Brief Summary
Mark, an Englishman, recounts his tumultuous journey in Thailand, marked by business failure, homelessness, and eventual imprisonment. He details his initial success starting a cannabis shop in Phuket, which quickly turned sour due to poor location, overspending, and failed partnerships. This led to a downward spiral of debt, visa overstays, and eventually homelessness.
- Business venture in Thailand failed due to overspending and poor location.
- Became homeless in Phuket and Bangkok, relying on the generosity of Thai people.
- Faced visa issues and eventual imprisonment.
Intro
Pete from Thairish Times introduces Mark, an Englishman whose story will be divided into two parts. Mark will discuss his failed business in Patong, Phuket, his subsequent homelessness in Phuket and Bangkok, the kindness of Thai people who helped him survive, his work with tuk-tuk drivers, his time in the Immigration Detention Center (IDC), and his eventual imprisonment in Thailand. Pete urges viewers to be considerate in their comments, as Mark has faced significant mental health challenges and has only recently returned to the UK.
Starting a business in Patong Phuket
Mark explains that he moved to Thailand with an inheritance during COVID, seeking to start a business. He chose Thailand because the cost of living and business setup were cheaper than in England. He had never been to Thailand before but had friends there who owned businesses and provided guidance. Mark started a cannabis shop on Bangla Road in Phuket, along with rooms upstairs to rent out. He initially visited Thailand for three weeks, met a local girl, and traveled with her. After returning to England, he quickly decided to move back to Thailand to start the business. He found a company for sale on Bangla Road, bought it for 1.2 million baht, paid 500,000 baht in key money, a 200,000 baht deposit, and 60,000 baht monthly rent. The business was structured as a 49/51 split between him and his girlfriend, with her owning the majority stake, though the cash was all his. He also bought a condo in Kathu. Initially, he felt he was living the dream. However, the business struggled due to its location on a small side street off Bangla Road, facing competition from other shops.
Going broke in Thailand
Mark never turned a profit because he ran out of money to convert the upper floors into a hostel, which was his primary plan. He estimates he invested around 2 to 3 million baht (50-60,000 English pounds) into the business. He was also partying a lot, spending lavishly on VIP tables and high-end condos. He and his girlfriend spent around 30,000 baht a night on partying, including expensive tables, food, tips, and security. After splitting up with his girlfriend, she moved back to northern Thailand but remained cooperative with paperwork. Mark then sought investors to revive the business, needing 1.5 million baht for 51% of the company. He dated a woman who initially agreed to invest but later changed her mind, claiming the 400,000 baht deposit was a loan. When he couldn't repay it, she sent people after him. He planned to sell expensive items to raise money, but they were stolen. He fell behind on rent for both the shop and his condo. The shop was closed due to lack of stock and staff. The building owners seized the shop, voiding the deposit and key money but clearing the debt. Mark put the business on hold to avoid monthly fees.
How I became homeless in Phuket, Thailand
Mark was broke and struggling to pay rent and eat. His family helped him one month, but he resisted returning to England out of pride. He hoped to find work in Bangkok and start something small. He considered getting a TEFL certification. After a year, he was at zero, barely affording rent. He moved to a cheaper condo, reducing his rent from 20,000 to 9,000 baht per month. The woman from the motorbike rental demanded 20,000 baht for the bike and his passport, threatening to report him to the police. His tourist visa expired, and he couldn't afford to renew it or do a border run. He continued to party on Bangla Road, though he stopped getting VIP tables. He was honest with people about his situation, and some bought him drinks. He acknowledges getting lost in the nightlife and party scene.
overstaying my visa and Thai immigration
Mark's bank card stopped working, and he ran out of people to borrow money from. He lost his condo and stayed with a friend who owned a bar, sleeping above it for free. He kept hoping something would happen to improve his situation but wasn't fully honest with people about how bad things were. He had no family pressuring him to return home. He was lucky the bar didn't require ID, so immigration didn't know where he was. He avoided police to prevent them from discovering his overstay. The Thai woman who had promised to invest in his business continued to demand her money back, claiming he couldn't leave the country. He felt he was on the run, trying to find a way to get money to solve his problems.
Homeless in Bangkok
Mark didn't get any money, and by Christmas, he couldn't stay at the bar anymore. He was homeless with only a rucksack, no ATM card, and no passport. He slept on the streets in Phuket Oldtown, specifically at Queen's Park. He had lied about how long he needed to stay at the bar, and it was his fault for not being truthful. He stayed in cheap hostels for a couple of nights, knowing he couldn't stay longer than three days to avoid immigration. He sold his phone for money to get a room and food, losing contact with family. He should have booked a flight home or handed himself in to immigration. He was mainly drinking at this point, choosing beer over a bed.
Working for the Tuk Tuk drivers
Sleeping in the park, Mark experienced the generosity of Thai people. A local grab driver named Chicken approached him, offering cigarettes, food, and a blanket. Chicken started bringing him food and money daily, considering it good karma. After a couple of days, Chicken didn't appear, but another driver approached Mark, saying Chicken had told him Mark needed help. This driver offered money, food, and a place to sleep. He took Mark to a small room where he and his son slept, providing a blanket on the floor. The driver and his son helped Mark, seeing it as good karma. After a week, the driver helped Mark contact his family.
Handing myself in failed
Mark contacted his dad, who agreed to send 5,000 baht for him to hand himself in to immigration and pay the overstay fine. He planned to go to court, pay the fine, and be deported home. He informed the Thai man and his family of his plan. He managed to FaceTime his children and let people know he was okay. He went to the immigration center near Phuket Oldtown, where an Australian volunteer told him to return the next day because the holding prison was full. An Australian man gave him 2,000 baht for the night. Mark spent the night partying, then returned to immigration the next day. They informed him the fine was 20,000 baht, not 5,000. He called his dad, who couldn't send more money until his next paycheck. Immigration officers told him to return with the money or go to prison, where he wouldn't survive without funds. They gave him a copy of his passport and a police report stating he had lost it. He learned the police weren't looking for him. He decided to go to Bangkok, where he had friends and the British embassy was located.
Thai Immigration Detention Centre Bangkok
Mark took an overnight bus to Bangkok and went to his friends' coffee shop and cannabis farm, but it was closed. He had no way to contact them and only 4,000 baht. He stayed in a cheap hostel near Khao San Road, befriending someone who let him use their phone. He messaged his dad to get his friend's number. He spent the 4,000 baht and was back to square one, waiting for his dad to send 20,000 baht. He could do this in Bangkok because the British embassy and immigration were there. He had a letter from Phuket immigration stating he had self-surrendered, which would reduce his ban from five years to one. He received just over 20,000 baht and considered using it to make something instead of going home. He booked a hotel for three nights and went to Khao San Road, partying and drinking heavily. The 20,000 baht was gone in a week.
