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Home » Reader question » Reader Question: Why do some farang in Thailand queue for food?
Dear readers,
On the way to the supermarket (in Pattaya and by moped taxi) I see a long queue of people for food distribution at two or three places, a well-known phenomenon for several weeks. And at every row I see half a dozen white foreigners, neatly with shopping bags in their arms.
Time and time again I wonder what they are doing there? Even the taxi man wonders aloud what they are doing there? I know there is a lot of poverty among the Farang in Pattaya but so poor that they have to queue for food?
So my question to the readers is: do you know such (White) paupers? Is it really that bad for them?
Regards,
Maryse
I suspect for the same reasons as Thai who don't really need it: greed and take what you can get when it's free. Take the example of Chris that his not poor neighbors accepted food/support packages, the readers who tell about Thai people in their area who applied for 5000 baht even if they don't need it or are not entitled to it, people who picked up free food and drove away in an SUV around the corner. Too many greedy people on this earth. Unfortunately. Fortunately also a lot of people who do their thing and are willing to help the weak.
Nb: yes there will probably also be white noses who are watering their lips.
Rob yes it is disgusting luckily there are many farangs who offer support and give food or money
Yes, I know what hunger is, went to kindergarten in the last year of the war: with a piece of sugar beet and was happy when someone gave me a sandwich, yes I like to support these poor people,
Editors once again iPad don't always write what you would like to apologize,
Dear Robert V,
I often agree with you, but now I think you are going very short-sighted.
Personally, I know people who earn their “bread” as English teachers, have a family here and now have to wait until the end of July for their first salary. Some schools simply pay for the months worked!
Given that those wages don't leave much room for saving, I think some compassion is needed.
It must be very humiliating to be compelled to beggars!
Sincerely,
Jan
Falang who are teachers and work in private education in Thailand are not well off.
State education pays a lot better.
The directors of private schools also cheat with the level of the salary, there are no fixed salary scales as in the rich spoiled west.
Usually those school groups have something to do with Catholic authorities… Sancta Maria, Mater Immaculata, in Nongkhai I even found a school called Sanctus Alphonsus.
A teacher who, for example, delivers less quality, is still young, is native English, but does not have the educational diploma, earns a lot less.
For example, the bets can start from 350 euros. That is the price for young falang who have found the love of their lives in Thailand, in Roi Et or Kon Khaen for example.
The adventure has its price. I know many.
A big wage is approx. 800 eu in the private sector. Then there is usually an educational diploma in return.
In that context, state education quickly exceeds 1 eu/month.
And if a falang who earns 400 eu, only gets paid 30%, he only takes 120 eu/month.
Who can live on that…. Although…
If you are completely in love, you can still live on love, says an old Flemish proverb.
The salaries you mention are very low. In addition, you cannot tar all private schools with the same brush. Among them are both (international) top schools with a fantastic salary package and schools that are not worthy of the name school and employer.
Not every farang teacher comes to Thailand for love, but there are many reasons; with me it was the desire to start a new life.
I myself work as a teacher in Narathiwat, in the troubled Muslim south of Malaysia, and here my salary is paid in full until at least April. I have a 12 month contract and that is not forgotten.
My dear Danzig, I didn't think I was painting all private schools with the same brush.
And in the private schools that are at the top in terms of secondary education, for example (usually in Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin and internationally) - yes, certainly a nice salary package - an average falang does not get in as a teacher, especially if he does not have a pedagogical degree...
Of course, we first know the world by ourselves.
As a result: a niece of my girlfriend works somewhere in a private village school near Chiang Mai for 450 eu/month as a bachelor's teacher.
My girlfriend's older sister works in Phuket in a private secondary school as a bachelor of economics and earns 800 eu/month. A year ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to go to Bangkok for treatment for an extended period of time. She was discharged with zero baht compensation. No health insurance either. She received a one-off premium of 20 baht from the school for medicines.
My girlfriend herself teaches English as a bachelor in a state secondary school in Nakhon Ratchasima. She receives something like 1200 eu, but medical care and hospital for herself, her children and possibly her husband if they were still together, or if I marry her.
That is one third more than her sister.
And if she chooses a field of research, dedicates a study to it and submits an official paper on it to the Ministry of Education, there is another bonus on top, which can reach 7 baht/month. You can do that twice in a career.
