Beggars face fine and jail under new law

[wisperone]

I had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.  This article is really absurd in so many ways. Do beggars have money to pay fines? Maybe some professional beggars..but what about the indigent, homeless, mentally ill. I don't give money to beggars, but if people want to, its fine with me.

[jgarbo]

12 hours ago, Toknarok said:

    What an absolute hoot. The monks don saffron robes and then do exactly what the unordained beggars do! BEG but they get away with it. Personally I'd sooner give my donation to a street beggar than a bludging temple dweller. 

You don't understand the morning ritual. The offering of food obviously nourishes the monks, who show humility by walking barefoot. Giving the food confers merit on the giver. Learn something about Buddhism or stay in a bar.

[connda]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Those aiding or supporting beggars' panhandling will face a maximum two-year jail term and/or a maximum Bt20,000 fine

There's the nail in the tourism coffin: "Chinese tourist fined 20,000 THB and jailed for two years for giving beggar 20 baht."

Giving begging monks money: Ok

Giving the begging government money: Ok

Giving other needy humans money: Crime

 

By the way, I don't endorse begging.  Street beggars are often run by the mafia, but -- by comparison...just saying. 

[connda]

3 minutes ago, wisperone said:

I had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1.  This article is really absurd in so many ways. Do beggars have money to pay fines?

Killing the messenger this morning, 'eh?  The article is simply reporting.  Absurdity lies elsewhere.

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, otherstuff1957 said:

People who are fined in Thailand can serve jail time in lieu of paying the fine.  I can't remember if the rate is 500 or 200 baht per day off of your fine for time served.  So a 10,000 baht fine would be 'paid off' with either 20 or 50 days in jail. 

So fill overcrowded jails even more. Great idea!

[tifino]

A monk asking for money is not a real monk... 

 

That task is left to the white envelope at the temple 

[LongTang]

3 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

A recent meeting of the Beggar Control Committee ...

 

You can't call it that, no way. Haha ... sounds like they view it like pest control and at least dogs have laws to protect them. With all these new crimes with disproportionate penalties then the generals might want to start building some new prisons.

 

By the sound of it, I think they will be building concentration camps and not prisons.. 

[Beggar]

12 hours ago, LongTang said:

I do not enjoy it when people beg for money, and sometimes it can be a nuisance.

BUT I WILL NEVER SUPPORT FORCEFUL REMOVAL of less fortunate people,

Especially in counties were wealth is not in the grasp of many.

 

A real shame they are going down that road..

Did you ever see these begging women with the children? Mostly they are not their children. They just borrow them for their job. And if you give them money you support this. 

[thurien]

14 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

So helping dogs is more important than helping people. Is this what the new law means?

 

why do you want to distort reality? in most cases it is not "people" it is gang / mafia rackets behind each and every beggar: THEY get the biggest piece of the cake not their "employee" (= the beggar whom the mafia owns)

 

and as for the farang beggars who are free-lance con artists without mafia ties (but maybe have relatives who at the same time go for crowd funding as easy means of living in TH):

 

Kick them out of Thailand right away

[luk AJ]

People selling flowers at intersections, is this begging? If not, what about a street musician?
I know a you girl who’s face and hands were severely burned. She is often seen begging on the walkway one level under BTS. So she is violating the law and so am I when I give her money? How else this girl has to generate income??


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[madmen]

12 hours ago, LongTang said:

Actually I'm not new to this place at all.

Its also interesting how you mix education into the matter, or is in your formula, the more educated you are, the less you should respect and care about the less fortunate.

 

And please spare me all the mafia style stories about how all of this is organized as its completely irrelevant.

If criminal actors are involved in orchestrating this, Then By all means put them behind bars for a long time.

But going after the lone beggars themselves is just shameful.
Few people will find it enjoyable to sit and beg others for money.

 

Every time you drop twenty baht so you can feel better about yourself your actually supporting a criminal network. They are not even Thai! 

