What options are available for a single father struggling in Phuket after job loss due to COVID-19?

Why not ask your Mum, Margaret to help you?

Use a credit card and come home. Ask friends and family back home for support. Have some one start a go fund me page to get you home. PRAY TO GOD! Best of luck!

@Neil ******

or sir, another suggestion my mrs gives= you make a video in Thai whatever you can speak(or some thai interpretor and you speak in English too) mention your dilema of survival, no job, no help by embassy to return home country, no salary from company! Mention your fair situation and ask for any help they can make, and urge them to make sure to forward and share to as much more groups people can share. If they can't support to donate, but please share so it reaches to media and government attention. Put up bank account for help for you and your son so life does come back on track, you can return your home country. The situation real as problem of stay, what you eat and how your employer answered! Let message forwarded to media and government more and more so you get funded and attended for your repatriation and also for your salary dues. Believe me this will reach to authorities and also all thai and farangs will try support you, try to give a shot it's worth it! Me and mrs want to help you , we are as of now stranded out of Thailand.

@Neil ******

, trying to arbitrage matter is always sought out rather court and legal ways. Different scenarios always,. In your present situation if you see that even survival is impossible for you and son (priority1) than going back makes sense= no work/visa in thauland.

Now about the settlement your employer gives is mere 25% and that is on unknown future point! Best is you check with labour law office of your judiciary (not court). Before court employer can file grievances in labour law office. They have rule to make decision and meetings within 60days. This step will jolt him believe me and your legal dues he has to pay,. Now as far as I know, you can file this complaint within next 2 years anytime after you had issue! But after you file complaint you will need to visit labour office when called in those 60days to check facts and negotiations or appoint somebody on your behalf= I think thats unlikely as you can't stay for 2 months more nor can risk making complaint later as company gets diluted.

BUT let's think may be they won't be able to get a deal sooner , you go back home country and manage to work and you can afford to get back here within 2 year to complain the same grievance?

My suggestion do make a visit to your labour office please and consult the officer your scenario and listen to their options on your case. Many times employers try to settle issue as soon as you file complaint!== May be it can be more than 25% and even before they can sell company? Ofcourse all contacts and pay slip other proofs will make things more smooth and favourable for you!

I have limited knowledge,but I think positive for you. You too stay strong, always there are good things on way! Goodluck and try that, hope it works

I have an idea.

How about everyone that has written a response to this mans dilemma donate 1000 baht.

sorry to hear of your woes. please ignore and disregard the obtuse and soulless lecturing you've received from keyboard warriors.

suggest you move out of phuket, perhaps to Isaan for a while, to limit costs asap. That'll give you some time to prepare yourself.

You could then get a little cash together for a volunteer visa, to stay in the kingdom while having something to do, to maintain momentum and keep spirits high

Then look for teaching work through which you can weather the storm

My 2c worth, and good luck fella!

@Tee *******

can you help in this matter? This is a lawyer and a real kind one

I think that the problem to be addressed is the hopeless feeling of being broke with no evident recourse - obviously the investment failed and he has no savings and no job prospects . Whatever we think about how this happened, the pending issue is that he needs to get somewhere and get work or go on the dole of the country he comes from - since embassy’s no longer repatriate ( used to be they would loan you enough money to return home and stipulate repayment in x period or dock pay or taxes) and obviously the legal obligations are not a reality and long past counting on - so why bother poking at that wound?

it’s time to call friends , family and maybe create a Kickstarter or go fund me to get the funds needed to get somewhere safe before he winds up eventually in immigration prison and deported - which if crafted correctly is another way to return home - if you have the stomach for 11 days in the hole 🕳 - it’s a nasty little holding cell , open toilet in middle of room filled with about 75 people per cell... but one way “home “... assuming you don’t call thailAnd home ...

Having no money and saying it aloud is humiliating and speaks to the desperation of the situation , the way we get here tells us about our relationship to our prospects ... the only way out is to ask for help on your own social Media pages from your own people - and to have success -get a plan ! I need a plane ticket , I need a place to live ,I need a job ... I need help supporting my child ... figure out the sum, figure out the order of things , and figure out what your payback ability would be if at all ... then suck it up and ask your circle of friends family colleagues ... you have no alternatives - bank loan ? Sale of stuff ? Ask your sons mother’s family ?

