Image: Guillem Valle

By Carol Isoux.
June 22 2019

Many came with their life savings, intending to invest in a small business to finance a comfortable retirement in the Land of Smiles. Drawn into a lifestyle of endless parties, sex and alcohol, however, they gradually lost everything they had.

"In a year, I spent 1.5 million baht [HK$365,000] on booze and girls … believe me, I had fun,” says Steve..."

"“I could pick up two, three girls on the same day … Every go-go girl in the city knew me, I felt like a movie star,” he says."

"Tony, 44, is from the Netherlands. He says he was a successful trader but can’t remember in which year he lost everything. Gavin, a Scot, is hiding in dark backstreets, afraid of the police. Alex, from Denmark, swears he has a brain tumour and is hoping his embassy will repatriate him for health reasons. The several homeless Russians we encounter, who can barely speak English, seem to be in the most worrying state of isolation."

"Those in Pattaya share their space on the beach road with “the girls”, prostitutes of a cheaper kind than those found in the go-go bars. Over time, friendship and a sense of community seem to have developed between the two groups. "

"“These stories about Thai women stealing their property, most of them are revenge cases. These foreigners, they come here, they settle down with a lady, but they think they can still treat her as a prostitute, going to go-go bars every night and spending all their money on other women. Of course, after a while, the wife seeks revenge.”

"“The British consul called me the other day,” says Steve, “asked me if they should call my family. I hung up on them."

"As the authorities try to work out what to do with these unwanted visitors, the latter play an endless game of hideand- seek with the Thai police. Once in a while they get caught and are sent to jail for a couple of weeks while officers try to fine them for overstaying. "

"In order to bring the situation under control, the Thai government is working on a draft law that will require there to be a minimum amount in the bank account of anyone wishing to obtain a tourist visa ..."

Full https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-mag ... 3/far-home

Whilst some of this would be true, I'm wary of articles from the South China Morning Post who with their PRC masters are predisposed to bagging westerners imo. This is not the first time I've seen articles from them that have an anti-western bias.

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:27 pm what a load of crap, sounds like someones crazy ideas about farangs in Thailand.

...They could barely survive on the pensions they receive in their home countries, but here that money can pay for a house, a car and services: a maid, a nurse, dental care – not to mention those of a sexual nature.

....the Thai government is working on a draft law that will require there to be a minimum amount in the bank account of anyone wishing to obtain a tourist visa and raise the minimum income needed to obtain a retiree visa, which today is set at about 65,000 baht a month

Once in a while they get caught and are sent to jail for a couple of weeks while officers try to fine them for overstaying. But given the general indifference of the embassies, who will pay? In the end, homeless Westerners are released and end up on the streets again.

All this, she just made up

Agree. Just to clarify, if there is any misunderstanding, when I posted:

Whilst some of this would be true...

I wasn't referring to what you quoted..rather, the overall article about the plight of some farangs.

While I'm sure you do get the odd homeless foreign beach sleeper in Pattaya as per the article it would be difficult to confirm it yourself unless you're prepared to walk along either Pattaya or Jomtien beach between say 2am and 6am and that's not something I'd recommend to anyone. I walk along the length of Jomtien beach most mornings and there is certainly some down and out looking foreigners sitting on the sidewalk drinking beers with equally sketchy hookery/druggie beach girls, I'm never sure whether they are tourists or residents of fixed or no abode.

Seems to be a lot of talk of guys leaving for the likes of Cambodia and Vietnam because they can no longer meet the financial requirements in Thailand and the baht strength relative to other countries is having a big impact. I suspect only the very few will be marooned homeless.