Statement of the week: Dutch people who have run into financial problems in Thailand should sort it out themselves
You regularly read stories about foreigners who are going downhill in Thailand. Sometimes they are undressed by a Thai lady. But there are also plenty of other situations to mention, such as Dutch people who end up in a Thai hospital but turn out to be uninsured and therefore unable to pay the hospital costs. Should you help these people or not?
This question bubbled up when I read a story in Bangkok Post yesterday about a Swedish man in trouble was hit. This 45-year-old homeless person wanders somewhere near Nana and gets some money and food by begging. He sleeps on the street in a porch. The Swede is said to have been cheated by his Thai girlfriend, whom he had met in a bar and with whom he had moved in together. He had run out of money and, he said, had also lost his passport. The man seems to have no relatives who can help him and also suffers from depressive disorders. Calls are now appearing on social media to help the man and raise money for a ticket to Sweden.
The question remains; should you help this man or possibly compatriots in the same situation? I myself tend to answer 'no' to this. Not because I have no feeling or compassion, but because there are a number of emigrants who take irresponsible risks.
Like the case where someone consciously chooses not to take out health insurance, thinks it's too expensive or thinks it's nonsense, should I help him out? The same goes for someone who spends his money. He can blame his Thai girlfriend, but that kite only goes up if the man has been robbed by his girlfriend. If he is naive and enters into a relationship with the first bargirl, buys her a house within a year and throws money around, he takes irresponsible risks himself. Who burns his buttocks must sit on the blisters, right?
There will also be expats who, in response to the statement, say that they should knock on the door of the embassy, but the embassy itself cannot offer financial aid. There is no budget for that. In the past, loans were sometimes granted, for example for a plane ticket to the home country, but these were rarely repaid when they were back in the Netherlands. The only thing the embassy is allowed to do is mediate, for example by approaching someone's family and friends to help out financially.
Coming back to the statement, do you think you should help Dutch people or other foreigners if they are in financial need? Have you ever had something like this on hand in your area? Give your opinion and respond to the statement.
In my opinion you should let it depend on the circumstances, is it really purely culpable own fault? then I would say figure it out, take the example of health insurance and travel insurance, nothing taken out, own fault, all his money 1 or more bars have been chased through without even reserving a little reserve, own fault.
in any case he should be in possession of a return ticket, has he sold it, lost it, has it been stolen?
However, there are also cases that do deserve help, who got into trouble completely through no fault of their own, depressive disorders, for example, cannot be blamed, stupidity that caused you to be scammed like a small child is also not culpable, hospitalization while you assumed that your insurance is in order, I can think of hundreds of reasons why one deserves a little help and another absolutely not, because he has knowingly got himself into trouble in the possession of his right mind.
In any case, take one piece of good advice from me and keep it with you and never forget it, be careful with your passport and ticket, don't believe everything people tell you, even among tourists there are people who try to cheat you out of your pocket. , for example because they are in trouble themselves or because it is just crappy, pay attention to the date of your visa, always keep some money on hand (personally I always have traveler's checks with me for that and listen to them every now and then). advice from people who mean well for you and that is usually not (but sometimes even) the Thai barmaids, not every barmaid is a shrewd, money-grabbing, money-grabber, I know plenty with a heart of gold , or at least a layer.
If I come across someone who really got into trouble through no fault of their own, I will really help, but don't think about huge amounts for tickets, etc., then I will have more about the 1st necessity of life for a few days.
Yours faithfully,
Lex K
A bit short-sighted to say that you should at least be in possession of a return ticket.
Where do you think you can buy a ticket if you are going to live in Thailand and perhaps want to visit your homeland again after four years?
That is not possible.
So in that time you can get into trouble and therefore no return ticket.
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Are there children involved, possibly with overstay? Then do something together. They don't let you put them in a cage.
But pulling the cut if a person's family in A-land doesn't want to raise anything: no.
Someone who has run out of money, because he does not know how to use it, should not expect any help from me. When I look around and see which "castles" are being built and when I see that beautiful houses have been for sale here for years, you shouldn't come and complain that you don't have any money left.
Here with us another resort is being built. A small group of houses on the corner of two streets and the prices that are demanded for it are not bad. Maybe another person who throws all his money into a bottomless pit.
I also know someone who rented a house for 3000 baht and went to the city every day to drink there for 2000 baht or more in the evening. That man had to go back to his home country at a certain point because he had no money left.
Of course you don't know the circumstances. They do indeed play a role. Still, I think most of them are to blame.