[LongTang]

34 minutes ago, Beggar said:

Did you ever see these begging women with the children? Mostly they are not their children. They just borrow them for their job. And if you give them money you support this. 

 

Are Beggars even allowed to post in this forum? Lucky you for now..

 

If someone gives them money, then part of it goes to feed the children and you can't argue with that.

Most of the children are there because nobody in this world gives a damn about them so its not like they left a comfortable and safe life behind.

 

If child services would like to take the children to a safe and caring place than that will be absolutely awesome ! But as long as they don't, At least some people(NOT YOU) help put some food in their mouth, even if much of what they give goes to scummy people.

 

 

 

 

[Greyhat]

I usually walk past 2 or 3 a day on the commute to work. One guy with one leg laying on the floor. A mother and child that seem to be a different pair every couple of days or so and my new personal favourite a spooky girl, looks to be about late 20s/early 30s. She just stands there with her hand out looking at you dead in the eye. I've managed to resist the temptation of slapping her hand in a friendly "high 5" manner thus far but I don't know how long I can hold out.

[LongTang]

4 minutes ago, madmen said:

Every time you drop twenty baht so you can feel better about yourself your actually supporting a criminal network. They are not even Thai! 

A recent meeting of the Beggar Control Committee at the MSDHS head office in Bangkok was told 237 beggars (including 156 Thais and 81 foreign migrants)

-----------

Apparently, most of them are Thais.

If they are illegal immigrants , then there are plenty of ways to deal with them as we all know.

And if they are also mafia criminals, then lock them up.

 

Every time someone drop 20 bath, some of it will goes to feed a hungry child, the other part will go to scummy hands.

As long as nobody is doing anything about the child, so be it!

[madmen]

1 minute ago, LongTang said:

A recent meeting of the Beggar Control Committee at the MSDHS head office in Bangkok was told 237 beggars (including 156 Thais and 81 foreign migrants)

-----------

Apparently, most of them are Thais.

If they are illegal immigrants , then there are plenty of ways to deal with them as we all know.

And if they are also mafia criminals, then lock them up.

 

Every time someone drop 20 bath, some of it will goes to feed a hungry child, the other part will go to scummy hands.

As long as nobody is doing anything about the child, so be it!

The women with kids are able bodied and can go work on a farm . for starters they can stop screwing and having babies but they do it because its an easy life sitting on your butt while your 4 year old begs instead of being tucked into bed at 11pm

You would have to be the most gullible poster on TV. Hopefully at least you are true to your word and wondering about at night and supporting them?? didnt think so

[LongTang]

24 minutes ago, madmen said:

The women with kids are able bodied and can go work on a farm . for starters they can stop screwing and having babies but they do it because its an easy life sitting on your butt while your 4 year old begs instead of being tucked into bed at 11pm

You would have to be the most gullible poster on TV. Hopefully at least you are true to your word and wondering about at night and supporting them?? didnt think so

 

Good, so we now agree that there are solutions for the illegal immigrants,  mafia criminals, and the ABLE BODIED women.

Do the rest of the Thai beggars have your permission to beg?

[Xaos]

Many beggars with kids by Central festival in Pattaya.

 

U call cops and they gone before cops arrive. Before that they pick up call.

 

 

[spidermike007]

Just another example of how cold, heartless, nasty and out of touch this horrific administration is. Give as much as you want to the monks. But, do not help the unfortunates. 

 

Misguided. An army not for the people. Make the elite richer and punish the poorest. Get rid of these fools. 

[nodomino]

The Beggar Control Act!  Here’s the ticket to flawless gentrification. Just make it a Capital Crime and execute the panhandlers, beggars, aged, infirm, and defectives of all stripes.  What remains will be the most perfect, productive and happy people. It’s been done before doncha know. 

[atyclb]

13 hours ago, mok199 said:

Yet packs of inbred ferrel canines run wild..

 

 

please have a little respect for the government

[RJRS1301]

Quote

 

Beggars Control Committee sounds like they intend to licence the beggars or actively limit the numbers allowed to be in certain areas.