In my experience, most private schools (with or without a Christian background) skimp on the salaries of their staff… or of certain staff members. If you commit more to extra activities, a surplus can be given. Like in business.
The wages of the official Thai schools, on the other hand, function with pay scales. So: fairer. Fortunately, as it works with us.
Indeed, there are 'contracts' with foreigners who teach English on an hourly basis. As far as I know only in primary education. Such a contract releases the school from the obligation to ask the employee for a teaching qualification. That suits some foreigners because they are or were not teachers at all. The disadvantage is that you don't get paid for the two holiday months because you don't work and not now during the corona time.
If you have an annual contract, you will in principle be paid monthly. And in a situation like Corona, I would join Social Security if I didn't get a salary.
'Contracts' here means 'temporary contracts' I presume.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, too, a temporary/annual contract is only concluded for 10 months and a teacher is not paid for the 2 months' holiday.
Still, he gets a wage in 12 months.
Our governments have put a nice sleeve on it. The gross salary is not divided by 10 but by 12, so that a temporary teacher 'thinks' that he is being paid for a full year or 12 months.
We used to call them the “balloon chasers” = those pale noses who went from beer bar to beer bar where balloons were hanging out to celebrate the birthday of one of the girls and then there was always free food. They then ordered the cheapest drink (a soda water) and ate their rumen full and they were gone ...
In addition to the greedy people who don't need it that Rob V. refers to, there are undoubtedly the so-called "poor whites" and addicts who do need it. In this way, existing hidden suffering comes to the surface.
Has nothing to do with greed.
More with: is free and that's a bonus.
And you also have to queue for a long time and that in this heat.
You won't see me in line again.
We rent a condominium to an American English teacher and she asked us for a reduction in her monthly payments for a period of one to three months while the schools are not yet open, because she is currently receiving a 35% reduction in her salary. It is difficult for her to make ends meet and we have of course agreed to this for this difficult period. There are also people who cannot control themselves with their spending patterns and their addictions. They could just stand in line.
The people who will never turn down something for free can certainly be found here. The need is less important to them, but perhaps also an urge that they cannot control. This can certainly be seen among the Thai population, also in our neighborhood where the distribution takes place regularly.
Whether they are greedy Farang or so-called poor white Farang, they have no place in this row in my opinion.
Coming from a rich industrial country where everyone was socially insured, and then holding hands in a country that hardly has enough for its own population.
I would say immediately pick it up and pass it off in the country of origin.
Bit short sighted, dear John. Many tourists from Thailand come from countries where the average income is a lot lower than in Thailand, such as the various Eastern European countries, Russia, various countries in South and Central America, etc. etc. Because you have a white complexion, you are then rich? Wrong thought, look into other countries. Even in the richer countries many come from an income class lower than usual in Thailand, think of the US where many have 2 or 3 jobs to survive, despite their white color.
Color does not say about a person or circumstance, everyone is welcome and if necessary they can join the queue.
Dear Ger-Korat, You think many tourists come from countries where the average income is a lot lower than in Thailand???
In my opinion, this is not only short-sighted driving, but also under the influence of an excess of alcohol.
I wish everyone his holiday, but if you really belong to that income class you are talking about, then you should not make a world trip to Thailand.
When many of us used to have no money, we stayed for a week at the most in a tent on the Veluwe or on the North Sea, which was no shame at all.
I think it's a shame, if you live clearly about your budget, in the hope that another country, which does not have enough for its own population, will help you.
The core of the story is that anyone can unintentionally end up in a situation such as the current corona crisis and the food queues in Thailand. If necessary, anyone can join as far as I'm concerned, I don't like distinctions based on descent, color, origin, nationality or whatever. According to you, to honk that you come from a richer country than Thailand would mean that you are not entitled to help. I look at individual people and even in prosperous countries you have large groups that are not prosperous. There are also large groups such as backpackers, snowbirds, people who are temporarily between jobs, entrepreneurs, freelancers and more who have unintentionally gotten into trouble. Also consider those who cannot fly back or are asked to buy a new ticket while there is no money for it because who expected these corona conditions. Or those who work in Thailand and their job has been stopped, you stand there with your white color without money and then you shout that they are there unjustly. I think your empathy and knowledge of society is a bit lacking.
And the comment about alcohol: I'm a teetotaller.
Dear Ger-Korat, I was mainly concerned with those people you describe here as tourists with a lower income, who have now only got into trouble due to the Covid19 conditions.
