VIDEO: Beg-packers descend on Hua Hin

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Great, by the way,  I have lived in Thailand for over 20 years, 25 if you count when I worked here in the 80's. As  I lived in Chiang Mai for 10 years, after Petchaboon, and  long time G friend is from Chiang Rai .....

 

I just don't believe you. 

 

Now back to your Leo or Trolling whatever it is you do. Cheers

20 years, full time, I doubt that very much. And I had to read through 14 pages of your posts to realise that, along with the fact that "deflect", "Troll Team" and "Leo" are you favorite terms - go straight to my ignore list, do not pass go, do not...!

[lemonjelly]

5 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Again I'm not rising to your bait. You seem to want to make this an age related issue, it's not that, it's a behavioural issue. What you understand about the culture of the people here is way too low, if you're planning on staying (assuming you actually live here) you need to up your game in that area. I don't doubt you would be amongst the very first to complain about foreigners acting in an unacceptable manner in your home country, you need to translate that into the reverse situation.

You’re seriously mistaken if you think that glowering at shirtless hitch hikers as I drive past them in my car and then biliously venting  about them on a local forum would  “up my game”;  quite the contrary. I suppose you could “up your game”; just give them a lift and take the opportunity to impart some of your wisdom and explain to them the   “do’s and don’ts” of traveling in Thailand rather than hating them online.

[Khun Paul]

1 hour ago, lemonjelly said:

I’ve worked for my living, have no issues with traveling performers, even if the authorities do (that’s their business, not mine) or feel the  need to put  “Khun” before my name on forums, (almost as bad as the “Ajarn” prefix)..... have a nice day.

 

Its been there for 15 years, what is your excuse. I state what I felt, you state what you feel, everybody it seems is entitled to their own views as long as they agree with you . Sorry to say I do not , nor it seems do others. Live with it or grow up , either way , do you think for one minute I give a damn what you think or say. 

[epicstuff]

 In Europe we call it busking, Not begging and all nationalities do it, generally without condemnation. 

I don't get all these key board worriers on here proudly expressing their intolerance, condemning others for their possible lack of finances and how they opted to survive that hardship. Why do those without  money problems think only they are allowed the privileged to  come here. I would counter that those intolerant  individuals  should pack up and go home as that is not the Buddhist way and this is a Buddhist society primarily.

  I didn't see any hustling or hassling anyone for money. Anyone would be free to  walk past without bother or donation if they wanted.  Even if they are suffering a lack of finances,  that isn't a Thai right that  no other nationality faces.  Why do people constantly think if you were born within certain borders you  must stay there unless you are wealthy.  We are all citizens of this planet. Geopolitical borders drawn up by some archaic warmonger shouldn't effect anyone's right to experience all of what the world has to offer.   Really  I think the world has bigger problems to worry about than a how a young family peddles live music for donations in a bid to live. I expect, unlike some of the more multinational corporations, all of the revenue created will  be spent directly  back into Thai society, not  siphoned abroad. 

Edited May 3, 2018 by epicstuff

[CG1 Blue]

3 hours ago, HHTel said:

London is awash with buskers and they make quite a good living.

It used to be common for students to take a 'gap year' and travel around the world.  They start with enough money for the first leg then work their way on their journey by working in bars, fruit picking (Australia) etc.  Eventually arriving back home to continue their studies with a lot of experience under their belt.

I'm not saying that that is what this couple are doing but it's possible.  Never used to be frowned upon but now it is!!

Not sure why people keep talking about them as though they're kids.  These are grown adults with a child.  I'd guess they're around 30 years old?

I don't think your student gap year theory holds any water.

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, Acemaker said:

Well, if you take away the Bowl its Busking, if you place a Bowl in front of you for Donations its Begging, the fact there attempting to entertain badly by playing a musical Instrument is merely a cover for guess what, BEGGING !people get pulled up at Swampy all the time having to show 20,000 Baht before there even allowed Entry and these scrounging Vermin are openly breaking the Law and the Terms of their Visa.

 

Not even close, busking is defined as performing for donations, without a bowl it would be by definition not busking.  Have you considered getting a life?  If you managed to it may negate your need to seek people to disparage, who knows, you might even have something positive to say sometimes.