You should be able to create a community cash register that lives on donations. For example, a small contribution from everyone who travels into Thailand has to pay a few Euro / Baht extra, just in case someone cannot afford certain costs. Or also, for example, with your visa extension or your 90-day stamp. Then you pay 500 baht extra. This comes in a big pot for emergencies.
But unfortunately that is a wishful dream… you have to have people you can trust and who can manage that. Where there is money, it is also misused. A lot could come together in a year.
It's just an idea…
Dear SjaakS, If you buy a ticket for Thailand, it already includes 700 baht for the Thai government to cover unforeseen expenses for tourists who are in trouble or hospital. Unfortunately, this Incoming money is not used for that, it is still about 14 billion baht, which is raised by paying the 700 baht that airlines are now giving up. Previously we paid 500 baht when we left the country at passport control. So those people who have to go back to their country of residence, the Thai government has to buy a ticket and if that person wants to enter the country again, he will have to prove that he has a ticket for 1 year and that he has enough money. The Thai government should not make a tourist pay twice.
I will only help a fellow countryman in special exceptional need.
That 700 baht is the airport tax, you also pay in the Netherlands. So it does not have to deal with unforeseen costs for tourists. There are plans to have tourists pay a certain amount for some kind of insurance, but these have not yet been implemented.
It really depends on whether it is a case of your own fault or pure bad luck. By pure bad luck I understand something that could happen to all of us, no matter how well prepared and covered.
No insurance, lost money to an ex after first putting everything in her name, call it my own fault.
Simple answer: I agree 100% with the statement.
Someone must have had to deal with very, very special problems if I want to contribute anything to his/her state of emergency.
Quite right. We experienced it on one of our trips that someone couldn't pay the flight tax, they went to collect money for that now nothing from us. There are still many people who are not insured. Well then you run the risk for that if it goes well then it's okay if not bad luck. We always make sure we have enough reserves for emergencies.
Jesus, what heartless comments. You can say of almost every foreigner that it is his own fault. Even if it's someone's own fault, I think you should try to help. Anyone can get into that situation. And helping is more than just throwing some money around, I wouldn't do that either.
I am a volunteer at the Lanna Care Net foundation, which tries to help foreigners in need in and around Chiang Mai. I have assisted about 10 clients, mostly with medical and financial problems, of which 5 were Dutch, a few Americans and Belgians.
Many of those foreigners in need are people with few social skills and minimal income. Some speak no Thai and poor English. Occasionally I give a little money, for example for the telephone bill or the internet connection. The most help comes from making contact (possibly via the embassy) with family and friends, persuading the hospital to reduce the bill and agreeing on payment in installments. ask the immigration authorities to issue a medical visa. That's all difficult when you're lying in bed with a broken leg. Furthermore, mediating with doctors, nurses and administration, and providing information.
With a client I managed to get a bill of 400.000 baht at a private hospital waived (they are insured for this and knew that there was nothing to get anyway) and for his account of 128.000 baht at a state hospital (where he continues to do excellently). treated) I make sure that 10.000 baht is paid off monthly, sometimes with some pressure, and I almost succeeded. He only has state pension.
Giving money usually doesn't seem like a good thing to me either, but you can help in many other ways. Then do that, and don't rely on the 'own fault big bump' principle. How about lung cancer and HIV?
Dear Tino, it is to your credit that you do a lot for your fellow man. I certainly respect that. On the other hand, you said it yourself: “Many of those foreigners in need are people with few social skills and minimal income. Some do not speak Thai and poor English.” If that is someone's situation, are you smart about emigrating to Thailand? Such people especially need psychological help and I can't give them that.
You also say that you managed to waive a large part of the hospital bill, because they are insured for that. Yes, but there is still damage. The hospital must pay (more) insurance premiums or it will be at the expense of the Thai taxpayer. That money might also have saved a Thai child. It has to come from somewhere. The Dutch person in the hospital makes his own choice not to insure himself, and he is fully responsible for that. Passing the blame on others, such as the hospital, is immoral. It also contributes to giving other farang in Thailand a bad name.
On the other hand, it is equally immoral to deny urgent medical attention to people without insurance and money, however they ended up in that situation. In the Netherlands, too, general practitioners and hospitals will help people like this (this happens regularly), and indeed this is at the expense of helping others. It is commendable in the Thai healthcare system that most state hospitals and some private hospitals are willing to provide acute care even if there is no immediate payment in return. I had to choose between two evils and chose to pay the state hospital. But now that I've almost succeeded, I'm going to try to extort money from him to pay for the private hospital as well. Pfff…..