Tourists who have now run into problems due to their small financial budget, and are now forced to count on the social aid of a country that itself does not have enough for its own population.
Usually these tourists, whom you describe as coming from the so-called low-income group, were very risk-taking, because most seem to have thought only of their own pleasure, and have counted on the help of their fellow man if things went wrong.
In this case it was corona that no one saw coming so quickly, but how would this low-income group you mentioned, who could only pay for their travel at the most, react if they got sick or got into an accidental accident?
The incomes you describe usually do not allow them to have at least travel or health insurance, leaving the poor host country often with unpaid hospital and other bills.
Living and traveling also has to do with thinking ahead, and if I don't have the money to arrange a flight rebooking, travel or health insurance etc in an emergency, then I'm living on a clearly too big foot.
You could almost compare it with the desire to drive an expensive car, while the budget for insurance and maintenance is not sufficient.
Isn't that very chilly? Personally, I think that someone should be able to build up rights, so if a wutneus or other foreigner is employed by a Thai organization (school, etc.), it would be neat to build up some kind of benefit right. That the social safety net in Thailand for its residents (Thai and foreigner) still falls short is verse 2.
The examples from readers here that they are teachers who have been working here for some time and are now having a hard time are not pleasant. It's hard to kick those people out of the country, seems inhumane and anti-social to me.
This is also the case if the employer has registered you with Social Security. Then you are not only entitled to reimbursement of medical expenses, but also to a benefit and a form of pension. It is arranged, not much money but yes …… some employers may not do what they should do.
Chilly? = Heartless!
You will just sit in that boat, ie it will happen to you on vacation.
And you have to have the courage to stand in that line as a white nose.
May I say, this "opinion" is heavy on it?
People who are hungry have something to look for in that line! Those are Thai, but also some falangs. Cockroaches and Chinese too, but you try to kick them to death. To be sarcastic for once.
You assume a principle (being from a rich country) which is not applicable at all now.
Why don't you contact the Thai government, you already have strong assets: heartlessness.
I live here, and I'll find you someday, because if I hate anyone, it's rich farangs who gossip about the poor. That may stop for me now.
Have you ever heard the saying: in Rome, behave like the Romans.
Perhaps it is farangs who are on holiday in Thailand because they cannot return home because there are no more flights, and have run out of money? The possibility suggested by Jan VC, an English teacher with a Thai family who no longer receives a wage, is possible, but seems unlikely to me. You would expect his wife to line up or at least accompany him. Foreigners who stay in Thailand for a long time on the basis of a one-year extension have had to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources and usually do not work, so in that respect they are not affected by the corona measures.
We are talking about Pattaya. The place where many Europeans have found their Waterloo. Too poor to stay, too poor to go back because no money for a ticket, no home/family in Europe. Visa often (sometimes for a long time) expired. Living off what compassionate relatives may still send, possibly their own last pennies, possibly of their Thai girlfriend who is now also without income.
If your choice is the food line, or "hotel Bangkok" until your expulsion, I understand the choice.
I feel intensely sorry for it.
I don't think it has to do with greed. I know a number of farangs in Khorat who are having a hard time right now. One is an English teacher who has lost his job and home and has become homeless. I sent him 10000 baht. He now has a rental house again and is now teaching a little English over the internet. Some of the others there run a bar or restaurant. Income 0,00 baht for a few months. the fixed costs will continue. They're having a hard time right now. The same goes for Pattaya I think. I know many foreigners there who run a bar or restaurant. People are always so quick to judge. I find that disgusting. The farangs are there for a reason otherwise they wouldn't. Maybe just ask the farangs why they are queuing. Then you hear the real story.
What do you think of holidaymakers who came with Euros or Dollars and are now unable to exchange them. Or backpackers who came to spend their last pennies in Thailand. Plenty of Farangs will have gotten into trouble so it's not that strange...
Dear people,
How shocking how many people have a prejudice on this subject and react negatively without substantiation.
Of course, the same also happens in the Netherlands, where people of non-Dutch origin or with a different skin color are regularly stopped driving a nice car.
Must be a drug dealer or a pimp is often suggested.
Very dangerous and the word racism has been used quickly
So also many of those kinds of responses to Maryse's question.
It's easy to have an opinion while the fine of it is unknown.
Talking a lot is easy but saying something is harder.
It will get a lot of feedback though.
Ralph