Dutch businessman seriously affected by flooding
In Ayutthaya and Pathon Thani, large parts are under water and, of course, trade and industry suffer greatly.
One of those companies is a tree and flower nursery, which the Dutchman Joop Oosterling started about 20 years ago and which he has now seen literally fall into the water in just a few days.
I meet Joop, a strong sixty year old (just like me!) in Pattaya, where he is in his condo licking the wounds of what happened to him in his company. I expected to meet an angry and bitter man who sees his life's work destroyed, but at first he appears cheerful and full of life and unbreakable by the calamity.
Joop used to be a florist in Haarlem and through contacts at the auction in Aalsmeer he already comes in regularly Thailand for all kinds of trade. In the nineties he moves to Thailand, marries a Thai lady and now has 3 children, 2 of which were adopted by the couple. He then starts a flower and tree nursery on a small scale. Now he has three nurseries in Ayutthaya and Pathon Thani and supplies trees, plants, ornamental pots and natural stone to many countries around the world. Every month, 4 to 5 containers go to the Netherlands, while the Middle East is also an important market for him. IKEA and Center Parcs are regular customers for him in the Netherlands, in Dubai he supplied the palm trees for the palm island “Jeira” and the Tropicenter Berlin also has trees and plants from Thailand. He is already negotiating for deliveries of, among other things, coconut palm trees to Qatar, which will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
At the moment that the water misery starts for Joop, several orders were ready for shipment, such as 150 coconut palm trees, 18.000 lacteas, 250 Bismarckias, etc., all swallowed up by a swirling water mass. I asked Joop if he couldn't have foreseen that, don't these kinds of floods happen every year? Yes, not every year, but more often. Five years ago, his nurseries were about 50 cm under water, but that was manageable. He then built a 3 meter high earthen wall around his nurseries, which should normally be sufficient. However, without any prior notice, a number of locks were opened in his area and the 3-meter embankment was washed away in no time by the powerful water current. Planting away, only the tops of the palm trees came out of the water and the house was not spared either.
Insurance? Forget it! Compensation? Forget it! Joop suffers a loss of between 5 and 10 million Baht, he has a thriving business, can make a good living from it, but has never really become rich from it. It is not necessary, he said, I am happy with my Thai wife and children, but then the anger and bitterness is heard because of what the Thai government has done to him. He has not been offered any help from anyone and he is especially disappointed by the resigned attitude of the Thais.
"What now?" I asked him. Joop has already been in contact with various customers and he enjoys so much confidence that he has been promised every help to start again. That will happen, not least because of his determined Thai wife Pailin, who stands by his side.
We said goodbye, not before I wished him all the success in the world to start a new (business) life. And when we watch football in Qatar in 2014 and see palm trees standing, remember that they were grown and supplied by Joop Oosterling.
Nothing but respect for this man. I believe that with the perseverance described in this article, he will recover. I wish Joop all the best and look forward to the palms in 2022 (mistake Gringo ;-))
I wish Joop a lot of strength in the coming time and hope that he will soon recover from this blow. Although it will leave quite an impact 🙁
Joop I hope that the people you helped so much with the Tsunami, for once, can and want to do something for you.
It would also be to the credit of the Dutch association in Bangkok to raise the problem of the Dutch.
It is not only the Thais who are affected .
I think at the moment, knowing you by the grief you share with your employees, you are like a close family.
Gringo, what you bring to the attention is great in my eyes, also bring forward the expat who is now affected.
Joop here's a message from Henk Kievit and Mary. Here in the Netherlands everything is fine, we hope the same with you, of course.
We wish you and your family a prosperous 2012 with lots of happiness and good health.
And the strength to be able to move on, Joop I know you will certainly succeed.
Greetings your friend Henk Kievit.
One of those annoying Thai antics not to give information when one intends to open the floodgates wider. Informing, organizing and teamwork are apparently not part of the national character. If Thailand had had that characteristic, the damage might have been limited.
Thinking before they act and taking their responsibility can only benefit this country and its inhabitants without losing their properties.
Joop I don't know if you read this but good luck I visited you 3 years ago and visited the nurseries together with your son who lived there
good luck and I'm sure you'll get over it
@ Great article Gringo and thanks for the work. Joop, we wish you the strength and energy to rebuild your business. You will certainly succeed!
I want to thank everyone for the nice wishes
yes you are broken and angry but that does not help
we are a strong people and everyone knows that
they can't get me down also my thai wife is a rock in the surf who cares
now for the workers and the parents of our park the lagoon 3
it was also not spared
thanks again folks
Joop
Joop, you have an attitude after my own heart.
However, a question, is it not possible to insure against this in Thailand?
Joop also a lot of strength from me, I am also a victim in Ayutthaya. Although I have not lost as much as you, I am also frustrated with the reports and information from the authorities.
Our business normally started on November 1. I will now look for another location.
I don't trust here anymore, I expect the same again next season, they will never get this done in less than a year.
Joop come back to the Netherlands!! We miss people like you here at the moment!! What a respect for that man, don't complain but look at new opportunities. This happened to me in China not with a nursery but factory. Typhoon, damage, municipality and entire industrial area was cleared. Making way for a new highway. We did receive compensation, the equivalent of 100 euros per employee, which was enough to possibly pay the lawyer and so-called notary for the next project.
I think Joop's attitude is so great to read. That does me good after I have just read the Dutch newspapers digitally. Just carry on. only today counts, yesterday has been and tomorrow is a gift.
I'm also fed up with it here in BKK now and I'm moving to a higher level in the mountains to Pak Chong, there is clean air there too and it will stay dry there
Dear Eric,
What do I see, I'm sniffing how high the water is in bkk and come across the name Erik, are you our Eric or am I wrong, luckily you can swim because you learned that on the Valkeniersweg, do the greetings to Bas, and take care of yourself.Jan.
subconsciously I made a good choice.
I live at 560 meters high; north of Chiang Mai and I see the misery pass below but comfortable and dry myself.
anyone who wants to rent a house, build, etc. look around you and always live high in a valley.
water flows from high to low
True, but you don't have to go that high. 5 meters above ground level is enough….
yo thanks for your response. Yes I put my lawyer on it
because insurance companies are not at home here, force majeure they say
good luck to all Dutch people affected and look to the future
I am proud that I am a Dutchman, they will never break it
Joop