And a message to all foreigners who walk around here without health insurance (and there are many): you are immoral, enjoy the country, complain when something is wrong, and then let the Thais pay for your problems in case of illness . The visa requirements should become much stricter, because health insurance is part of it. A new task for Prayuth, that poor man.
An excellent response Tino, totally agree. Tackle at the source. No health insurance? Then tighten the visa requirements. For example, a guarantee of 1 million baht, so you protect people against themselves.
Totally agree, Khan Peter.
And that stricter visa requirement becomes even more beautiful when you realize that you not only protect (naive) people against themselves, but at the same time also protect (honest) others against people with bad intentions.
After all, far too many people come here with downright dishonest to criminal intentions.
These are people with (unfortunately) generally very well-developed social skills who come here with the sole intention of swindling other farangs (cheating locals is not so easy) and extorting money to benefit themselves.
For example, I know someone from my own hometown who has been staying here for several months a year for years and who returns to Belgium for a few months every year in the summer to live on social services and set up illegal businesses, where he previously lived here. purchased products (mostly erection stimulants, but also various counterfeit items such as watches) with huge profits.
That man is actually a genius at his criminal craft, for he is such a shrewd liar and deceiver that he can fool anyone over and over again (at least for a while).
The worst part is that he has already caused trouble for other, well-meaning people on several occasions.
Knowingly….
That is also the reason why you will never see him in a Belgian bar.
Precisely to keep those kinds of uninvited guests away from here, I think the stricter supervision of back-to-back visas with visa runs is a very good first step. After all, that man has been staying here for about eight to nine months a year since the beginning of this century: received on the basis of a single entry in Belgium, and then a few weeks to Cambodia, where he can get a new one at a visa office in Phnomm Pennh. visa for three months.
He then travels back and forth to Cambodia a few times (he finances this again with smuggling, this time mainly of cigarettes and alcohol, which he then sells here in Thailand itself) until he reaches eight to nine months to to return to Belgium for a few months.
The worst thing about this is that he (by necessity, he does not own a penny himself and even prides himself on the fact that he has no source of income anywhere) regularly gets others into trouble. Or at least get them into trouble.
Last spring, for example, he himself became a victim of his practices: the (also Belgian) moneylender that he then used as a cash cow was caught by the police in Belgium on suspicion of selling, importing and handling prohibited weapons (particularly tasers, purchased in… yes, Thailand…)
Because the man of justice was not allowed to travel back to Thailand, the financial plan of the former was thwarted.
As a result, he not only stopped paying his last electricity bills to the landlord of his apartment, but he also started borrowing money (20000 Baht) to pay for his plane ticket.
Another loan that he will never (be able to) pay back.
If you then ask me whether I think it is justified that this money was lent to him, my answer is very short and just as clear: no!
After all, he owes all this solely to himself and he is very well aware of the risks he runs.
That is why I am wholeheartedly in favor of tightening visa requirements.
Kito
The latter, compulsory health insurance, seems to me to be a good thing.
Thai tourists are required to do that with their visa applications, right?
Why not mandate that in the other direction is a win-win situation.
Dear Tina,
It is great that foundations like Lana Care Net exist , but even better that you are a volunteer .
I was not aware of the existence of such foundations .
It is good that an assessment can be made from situation to situation about help or not.
Indeed, most reactions to this statement are not about the helping hand, but about one's own fault.
It would be nice if this blog paid more attention to the existence of these kinds of foundations, than all those advertisements about airline tickets and / or, for example, shady dental practices, but perhaps bring in money.
Perhaps a good suggestion about broadening the horizon of Thailandblog?
A good greeting from Danny
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Dear Tino, look, I can go a long way with that. That you point people in the right direction in the right direction or (not financially) give them a push in the right direction. This again depends entirely on the situation, just like hitting the ground can be somewhere between 100% bad luck and 100% your own fault. One person is helped if you can arrange a payment arrangement, another will pay once and then not again (it will make the creditor less eager to also make an arrangement with the next person...). I therefore think it is important to judge each case on its own merits, both when it comes to the question of guilt and assistance.
Although my starting point remains that if someone has made it himself, I don't exactly feel called to help such a person out of the fire. Let's first see what family etc. of the victim or simpleton can mean and whether someone should be protected against themselves or who reprehensible too easily count that someone else will help them out in need, that is, as Peter says, immoral , reprehensible behavior and abdication of personal responsibility.