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, Acemaker said:

All together now. ( If your going to San Francisco be sure to wear some Flowers in Your Hair )  

 

Sure, because busking is something that hippies do, right?  It's not like it's been a part of our culture since the medieval days, is it?

[lemonjelly]

11 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

"billious venting", "hating them online", which deep dark cavity do you pull these notions from, did you never participate in debating when you were at school or are you one of those posters who think every discussion must be combative and adversarial!

Lol, guilty as accused; I did get rather carried away, sorry about that, but I think it’s better we educate the youngsters as regards traveling in Thailand rather than just complaining about them here. Last week I explained to a couple of backpackers that having their dirty flip-flops lashed to their rucksacks (soles facing out even) wasn’t appropriate here and why so. They were really grateful for the advice; I’m sure very few backpackers actively disregard or go out of their way to offend the locals; it’s usually just a case of not being aware of local customs etc.

[mauGR1]

17 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Sure, because busking is something that hippies do, right?  It's not like it's been a part of our culture since the medieval days, is it?

Probably been part of any culture everywhere since the very old times.

 

[Benmart]

22 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

And stop calling buskers “beg packers”, it’s derogatory and unnecessary 

I agree. A label that sounds cute, but is nothing more than watered-down name calling.

[CG1 Blue]

59 minutes ago, Benmart said:

I agree. A label that sounds cute, but is nothing more than watered-down name calling.

But they are beggars.  They're simply using their hobby (banging drums) to increase their takings.

[Kieran00001]

22 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

But they are beggars.  They're simply using their hobby (banging drums) to increase their takings.

 

No, you don't get to pretend words mean things that they don't.  Beggar is defined as someone who asks for alms, busker is defined as someone who entertains for donations.  Are the Salvation Army bands just bunches of beggars in your wierd fantasy?  How about the National Youth String Orchestra when they go busking every Christmas?  

[Megasin1]

wow, big cat fight over in this thread.....

guys take a chill pill, all this over 2 of the unhappiest busking beggars I have ever seen....

not wanting to add fuel to the fire, personally I consider busking as a performer entertaining in the street that relies on the generosity of the public's appreciation of his/her talents, who then reward him for this talent

Begging I define as someone who has given up on life, or is so disadvantaged that they don't have a reasonable or fair chance of being able to survive without the assistance and generosity of the public at large, to do this they seek your sympathy

These 2 are IMO effectively beggars, with only a modicum of talent and they have introduced a child (if it is theirs) to register with your sympathy and thus placed themselves within the begging category.

That both of them look sadder than a 5 day old omelette shows they are just going through the motions

As I said earlier I wouldn't give them a dime based on their lack of smiles, whether or not they attract the attentions of the local constabulary is surely the business of the Thais, however I doubt they earn enough money from this to attract that sort of interest

 

[Knocker33]

It's called busking in most countries not begging. But no as profitable as lying on your back for a couple of thousand  baht a night

[metisdead]

Inflammatory bickering posts and the replies have been removed. 

[CG1 Blue]

36 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

No, you don't get to pretend words mean things that they don't.  Beggar is defined as someone who asks for alms, busker is defined as someone who entertains for donations.  Are the Salvation Army bands just bunches of beggars in your wierd fantasy?  How about the National Youth String Orchestra when they go busking every Christmas?  

The Salvation Army are collecting money for good causes, not for their own gain. There is no comparison.

Who are those buskers donating to?

A beggar is someone who lives by asking people for money.  The couple in question are asking people for money (by leaving a bucket there). There is no reason why a busker can't also be a beggar.

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

Big deal about absolutely NOTHING!..

 

[Kieran00001]

3 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

The Salvation Army are collecting money for good causes, not for their own gain. There is no comparison.

Who are those buskers donating to?

A beggar is someone who lives by asking people for money.  The couple in question are asking people for money (by leaving a bucket there). There is no reason why a busker can't also be a beggar.

 

No, beggars do not offer anything in return, they are just asking for alms, buskers entertain, they are a service which accepts a voluntary donation.  You may care to note the many countries where begging is illegal, strangely none of them feel the way you do and busking remains outside of their definition and legal.

[CG1 Blue]

34 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

No, beggars do not offer anything in return, they are just asking for alms, buskers entertain, they are a service which accepts a voluntary donation.  You may care to note the many countries where begging is illegal, strangely none of them feel the way you do and busking remains outside of their definition and legal.

