Foreigners flee Dubai in droves

“I’m really scared of what could happen, because I bought property here,” said Sofia, who asked that her last name be withheld because she is still hunting for a new job. “If I can’t pay it off, I was told I could end up in debtors’ prison.”

With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield.

www.nytimes.com...

There was a thread once about debtor's prisons coming soon in America. In Dubai it's a reality. I do wonder though how many people would be willing to be put in prison just to survive. At least in prison one is assured of having 3 meals a day and a roof above your head.

I live in a third world country and some prisoners actually do try to (mock) escape so when they get caught their sentences will become longer. Most of them are old and have no one outside the prison walls. Don't be surprised if you hear stuff like that soon.

www.nytimes.com...

Debtors prison huh? So we'd have to put every public official in prison from sea to shining freakin' sea, now wouldn't we? Doubt this will happen here. The fires of revolution are beginning to stoke. Something like this would make it burn wild.

I'm hoping things calm down and that the Federal Government maintains its' constitutional limits. I have no desire to see something like this happen.

And once again this is the first I've heard of any problems in Dubai. Our news organizations are really terrible.

The day I am put into prison for any debt I've accrued, is the day anyone who works for a credit card company is also put into prison for organized crime.

Just sayin'...

Actually, I was recently in Dubai lol

The people aren't Fleeing so much... they have a strange law in effect...

All Third party nationals must find work within 30 days, or their visa's will not be renewed and they will be deported...

What you are seeing over there is all the construction workers... (yah, they've been building like MAD) who have been laid off from the economic downturn leaving the country because of the law...

The airport is literally packed... people are leaving their keys with the cars... and notes on the dash that they had to abandon their vehicles because they couldn't sell them...

The OP makes it seem like they are all fleeing because of Debt... which is unlikely... The blue collar workers over there make OBSCENE amounts of cash.. (we're talking upwards of 80,000 USD/yr). So I doubt if all of them can be in THAT much debt...

Doesn't Dubai have more migrant workers than citizens?

reply to post by stevegmu


Yup... Way more...

three cheers for two lines!

Originally posted by eldard
There was a thread once about debtor's prisons coming soon in America.

They've always been here. You don't pay income taxes and you're thrown in prison.

Originally posted by Make Speed Limit 45

Originally posted by eldard
There was a thread once about debtor's prisons coming soon in America.

They've always been here. You don't pay income taxes and you're thrown in prison.

That rarely happens.