Agreed, foreigners who have been stupid will have to bear the brunt. It is of course a shame that they cannot (legally) work for a one-way ticket back to their country of origin. It is a different story if someone has been robbed or defrauded in a criminal sense, then the perpetrator(s) must be prosecuted and the stolen property returned to the rightful owner. Then there is also a vague intermediate area between stupidity and being scammed.
Example: if you donate / give away all your money (especially to a new flame) or if you put it in stones, then you are acting stupid, you should always take into account that your money will be lost due to bad luck, an accident, a decrease in value, etc. you have a (stable) relationship and suddenly your bank account is looted and your car is sold, then you have been robbed / scammed. If you have a (new) relationship and you are asked for money (a reasonable amount), it can be difficult to say with complete certainty whether this is a sincere request or fraud/lies. Sometimes scams are not obvious in advance. Of course you should never donate/borrow more than you can afford… but even then you can lose just about everything due to a combination of factors (partly stupid, partly bad luck, partly stolen/swindled in a clever way).
The fact that an embassy does not help (except as a point of contact) and does not even advance money is unfortunately understandable because people also abuse this (such as not paying back) and you should not fund / reward your stupid behavior.
See also:
https://www.thailandblog.nl/nieuws/zweedse-toerist-dakloos-na-oplichting-door-thaise-vriendin/#comment-383742
Usually you do not know the background of the person asking for help, it is true that many people make irresponsible decisions when they emigrate to a country like Thailand, for example, but I will try to help my fellow man if I am confronted with this , despite the reason he got into shit, every human being makes mistakes consciously or unconsciously, and if I were asked to donate a few cents so that one can make a new start or like that Swede for a ticket back to Sweden, why shouldn't I help? Do you have to react from your own fault, big bump and fuck off?
It is mopping with the tap open. There are so many and many Thai are in the same position. Why then should aid be race-biased? Embassies are there to help, and in extreme cases, if no one wants to do anything in the Netherlands, then the KLM deal of the stand by ticket. The question is also that if we were all born poor and naked, one manages to arrange it well and the other with 1 million baht, separated from the girl in the street, makes a mess of it? The other through hard work, being thrifty, thinking and not going to maintain hordes of lazy Thai, living a brown life and never having to rely on others. How come? What's the difference? Is it just plain stupidity? Is it the pheromones that cannot be resisted? Think before you begin and don't go to Thailand on an apple and an egg to "build a new life". Because often the financial undressing action starts very carefully, you just have to set a rule, ask for money or family support, no matter how pathetic the story is, it is not allowed, claimed tradition or no claimed tradition.
To be honest, I just don't know. My first thought is that you don't let someone who is in trouble flounder. When I still lived in The Hague I was with the rescue brigade; We also carry out for those who went too far or if there was a red flag. Sometimes you get into trouble because of bad luck, sometimes because of clumsiness or inattention, sometimes because you knowingly took a risk. Who hasn't crossed over quickly at red, or just jumped into that departing train? Should the ambulance have stayed away if it had gone wrong, because it was your own fault?
On the other hand, going to Thailand, whether for vacation or to live there, is not an impulsive action like crossing the street or jumping on a train. The visa rules are aimed at giving the Thai government as much certainty as possible that the incoming person has sufficient means to travel back if necessary. If you no longer have those resources, you have either been robbed, or you have been creative with the rules. The fact that the latter has not really been made difficult in recent years does not change that. A trip to Thailand requires more preparation than a weekend on Texel, there is an abundance of tips and information about risks, and our government is clear that they will not help you financially if you get into trouble. Whoever succeeds in doing so has himself to thank for it.
In the Netherlands we have gone too far in the warning culture. Traffic signs advise to go through a bend at 40 that you can easily take at 80. And everywhere you are reminded that wet floors are slippery. No wonder a really helpful warning isn't taken seriously anymore. When the alarm sirens sounded in Helmond because of a fire that released toxic substances, no one went inside and closed their windows and doors. Warnings have long since lost their threat.
I think it should be clear to everyone that those who travel abroad must ensure that accommodation, including unexpected costs, and the return journey can be paid for themselves. It should also be clear that you cannot turn to the embassy for financial support, and that you are expected to clean up the mess you cause yourself.
In the meantime it's great that there are Tinos who are committed to people who have really gotten into trouble and can't get out of it independently. Unsolvable problems may also come my way, once I live in Thailand. Maybe because of bad luck, maybe because I'm doing something incredibly stupid. What a wonderful thought that thanks to the Tino's of this world I will not be completely left to my own devices.
Everyone is ignoring the fact that a reason must be sought, in fact sitting in the judge's chair. And that is therefore not possible. Is it so, isn't it so? Etc.