This is hard - but it can be fixed - get past the company reimbursement settlement thing - that’s not going to happen- it’s lost ( if it happens it’s bonus) and get the numbers and a plan to put out to others - you will find the help in odd corners of your life - good luck ! You will be fine

Sorry what nationality are you from?

Have u tried a go fund me page to raise some $$$ for yr needs? Good luck 🥰💜

UK embassy are offering repat flight (loans) to all citizens.

File a formal complaint at the labor department, after 2 years employment you should be paid a maximum of 149 days as severance pay

Listen to Kool breez, he is 100% correct on that and that is the 1 good thing about thailand.. you can get that sorted quite easily if you act quickly! The longer you leave it, the harder it will be

If you haven't done it yet, file a formal complaint right away against your last employer with the department of labour. You don't need an attorney, or take them to court yourself. After a formal complaint is filed, the department of labour acts very fast, and your last employer does not want to get on their bad side. Do this right away.

As mentioned before try this



I'll donate

Pack your bags and take your Son back to your native country.. you may have to beg for the airline tickets ..but get out and start a fresh.. its tough I know..im currently in the process .. Thailand is f$%ked unless they relax the stupid rules in place..but im afraid its going down the pan..ive decided to take that route with both my Thai kids ..luckily they both hold UK passports as we as Thai ones.. good luck my friend but you will be better off out of the country that is nolonger the land of smiles..I did 22years and loved it ..but this last 2 years as been hell with all the red tape.. Im moving on..its had its day..

Yes...do you have family you can fall back on in your home country to give emergency help for a few days ? Ideally you want to be in your home country to get a new life started.

UK is a much more sympathetic country than Thailand is especially if a child is involved. Within days of arriving in the country you could claim emergency assistance (loan from Universal credit payable same day). If you travel back on your own you are literally On Your Own..so only you as a parent can make a decision but ideas like go fund me usually work if constructed in a certain way....best of luck.

Relatives???

Sorry but embassy would give you both a repatriot flight. Especially with a minor.

Teach english. Teach on the street if necessary.

Put a sign out. Will teach english for food/money.

What are they gonna do? Deport you? Basically that is what you need.

Teach english online. (Safer than the above idea!

Buy and sell items....ebay etc etc. locally.

Looks like you are gonna have to take the 25% and make the best of it.

Good luck.

Best business options during covid is food.

If your son is half Thai and has Thai nationality you can apply for a non-immigration visa type O / year visa which allows you to stay in Thailand for longer periods. Once your visa is secured you can apply for other jobs or you might look into selling things online. There are some kind people around in Phuket I’m sure, perhaps you can get support to start a business of your own. All the best!

Are you British or Irish ?

You tried speaking to Martin Carpenter or I think Helene is Irish consulate.

The embassy always says that the first time u have to call back and tell them u have no money and u need repatriation loan

They will stamp ur passport for both u and ur kid and then u have to pay it off when u get home...they always say no first

There r many jibs searching for qualified people who r in the country. Also, move out from phuket, its too $$$.

Find a teaching job. Hired by an school preferibly but also agencies are open to hire. Due all the covid-19 💩, both schools and agencies, are relatively desperate looking for teachers to cover positions since many of the people they employed before the pandemic are stuck abroad. Even if is not your dreamed job or what you expected for your life now is a good chance for it. Employers wouldn't be picky and will let you survive until the storm ends and the sun be shining again.

How about trying to get a job teaching English, or English online? You could get a TEFL qualification online. Apart from that - I'm very surprised to hear your embassy said that (is it Ireland?). Certainly the British embassy is offering loans for flights. I think they have a legal obligation to do that. Given the situation you outline, personally I'd look at a way to return 'home' with your son. I don't think there are going to be many openings in the holiday sector here for a while.

No credit card to pay for a flight back to your country? It's difficult to understand why you'd stay in Phuket until you've not enough money left to buy a new visa or leave. Sounds like you've been more interested in waiting around to get your severence than leaving and getting on with your life, which is the wrong way to be thinking.

Did you try doing a go fund me page.

So sorry to hear this it's heartbreaking to hear these stories as a outcome of the CoVid does your son have any family on the Thai side and what about you and your home country any family or friends.