ACMS,
all of what you say can and does happen in the UAE, however it is not a usual occurrence and is certainly not indicative of life in general in Dubai.
I have spent a lot of time in Hong kong and know it is not the place for me, so I am quite happy with my life in Dubai. Even if I may wish to return to a more conventional life in OZ, nobody there is offering jobs that make that decision worthwhile yet, (for me). Having just arrived home from a trip to HKG I am very much looking forward to loading up my 4WD and heading off to the mountains for a secluded weekend of camping with the family. That is something you definitely can't do in your part of the world, if you can even afford to own a car that is. So it is a major difference in life style that makes the move to Dubai or else where a big decision once you get past the money and conditions of employment. Each to their own!
Unfortunately there are no easy answers anymore because there is good and bad with all the choices. Reading what 50 guys may be complaining about does not make it true for the other ~1600 pilots nor the problems of a close mate.