Cashless Card for Barangs?

[fapsara]

In Australia, the government is trialling a "cashless welfare card" for welfare recipients.

Basically, they give people 80% of their welfare payments on a special debit card that can't be used to buy alcohol or gamble. It can just be used to pay the rent, bills, and buy necessities such as groceries at designated supermarket chains.

I'd really like to see something similar introduced for barangs in Cambodia. It could begin with English teachers. They would get 80% of their salary on one of these cards that could only be used on visa extensions, rent, Lucky Supermarket, specified fast-food outlets, gas stations, etc. That would mean the average teacher would be restricted to spending no more than about $200 a month on beer, drugs, and hookers.


If this trial is successful, and I can't see how it couldn't be, it could then be expanded to include all barangs receiving a pension from abroad, expats in other professions, and eventually every white person on a non-tourist visa.

If barangs don't like it, they can fuck off to Thailand.

[PSD_Kiwi]

What about the other foreign TEFL'ers, why only the smelly French?

[fapsara]

What about the other foreign TEFL'ers, why only the smelly French?

Not only the French. All the whiteys.

They could also do it to the Filipinos. Not because they spend their money on alcohol, drugs, and whores, but just to make them spend most of their salary in Cambodia instead of wiring it home.

[newnewnewbie]

Sounds just terrible. The nanny state is hell, and why many of us are here in the first place.

[Alex]

Sounds just terrible. The nanny state is hell, and why many of us are here in the first place.

This. I can't fathom why the OP would want to bring the nanny state to Cambodia, of all places. It's nuts.

[batshitcrazyweirdo]

In Australia, the government is trialling a "cashless welfare card" for welfare recipients.

Basically, they give people 80% of their welfare payments on a special debit card that can't be used to buy alcohol or gamble. It can just be used to pay the rent, bills, and buy necessities such as groceries at designated supermarket chains.

I'd really like to see something similar introduced for barangs in Cambodia. It could begin with English teachers. They would get 80% of their salary on one of these cards that could only be used on visa extensions, rent, Lucky Supermarket, specified fast-food outlets, gas stations, etc. That would mean the average teacher would be restricted to spending no more than about $200 a month on beer, drugs, and hookers.


If this trial is successful, and I can't see how it couldn't be, it could then be expanded to include all barangs receiving a pension from abroad, expats in other professions, and eventually every white person on a non-tourist visa.

If barangs don't like it, they can fuck off to Thailand.

That's funny. They tried that in the US last time I was there, and I happened to be the manager of a supermarket at the time. That was ... 2006. They just buy formula, meat, cheese, and whatever else they can buy off their cards to trade, or for cash.

In other words, it doesn't work.

But I like your idea. It would be great for alcoholics and drug addicts. Like me!!!! Only I don't work, and I only use cash. Oh well.

[backhome]

Sounds just terrible. The nanny state is hell, and why many of us are here in the first place.

You are in Cambodia because your home country has a social safety net? And you are saying others are there for that reason too?

[newnewnewbie]

Ha, it used to have one in the 70's, now it has an over load of 'public service' employees waisting their time eating donuts and drinking coffee, while discussing endless ways of paying for it all, by selling the few remaining private business entities to the Chinese.

[backhome]

Ha, it used to have one in the 70's, now it has an over load of 'public service' employees waisting their time eating donuts and drinking coffee, while discussing endless ways of paying for it all, by selling the few remaining private business entities to the Chinese.

Which country is it that you are referring to please, that "used to have one in the 70's"?

[newnewnewbie]

Most western nations are facing a defecit on their current account. They are also facing an ageing population and severe pressure from illegal immigration. Best deal for many is to take their cash, and spend it where cost of living is more affordable.

[Prahok]

So does the OP believe Cambodian social degredation is driven by the spending habits of low income foreigners, that capital flight from low income foreigners is undermining the economy or that low income foreigners are inately self-destructive?

It sounds like the type of policy that should be announced on Twitter.

[vladimir]

They could also do it to the Filipinos. Not because they spend their money on alcohol, drugs, and whores, but just to make them spend most of their salary in Cambodia instead of wiring it home.

Then they would simply leave. Most of them send up to 80% of their income home. That's the only reason they go abroad.

They are also pretty good teachers for the most part, and they don't change jobs very often.

I can tell you that if every Filipino kindergarten/primary teacher left the country - and they would, if this came into effect - the schools would be screwed for a while.

I don't have any figures for how many are working here, but it must be un the thousands, I would imagine, and that's just education.

Pretty dystopian/Orwellian idea, hard to think it's anything more than trolling.

.

[fapsara]

So does the OP believe Cambodian social degredation is driven by the spending habits of low income foreigners

No

So does the OP believe that capital flight from low income foreigners is undermining the economy

Maybe a little

So does the OP believe that low income foreigners are innately self-destructive?

Just the white males