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Thanks, slipperx, for sharing your story here. You have my sympathy.
You were not only cheated and stolen a huge sum of your property, you were also highly abused as a caring family father. Few people here seem to realize that.
Imagine it would be the opposite: a farang steals 2 million $ from his Thai wife. The same people who criticize you here would belong to the "hang him higher" crowd. And the police would not say "mai bpen rai", but act accordingly.
But the real shocking thing is how easy it is to use a fake signature and passport copy to do practically anything. Even if our personal stories here in Thailand may be different to yours, we can learn something from your experience. The lack of legal safety here is shocking and very different to the West. It is still a developing country, and we have to keep this in mind always, act accordingly.
Thanks for your report and ignore the attacks on you. Wish you the best and hope you can regain at least something and provide a good future for your kids.
#3871904 Four Ways To Lose Your Property In Thailand
Posted
on 2010-09-09 13:16:52
#3871006 Four Ways To Lose Your Property In Thailand
Posted
on 2010-09-09 00:25:58
I just feel impelled to post. This story is just so common and sad.
When I first came here, I searched out the old timers, guys that have been here at least 15 or so years, some have been here for over 40 years. Lots of good experience, advice, and all in all very helpful. Like asking for directions in Thailand, you ask a lot of people until two or three tell you the same thing and you have a fair chance of getting there. The one thing I heard over and over from those old timers was:
NEVER INVEST MORE IN THAILAND THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO WALK AWAY FROM
After ten years here, having thankfully taken that advice to heart, I am beginning to understand what they were telling me. Without that advice, and taking it to heart, it could have been I making this post.
Unfortunately, its walking time for our unfortunate OP. Its terribly sad, but there is next to nothing that can be done to salvage the situation. Expensive lesson, but then again most of the real lessons that life teaches us are dear, if we are lucky enough to survive them.
So old timers, pass the word. We are guests without rights or recourse. Moving to a foreign country which institutionalizes laws against foreigners and investing more than your loose pocket change is the height of hubris. Thailand is a wonderful place to live but we always need to remember our place in the pecking order.
When I first came here, I searched out the old timers, guys that have been here at least 15 or so years, some have been here for over 40 years. Lots of good experience, advice, and all in all very helpful. Like asking for directions in Thailand, you ask a lot of people until two or three tell you the same thing and you have a fair chance of getting there. The one thing I heard over and over from those old timers was:
NEVER INVEST MORE IN THAILAND THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO WALK AWAY FROM
After ten years here, having thankfully taken that advice to heart, I am beginning to understand what they were telling me. Without that advice, and taking it to heart, it could have been I making this post.
Unfortunately, its walking time for our unfortunate OP. Its terribly sad, but there is next to nothing that can be done to salvage the situation. Expensive lesson, but then again most of the real lessons that life teaches us are dear, if we are lucky enough to survive them.
So old timers, pass the word. We are guests without rights or recourse. Moving to a foreign country which institutionalizes laws against foreigners and investing more than your loose pocket change is the height of hubris. Thailand is a wonderful place to live but we always need to remember our place in the pecking order.