Fining them is a real bright idea, especially the children, what about referring them to services for assistance and the elderly into places of care (oops they would have to build them)

 

For the able bodied perhaps some referrals to education/ work/housing services??

 

Jailing people because of poverty will entrench further poverty and social dislocation.

 

The mind boggles with the absolute stupidity of this whole idea

 

 

[RJRS1301]

8 minutes ago, nodomino said:

The Beggar Control Act!  Here’s the ticket to flawless gentrification. Just make it a Capital Crime and execute the panhandlers, beggars, aged, infirm, and defectives of all stripes.  What remains will be the most perfect, productive and happy people. It’s been done before doncha know. 

Worked well in Europe in late 30s into the 40s.

Sarcasm>>>>>  

 

[madmen]

 
Good, so we now agree that there are solutions for the illegal immigrants,  mafia criminals, and the ABLE BODIED women.
Do the rest of the Thai beggars have your permission to beg?

No. There is a guy who only comes out in poring rain with one leg dragging his body through the muck on Sukhumvit. I've seen him get 500 baht a time from gullible tourists and he is making big $
He can go get work sitting down in a factory but can make 10 more in the rain.

There are very few genuine beggers
Who deserve street time.

[madmen]

 

Beggars Control Committee sounds like they intend to licence the beggars or actively limit the numbers allowed to be in certain areas.

Fining them is a real bright idea, especially the children, what about referring them to services for assistance and the elderly into places of care (oops they would have to build them)

 

For the able bodied perhaps some referrals to education/ work/housing services??

 

Jailing people because of poverty will entrench further poverty and social dislocation.

 

The mind boggles with the absolute stupidity of this whole idea'

 

 

Why? A roof and free meals.. Isn't that the whole point of begging ? Good the Thais can see through the scammers. The bleeding heart farang would rather they block off every soi on lower Sukhumvit. What next a feed the dog's by farang campaign?

 

[salavan]

If people are so poor that they have to beg how can you fine them 500 to 2000 baht very confussing

[tifino]

yes @salavan, but the moneyspinner was to Fine the Donaters

 

 

as if the other way around, the beggars would be thrilled with the 2 years of guaranteed prison food, and a roof over their head

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, tifino said:

yes @salavan, but the moneyspinner was to Fine the Donaters

 

 

as if the other way around, the beggars would be thrilled with the 2 years of guaranteed prison food, and a roof over their head

Thrilled, in an overcrowded stinking cell? One floor toilet to however many loaded into the cell, 

I hear the food is basically rice water once a day with some sort of protein added

 

[stanleycoin]

Monks can beg and thats ok.

But people with arms or legs missing,  can't.

 

The government truly cares about there less fortunate,  in there society.

As they drive home tonight in there Merc's or BMW's. 

 

Personally,  i just give to people with limbs missing,  the rest can bugger off.

 

 

[Toknarok]

3 hours ago, jgarbo said:

You don't understand the morning ritual. The offering of food obviously nourishes the monks, who show humility by walking barefoot. Giving the food confers merit on the giver. Learn something about Buddhism or stay in a bar.

         Yes I know about Buddhist and humility, but why do I not see it in Thailand? Ever been into a monks quarters? I have many times and I am amazed at the amount of expensive electrical equipment they have. Then I see monks talking on their fancy mobile phones and peeling 500 baht notes of a fat roll in order to top the phone up - that is the reason I don't give to them. I worked hard all my life for my money, unlike many of them who get a saffron robe, shave their head and shuffle around shoeless begging in the mornings.

       There again I suppose passing the plate around in a church is also a type of begging. I don't do that either as all forms of religion including Buddhism are nonsense.

[Percy P]

17 hours ago, OneEyedPie said:

Beggars straying into monks rich pickings territory.  No surprise.

The Thai Buddhist association is richer then the Government and giving 100 B to poor people would be beneficial . It's the followers that have made them wealthy. Give back a little.