It is better not to judge and let your feelings speak. If the feeling is good, give something and vice versa, give nothing. You can also turn the situation around and do Tham Bun (do good). Then you are always good :))
Regards Joy.
Minimal responsibility, I think that a repatriation is arranged according to circumstances with a financial acknowledgment of the person.
In political crisis areas, governments can send their own planes to pick up people who usually have earned their living there and certainly cannot always afford a ticket and are certainly not poor…. ” an ordinary airline ticket can be advanced if fin. debt note to accept for repayment .
If one has a ticket left for wanted criminals , this should also be possible for other categories !
If someone is in dire need, you should help, regardless of their history. It is a haughty attitude that people adopt when they are called upon by fellow people who find themselves in hopeless situations and ignore them. We are willing to help, but on our terms and our insights into the problem (our own fault). You see the same phenomenon in people in the Netherlands. (no, I don't give anything to him, it's still spent on drugs and alcohol. Or: oh, no, there's so much left hanging. Or: do you keep control over it (10 years of the MartinusStichting Noord-Thailand. Now closed, projects have been realized). Perhaps something for Thailandblog to set up a reserve for people who find themselves in such situations?
Anyway, this is my point of view and quite open to discussion, I know that. The problem is more nuanced than summarized in these few lines.
So if I understand correctly, you are proposing support for the farang in trouble, and the Thai in trouble, “that is a completely different case?” That smacks of support based on race, or am I seeing it wrong?
No, of course Dutch people who get into trouble shouldn't have to figure it out all by themselves. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone takes too many risks sometimes. Should we leave a drunken Dutch expat who falls off his moped on the way to his condo in Bangkok to lie on the street and bleed to death? Do we ask him for his health insurance first? There are two levels at stake here. Should individuals (like you and me) help our fellow expats and should the Dutch government help when expats get into trouble?
Whether you help or whether I help depends on our own private conceptions of humanity. The reactions show that many people do not help, but fortunately there are also exceptions such as Tino. Everyone can help in their own way. This helping is not about giving or advancing large amounts of money. I think everyone who doesn't help hopes that he himself will be helped if he does stupid things.
Another point is whether the Dutch government should help. I believe that the Dutch government should help if expats abroad get into trouble. They already do that, even if the Dutch are careless or it is their own fault (go too far into the sea, ski on dangerous slopes, get stranded somewhere and do not have enough food and/or water with them, go to war zones, are in the abroad in prison for offenses etc etc).
The Dutch state can advance money if the expat/tourist is not insured and have him/her sign a contract to pay back that money. A simple partial garnishment of salary and benefits can ensure that the money really returns to the state. That is possible with alimony and I do not see that this is not possible in the above cases.
When I think of the statement, I don't immediately think of emergency help. If a Thai or Dutch person (or foreigner) has an accident in Thailand or any other country, call the emergency services. If necessary, you can bring such a person to the help yourself if you cannot rely on the help. A hospital (government) should also have a fund for emergency aid for people without money or insurance, whether that is a foreigner or a resident (who may or may not pay any taxes). Compensating for a hospital bill should therefore be a rarity. There is of course a shared responsibility here: most people would be perfectly able to ensure that they are sufficiently insured, some cannot afford this through no fault of their own, others have made it themselves (consciously taken risks, for example) but even they let you not rot. That just seems humane to me.
But when I think of the statement, I think of people who have gotten themselves into financial misery or have ended up in one. In the first instance, someone has to take the blame themselves if someone has clearly been stupid. Secondly liable are those directly involved, such as possible liars/scammers (m/f) who must be punished and pay damages. Only then do the public funds and individual help come into play, again depending on the situation.
Claiming money back is not that easy in practice: see the incident in Amsterdam last year where people paid out 10x (100x?) too much money in benefits. A few million still has not been returned because there are people who A) stupidly/consciously used up the sudden mega deposit B) knowingly do not want to give the money back. Sour apples who count on someone else to foot the bill if things go wrong... That must have happened to the embassies as well: advance money, with or without a written agreement, and then still end up fumbling for your money, partly because there are people are people who really cannot afford to pay back, partly people who save money this way...
Unfortunately, you have met people with a sadly stupid story a few times (so scammers or gigantic idiots who have ignored all warnings, advice, rules, etc.), then you become a bit careful even if you don't want to let anyone fall in your heart.
Should we as a collective and individual help our fellow human beings? yes, regardless of location, origin or whatever, but in a constructive way that if possible does not harm the long-term interests of an individual or collective. That is why we weigh each case on a case-by-case basis and determine what is a fair course of action. The starting point must be that people first and foremost take their own responsibility for their actions and consequences in order to limit irresponsible passing on to a minimum.
