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KK1012
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PLEASE HELP!!! My son is 28 years old and stranded in Thailand. He has found a job in China but it will take 4-6 weeks for them to process his work visa. He is going to Laos to wait on his work visa because his travel visa has expired in Thailand. He has little money. My question: Is there someplace that he might be able to volunteer during his time in Laos that might provide him with food and a place to sleep?
#1 Posted: 19/2/2011 - 02:32
Rufus
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Not really. Your best bet is to wire him some money.
#2 Posted: 19/2/2011 - 07:26
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christay2009
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There is a school in Yangshuo, China that provide bed/board for helping out with English lessons. At least it did - you would have to look into it. You could wire him 'x' amount needed to get a 30-60 day Chinese visa and he could wait it out there.
Also, even if he has a job in 4-6 weeks...i doubt they will give salary in advance. What will he do for the month he is working?
#3 Posted: 19/2/2011 - 21:16
Captain_Bob
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Ask the risk of lecturing, there are thousands of folks living in SE Asia who have made the concerted effort to be financially responsible and bureaucratically prepared. Sorry a 28 year old should be mature enough to take care of these matters as the rest of us do. There's not usually any quick and easy way to live for free in this neck of the woods without putting a burden on those around you. Sorry I just had to say it (after spending a couple hours at Immigration again today to keep my ducks in a row). Good luck (or wire him the funds to return home).
#4 Posted: 21/2/2011 - 16:04
svendj
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good point bob! 28 and out of money, sounds like a bad plan.
If it would happen to me (which normally isn't the case). I'd go to some of my friends I've met during the last years of travelling. I got a free place to stay in the north of Thailand with some of the locals every time I go there. Though don't think this is an option for him.
1 more option is to go to temple and ask the monks if he could stay there. they should help you out (if you're nice enough).
If he can learn proper Lao in about 3 days (which is impossible, haha) he might manage to talk to the locals and arrange something, but just being a foreigner and acting like it won't help you out, anywhere!
check out couchsurfing!
#5 Posted: 21/2/2011 - 19:52
Captain_Bob
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I've helped out several travellers who got their wallets stolen or otherwise been ripped off, by giving them "free" rent at my guesthouse until they could get emergency funds wired over, but someone with no funds available at all just doesn't compute. Others will hopefully sympathise and help out, but only to a point.
I got my wallet pick-pocketed in Barcelona and had to spend an inconvenient weekend on last-ditch phone calls to Eurocard and my bank then finally delivered a temporary card (after eating my last few coins on bread & butter) and a guesthouse sympathetically covered a room for me meanwhile, but that's a hopeful scenario. I'd advise to wire your son enough cash to fill the gap up and until he gets a paying job. Best of luck.
#6 Posted: 22/2/2011 - 02:34