifestyle but i also dont live in misery. I am happy living within my means and have all my needs met. While I am just being honest and open, I am sure I will receive some type of critism, but my point is, most farang who bottom out here do so because of their own actions or stupidity. For ever case of asset theft or medical problems that spiraled out of control, there are 20 cases of blatent stupidity and arrogance; "Its the 3rd world, I am a European God, what could possibly go wrong???"

As it has been stated many times in this thread, most just don't listen. It is hard for me to feel sorry for them...

I started off on Thai Love Links. After a week or two I wrote something like 'big heart, small wallet'. That sorted things out I can tell you.

I read all the stories on Thaivisa and thought, 'well, I have just enough for a marriage visa, I don't have anything to lose'. My wife has her own house and I just add bits and pieces on as I see fit and able. If she threw me out tomorrow I wouldn't be any worse off than I was when I came here, 47 000 Baht a month and a lot more if I go back home.

She was (still is, a bit) a marriage broker, I get to hear stories all the time, and they aren't one sided 'evil Thais' or 'evil Farangs' stories although I have seen lovely naive village teenagers going to work in Bangkok and come back completely jaded and disillusioned due to their association with exploitative farangs.

I am maybe going off topic here by going into the causes of so many Farangs ending up with nothing, but I have met many people that seem to deserve what they get, I thought it was me that was lacking in common sense.

[thaigold]

Reading " Money number one " should be made mandatory before you can purchase a ticket to Thailand.

Money number one everywhere. Without it, you might as well be dead.

[WhingeingMoaners]

In a nutshell, many male Farangs have no sense of their own responsibility and are really not very bright.

[sadhukar]

lots of people with lots of different opinions and views. One familiar thread that runs through most of the comments is how adept Thai ladies are at mugging off their foreign/western husbands and leaving them potless. Whilst this may very well be true it's not something that is exclusive to the Thai ladies. a lot of guys (me included) came here after a failed marriage and then getting properly roasted financially by the wife back home. My ex-wife in England was having an affair while i was workling abroad. I came out of the marriage with absolutely nothing,she got the house, car, kids etc etc So it's not just the Thai ladies that can make a bloke skint! There are plenty of comments about new arrivals heeding the warnings and the horror stories. Plenty of warnings telling new arrivals (I guess not only new arrivals as I guess I'm not the only person who knows people that have been scammed more than once!) that the smiles are false, the "handsome man" "I lub you!" is all b*llox but what everybody is not getting is that these people WANT to believe it's true. They've just had a kicking from an ex-wife back home, ego battered and now a young and seemingly beautiful lady is making a fuss over them. They WANT to believe it's for real and no warnings or relating of horror stories will make any difference! Some times it is for real, sometimes not - Just like back home! Anyway, that's enough from me, it's starting to look like a novel!!! Have a nice weekend everybody!

If the wife is cheating on you, how come you didn't win the court case?

[phuketjock]

This has got to be the biggest gathering of geniuses and wonderfully clever people I have ever seen

on one thread, I do hope nothing ever goes wrong for any of you.

"There but for fortune" comes to mind.

[FiftyTwo]

lots of people with lots of different opinions and views. One familiar thread that runs through most of the comments is how adept Thai ladies are at mugging off their foreign/western husbands and leaving them potless. Whilst this may very well be true it's not something that is exclusive to the Thai ladies. a lot of guys (me included) came here after a failed marriage and then getting properly roasted financially by the wife back home. My ex-wife in England was having an affair while i was workling abroad. I came out of the marriage with absolutely nothing,she got the house, car, kids etc etc So it's not just the Thai ladies that can make a bloke skint! There are plenty of comments about new arrivals heeding the warnings and the horror stories. Plenty of warnings telling new arrivals (I guess not only new arrivals as I guess I'm not the only person who knows people that have been scammed more than once!) that the smiles are false, the "handsome man" "I lub you!" is all b*llox but what everybody is not getting is that these people WANT to believe it's true. They've just had a kicking from an ex-wife back home, ego battered and now a young and seemingly beautiful lady is making a fuss over them. They WANT to believe it's for real and no warnings or relating of horror stories will make any difference! Some times it is for real, sometimes not - Just like back home! Anyway, that's enough from me, it's starting to look like a novel!!! Have a nice weekend everybody!

If the wife is cheating on you, how come you didn't win the court case?

England family court is 'no blame' system, rules of evidence also do not apply.

Essentially mum can behave as badly as she wants and still get awarded everything because 'she's their mother'.

She can also break any court order made on her because 'she's their mother'.

Woe betide the guy who brings the kids back 30 minutes late from his monthly visit, jail for him.

Edited September 14, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[bbbbooboo]

2 brains, one blood supply. There's always going to be problems

[plazot11]

Reading " Money number one " should be made mandatory before you can purchase a ticket to Thailand.

and here it is for anyone who wishes to read it

Than you very much for the PDF File . Very informative and a great read !

[giggles]

one thai gal i know has been married 5 times ,

1 Thai

2 hongKong guy

3 American

4 Brit

5 French

now living in paris after doing the dirty on the brit guy i know

[oops]

Friends and family back home are sounded out for a loan, but should none be forthcoming the government will stump up the cost to be repaid upon return. Other embassies work on a similar basis.

That policy must have been introduced overnight.

You learn something new every day, isn't it ?

( Friends and family are sounded out?) You mean they contact family members..? Why didn't you just say ( The embassies gives a " Shout Out !" to their families ) at least it's being " Hip" and even that is out dated.

I say drop them all off at their embassies tied and bound no postage necessary stamped to their foreheads.

[ozyjon]

As Mr Soutpeel says,,,,,

Further mandatory reading should be

" your not really a Hansoom man"

"Pattaya bar girls for dummy's"

" Don't invest more than your prepared to walk away from"

So i'm not that hansum

Oh no Pattaya,, no i will get burn't big time,, avoid avoid avoid

Me have no money (cough cough) i walked away ( with my money)

and now spending it on another lady but (not bar girl,i will never do that)

so read on to the next sad story

[balo]

Every airport should have this sign on the wall before you check-in

''Leave your dick at home''

[thrilled]

Some people are easy prey while others are not. I believe if ya grow up in A city ya might be more street smart.If you were raised in the country farm area ya might be more easy for the bar girl. And alcohol and drugs also play A part.

[Hecate]

Well here a great plan why not give these homeless people a job teaching English in exchange of a flight home or whatever as ASEAN 2015 is just around the corner win win situation if you ask me ...

Believe it or not, you actually need some training to teach English. Turning a semi-literate, drunken loser loose on a classroom full of children is not the answer, and it gives the rest of us a bad name.

Not true!! There were quite a few at the school where I worked....some could barely spell their own names and said things like 'aint' and 'firty free'.....no wat i meen!

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just that it shouldn't.

[freedom4life]

Ironic...this same forum advertises several online-dating services for Thai girls..the same ones that will rob you blind and/or cash you in for a green card back home. What a demented world, it has truly become.