200.000 Thb I wanted to open an account with a bank in Thailand,
The lady at the bank wanted to know everything about me.
At closing time she told me it was not possible .
Strange that I had something in my drink, my whole new furniture was gone + the money even a platinum ring that I could never take off was gone.
The remote control of the new TV. they forgot to bring.
The next morning I opened my eyes in a hospital, where the doctor told me that if I had taken 1 more sip I would have been dead.
Only after 1 year did it come to my attention that I had travel insurance, so too late for a claim.
Am I stupid then?
I think the lady on the couch had something to do with it .
My mail is somewhat similar to Sjaak's. I think it would be wise if the expatriates in Thailand formed a joint pot for unforeseen circumstances. This is especially important for the elderly, because the measures that are being taken in the Netherlands are not bad. You can count less and less on the Dutch government. Such a fund should, of course, only pay out when other options have been exhausted. First you try to help someone in their search for money for a ticket to the Netherlands and only if it really closes on closed doors (so no advance from the embassy) then the fund pays for the one-way ticket. I believe that the Dutch emigrants in Sao Paulo suffered something like this about thirty years ago, or so I was told. See also what Chris writes in this regard. Perhaps such a fund and a somewhat good organization in this area can also make agreements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dear Han and Sjaak.
ThailandFRog CharLy Foundation is almost born.
See that from philosophical conviction.
A safety net for compatriots who have run into problems for whatever reason.
After all, in the Netherlands and Belgium there is just such a safety net, from the social security system, to which everyone contributes. Unlike there, it will have to be volunteers, who have to keep it running, with equally voluntary contributions. Sounds like a tall order to me.
As for the statement, help the fellow man. It is also a drunkard who has drunk everything. Own mistake. And so there are some. Help, not by giving money or booze. Then come and eat the last week of your trip. Sometimes even that offer is ignored, then who is really in trouble.
I could list another list but then it becomes a story in itself.
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Completely agree with the statement!
Too many people, regardless of nationality, get carried away by their sex organs rather than their minds, thinking they can live on roses and moonshine, forgetting the reality. There may be exceptions, but these will be extremely rare!
Didit.
Beautiful song Hans! Know it from Eric Clapton. Depicts life well. When you're in shit, you get to know friends or know your real friends. Usually it's the former!
For the people who are so firmly behind the statement "he who burns his bottom, must sit on the blisters", I hope that life continues to be kind to them. However, life sometimes takes strange and nasty turns that one does not foresee! If things go horribly wrong, hope you find someone who judges and doesn't judge. The latter usually happens, so also here.
There are causes that are beyond the responsibility of the duped farang. even if it was/is insured, even if the police are called in or it comes to a lawsuit. Even if it was already arranged so well by law or the notary. This is Thailand, the country with two faces. So all those callous and unsalted criticisms: I hope it never happens to you. However, and I have seen it several times in my immediate environment, that if it does happen to you, you should think back to your own criticism and braise in your own fat. And don't squeak.
The criticisms are very similar to the Thai method: me me me and the rest can suffocate.
You are already well integrated, should I congratulate you now?
Hello everyone, is your help also desired with the drinking and satisfying the Thaipoppies?
Don't think so; what a hypocrisy to cry if things go wrong I get sick of these stories and idiots who find out too late that she is different.
With exceptions of course and bad enough; but even the biggest looser can have someone who can help!
In almost all cases of the fallen; very important the booze and the baby and? insurance too expensive or piggy bank bhabha.
Been through enough myself and luckily insured and have something in hand.
Do you still have this collective pot at hand? what do you think the victims might have contributed to this? pffft lameache.
People who really need help can knock, but the rest? you should have known!!
Thailand is not the Netherlands where every person can knock; and yes, good too
Don't come up with a sad story either, one has to help! no, somewhere else help is more desirable than for such loozers!!!!!!!
Each is responsible for his own actions. Therefore my position is no. Also regarding government assistance
It is always better to help someone than to be helped.
No, definitely not helping. You are right in your article. Only if you really get robbed would it be possible, but it is almost always laziness and stupidity and very stubborn. Nothing can happen to me, they say and think.
Stupid for spending all your money on a complete stranger because she likes you. And lax because you fail to arrange health insurance and travel insurance, for example in the event of theft, very handy.
Certainly the embassy or others do not need to help. They also don't need it if they make their own decisions not to take out insurance and if they spend their own money without even keeping some reserve for a return ticket.