Again you're relying too much on a definition you've found on Google. Life is not that black and white.

 

I'm not sure if you've ever been to Thailand (seeing your comments on various topics), but if you have, what would you call the old couples that walk around with a bit of Thai music playing and a placard explaining that the husband / wife is blind - beggars or buskers?

Edited May 3, 2018 by CG1 Blue

[Megasin1]

2 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

Again you're relying to much on a definition you've found on Google. Life is not that black and white.

 

I'm not sure if you've ever been to Thailand (seeing your comments on various topics), but if you have, what would you call the old couples that walk around with a bit of Thai music playing and a placard explaining that the husband / wife is blind - beggars or buskers?

I'd go with beggars, as soon as the sympathy card is played, it's begging, i'm not saying that makes it wrong although there are professional beggars sometimes I would rather give in error than have to think that someone starved because i couldn't spare some change.

[HHTel]

Well just to back some people up and throw scorn on others.....

 

Busking is legal in the UK as long as you're over 14.  Begging is illegal and covered by the vagrancy act.

 

I stress that is the UK so not sure about the law here.

[simoh1490]

Too many posters having almost no idea at all about Thai culture, what is permissible, what is acceptable and using their home territory as their starting point model. The laws in the West are mostly black and white, here, everything is grey - what is acceptable for a blind man playing the flute and his aged wife asking for alms has zero bearing on what the law may be on begging and in no way is an indicator that a foreigner might be allowed to do the same thing. The definition of busking...that's a red herring.

[dunroaming]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 10:44 AM, Get Real said:

Just two words! Go home!

They are not beggars, they are street artists..  Bit of a stretch I know and they would need work permits in Thailand but it is possible.  When I was young we used to hitch around different countries busking in restaurants and bars to fund our trip.  You still find people doing it (not so much hitching though) especially around the med.

[CG1 Blue]

9 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

They are not beggars, they are street artists..  Bit of a stretch I know and they would need work permits in Thailand but it is possible.  When I was young we used to hitch around different countries busking in restaurants and bars to fund our trip.  You still find people doing it (not so much hitching though) especially around the med.

That's fair enough, but I gather those countries around the Med did not have the same poverty you see in LOS. For me it's a principles thing - relatively wealthy westerners busking/begging in a poor country.

[simoh1490]

20 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

They are not beggars, they are street artists..  Bit of a stretch I know and they would need work permits in Thailand but it is possible.  When I was young we used to hitch around different countries busking in restaurants and bars to fund our trip.  You still find people doing it (not so much hitching though) especially around the med.

I used to do the same between 1968 and 1971, it was safe and easy to do then, especially if you wore a Uni. scarf - doing the same thing in Thailand in 2018, hmmm.

[CG1 Blue]

41 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Sure, those who do not have the same highly sceptical view as your own simply couldn't have been here.

 

The definition is clear, performers are buskers, having some music playing from a CD is not busking, did you really think that playing a CD was comparable to playing an instrument? 

 

I'm sorry but I have to ask as you have made me laugh so hard, was that your intention, are you writing this as a parody of an idiot or not?

I'm sure those very old disabled people playing the CDs would like the luxury of being able to buy a set of bongo drums and pat them to get a few extra baht. Same would go for those severely disfigured beggars who have no legs etc.

As ever you're missing the point, but that's understandable if you haven't seen much (or perhaps any) of Thailand.

[GuiseppeD]

11 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

… there are very few people in abject poverty in Thailand.

I was going to laugh but thought it inappropriate.  Really, are you serious? 

[metisdead]

Troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[hellstens]

They don't beg for money, they Play for it, a bit different in my eyes,

I did the same when I was young and travel.

Big deal you not forced to give.lol

[HHTel]

5 hours ago, GuiseppeD said:

there are very few people in abject poverty in Thailand.

About 7.4%  below the poverty line according to stats.  The country itself is not poor but has one of the highest inequalities between the 'haves' and 'have nots'.

 

On the question of beggars, unfortunately many of these beggars are actually controlled by gangsters who drive them from place to place and make them beg. They give them a place to stay and enough to eat, but all the money they get from begging goes into the gang’s pockets.