Soon after the appointment of the current ambassador, Mr. Boer, he issued a general call that everyone coming to Thailand MUST take out insurance. Unfortunately, he only received comments and could not oblige according to the law.
Then just keep messing around. But don't come crying if you don't have money to pay for the hospital if you had a moped accident without a helmet and insurance….
No, I wouldn't contribute anything. Many grumble at the mother country that everything is so bad there and praise Thailand as heaven on earth, there where everything is much better, the people are so friendly and helpful, so don't bleat now. There have been many warnings about that mocking Thai smile, but many farangs still make decisions with their young man. A friend of mine in Bagnkok also lost everything to a Thai beauty who has now hooked up with an Aussie because he has run out of money.
I hope those who say no get into trouble themselves for some reason and feel for themselves how far it is from the homeland and no one to help without a baht in their pocket.
There are many reasons why someone can get into trouble, through the fault of someone else or their own fault. But should such a person lead a vagabond life?
The government, yes, should have a safety net for a one-way trip and any visa fines to the country of origin. In the Netherlands there are funds for everything and a lot for it (fellow Dutch people), but for someone who thought he was starting his dream and therefore got into trouble and has always paid taxes, he can figure it out for himself.
So the NO sayers, actually say let it die here………………………
They read
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Dear people, my opinion is simple, 9 out of 10 problems we cause ourselves.
This has nothing to do with Thailand, for example: you drive too fast, the result is often a fine, you smoke and know that this can cause diseases, do not drink if you know that you still have to drive, sex without a condom, etc.
So of course it is sad for these people who have problems in Thailand but the cause is often their own.
The question is whether they learn from their mistakes.
So I say just keep your wits about you and you probably won't get into trouble either.
I think you should help them if you know the reason, I experienced it myself 2x and these people even paid me back.
Indeed, they must be able to demonstrate that they are insured upon entry or that they can demonstrate this with a new visa application.
The disadvantage is that many people want to insure themselves but are excluded from everything because they are already suffering from it.
Have been insured myself, bangkok bank for 10 years, and paid 50000 baht per year, when I had 2 cases within 4 months, they said you are over the limit, so pay yourself, unfortunately no insurance anymore and fortunately some money to go to the state hospital to pay for everything yourself.
Everyone knows that it is very difficult to get insurance if you are 70 or older. When something happens and you live alone, you should always be able to rely on someone in the event of an unexpected hospitalization. Then it is good if someone, farang or Thai, comes to your aid. Whether you end up in a private or state hospital, the first question is “Can you afford it?” Who will help you? So I think everyone wants someone who offers help. And later people are very grateful. It doesn't matter who provided the help.
People appreciate help very much if they need it themselves. Also others.
It is actually up to the Thai and Dutch government together to solve the problems of the Dutch in Thailand.
The Thai government has to arrest them when their visa/passport has expired and send them to the immigration service.
They must contact the Dutch government about how they can return to the Netherlands.
The Dutch government will then have to ensure, when they are back home, that they cannot fly to Thailand again to cause problems again.
So take the passport.
The Netherlands is responsible for its citizens, so that is where the obligation lies.
Thailand has an interest in their return, so those two have to work it out.
A treaty between the Netherlands and Thailand would probably be the best solution.
It cannot be that many Dutch people who have to be brought back at the expense of the government.
If a foundation is created tomorrow to help such people, I will be the first to be very happy to deposit money into it. If 10% of the Dutch participate and deposit 25 euros annually, for example, there is a nice amount to help some people to help with a ticket to the Netherlands. Are we all so selfish that we only think about our own skin?? Of course we all know that something can happen here in Thailand that can put us in a predicament whether or not we are prepared for it and whether or not we are to blame.
Many people are in an unprecedented but oh so recognizable pattern of “every man for himself, God for us all”.
I've come across all the excuses not to help someone else in my life. It is much easier to donate to a good cause than to really care about your loved ones. That is the breeding ground, where the TV action of aid organizations successfully drags in millions. But in the end it is simple, “buy off your own guilt”.
Many people are unaware that life can change in the blink of an eye. Then you have a problem!!!!
Even people, for example 55 years old, who come to Thailand do not realize that in, say, 10 years they will physically function and perform at a different level, in many cases. Things are no longer as easy as they were in the beginning. Then you have a problem!!!!
People who have turned 70 discover that they can no longer get insured so easily. (I am not talking about expats who already know everything and where nothing can go wrong.) It is not unusual for something serious to happen to you just after that time. Then you have a problem!!!!
People who often said, I don't need others. Then have a problem!!!!
What I actually want to say is that I do not agree with the statement of the day.
I will always try to help anyone who is in trouble no matter what. It will happen to you….
I am of the opinion that if these people have not knowingly got into financial difficulties and can hardly do anything about it themselves. YES, Yes, then it would be nice if there was an organization that has the ability to help these people. For example, if people get into financial trouble because they knowingly did not take out insurance because it was too expensive for them and they could not or did not want to pay the premium. Then that's a shame, but then you could say it's a lot of self-blame. always had a generous income. But since I retired and receive state pension. That has really declined and I really have to be careful. But I faithfully pay my Expat health insurance because without it I would not be able to and would not want to live in Thailand. I can imagine that people who, for example, have to have 800.000 baths in their bank account annually or who have annual income in the form of AOW and OR Pension, may at some point get into financial difficulties due to lower euros eyc. And these people YES one should also be able to help through a National Fund or something similar.
For the rest, sorry to those who knowingly do something like this and are willing to take these risks. No, they never wanted to bear the burden. I do think that one should not always condemn someone in advance if they have been scammed by the infamous stories and robbed of their naivety because we all know love makes blind. I also had a good friend who thought she had a good wonderful wife and had bought an outo in her name and paid it off monthly. When he thought after years hehe now I can pick up the book and put the car in my name. He found out that she had taken out a new loan on the car and he will have to pay for a few more years. The pennies were futsie she had spent on the family. Father, Mother children etc. But she is still with him and takes good care of them. But when you are old and you need help. What do you do then, you have little choice they are still together. Because he needs her and now knows what he has and can expect. Had he taken another, he might have been even worse off. Judging someone quickly is so easy. I now know one thing for sure, back to my native country the Netherlands. No, no, I wouldn't mind that either. Because when you get old you are written off in the Netherlands and you can only get into a nursing home or care home with a lot of luck. Or sleep and live under the bridge . Communication from a Social Service in the Netherlands to a Dutch person. You can view it. I have considered and weighed my move to Thailand as best I could and I am glad I did it. And after a number of mishaps I have found a great Thai partner who is good, reliable, honest and also works hard and pays for the daily maintenance. And yet after a number of years I still hear from various sides. also turn. Everywhere in the world you have good and less good and very bad people. But I do notice that people often speak very negatively about the Thai ladies. But I believe that many foreigners in Thailand are not inferior.
Whether you leave someone in trouble to his fate is a personal choice and everyone experiences setbacks from time to time. But what is an interesting related question is why so many foreigners get into trouble in Thailand (note to the editor: I cannot directly substantiate this fact with figures, but is based on conversations with staff at Western embassies in Bangkok) All political correctness despite this, you cannot avoid certain generalizations that indicate that the country has an enormous attraction for people who often have some social and personal problems. The people who do accidentally get into trouble, and that also happens regularly in Thailand, are unfortunately the victims.
To be brief after reading these stories and responses.
To which I can agree with some stories and the circumstances in which they took place.
But I maintain two golden rules over the years in Thailand.
The second golden rule, never lend money to a Thai, even if he or she is related to your spouse or girlfriend.
The first golden rule, never lend money to a Farang, regardless of his country of origin. Only then can you survive here for a long time with your hard-earned savings or pension in Thailand.
Are you not strong and surrender to the grievances described above .
Before you know it, you will be on a plane again at the expense of the Dutch SOOS to Schiphol.
One way, that is.
Jan Beute.
Think first and then act is something many people have to learn!
Not only in Thailand, but also in the Netherlands, people manage to get themselves into such trouble that someone else has to get them out of the financial mess. It is so easy to say that it is the fault of third parties that you are sitting on black seed.
I think it is only the fault of third parties when you become the victim of crime eg if your bank account is plundered by skimming and then you can expect help from eg your government to help you in the first instance.
But if you're stupid enough to put your entire wealth in the hands of third parties, you're just asking for trouble. And if you want to live uninsured… fine, but that is only possible if you have so much money that you can easily tap off a hospital bill.
We also work for our bread and can only spend our money once and I certainly don't spend that on people who place their responsibility with third parties.
A tsunami, a fire, there are so many reasons why someone can end up in misery…. Self-defense is sometimes a bit too short-sighted I think….
I've heard that the calamity fund is overflowing with money. You may be able to do something there for exceptional cases. Then there is no need for a separate fund. You also sometimes have to do a sober cost calculation as a government. What does an embassy official cost per hour for mediating and what is the cheapest flight ticket?
Moderator: Your comment is off topic.