Viral “begpacker” photos from Pattaya Beach Road cause polarizing debate on social media

[Brickbat]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

Who buys one baht necklaces?  Indian tourists?

I think Thais are realising that they are rich and “ Farangs” here in Thailand used to be thought off as rich . Thais put races in 1 basket . No diversity in their thinking. 

I know when I’m in 5 star hotels in bkk, 80%% or so are Indians and Chinese and do you know how many “ farangs” are in guest houses? 
 

and from what I’ve heard , Indians are ruling Pattaya and Phuket ( used to be Russians) 

[SheungWan]

IMHO, if walking along Beach Road, then prefer to support the local Thai woman in a wheel-chair selling key-rings for 30 baht and up. 

[vandeventer]

5 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

what's he doing in Pattaya? shouldn't he be in Bangkok or Chiang Mai?

He needs a work visa, Thailand not the place to work selling beads. But I take my hat off to him for being a young world traveler. It's no fun seeing the world when you are old. Good luck and remember in your travels  if you ever need help, only the poor people will help you, the one's with little more than what you have.

[worgeordie]

4 hours ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Ahem.  Perhaps so...but he's unlikely to have a work permit, and selling is a job a Thai could do, so he couldn't get the job anyhow.

Yes , he must be taking the jobs from Thai bead sellers ,you see everywhere,

he will  most likely be selling beads he bought on his travels , maybe India,

Nepal , so not normally available here, his customers will be happy, and he

is not REALLY hurting anyone , it would be different if he was begging, asking

for money and giving nothing in return.....

 

regards Worgeordie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[n00dle]

6 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

What's next? The go fund me packer?

like that is a new thing?

[wombat]

5 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

the diversity of the people

who can beg in an Asian country...

no work permit...

deport

[SGD]

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I think foreigners including the press should keep their nose out of this issue.

 

What people don't realize is that much of the charm of Thailand comes from the diversity of the people who are attracted to the country and its welcoming people. Not all of Thailand's mystery and charm is homegrown. Look at the way Khaosan road's 'crossroads of the world' charm has been obliterated in the process of cleaning it up. Who goes there any more? It's appeal these days seems to be largely nostalgic.

 

Get rid of all these so-called 'unwelcome' elements and what are you left with? In the interests of not offending anyone, I'll refrain from answering that question, but a clue might be found in the bathroom mirror. And by the way, to all the cannabis enthusiasts out there, do you really think that decriminalization is not going to attract a certain (perhaps large) number of these free-spirited vagabond type tourists? Whether the cops succeed in preventing them from setting up sidewalk vending operations remains to be seen, but something tells me beach side resorts like Pattaya might see a lot more of this type of tourist in the future.

I have pretty harsh personal views about drugs and a simple mantra that I've never seen a hard drug user that didn't get their start on dope one way or another and I'm old enough to have seen lives utterly destroyed by both drug use and the desire to profit from it.

 

This experiment in Thailand is going to go horribly wrong and it could be seen from afar with certainty. Of course, the weed apologists will decry any such idea as nonsense but already you have what was Pattaya's natural expat for decades, the early through late retiree with the odd younger business guy replaced by tattooed wannabee gangsters who seem to have no desire for Thailand, the culture, not even the beaches or the women but who are here for the drugs and the nightlife and the easy money that comes from such a wasted life.

 

You will see more of them around Pattaya and if that drives people like me out, people who are not financially challenged, then Pattaya will suffer financially and be worse off in the end.

[SGD]

5 hours ago, marcusb said:

Good point!! Those dirty greasy long haired hippies and their wacky weed are going to descend on Thailand like locusts in biblical passages!  I tell ya, its the beginning of the end.  Its disgusting that they come to Pattaya for marijuana, instead of sex and booze and gambling like normal folks.  

You only half jest. It is the beginning of the end but not just for Pattaya, rather Thailand, as the world's Ibiza wannabees now turn the whole country into a Full Moon party.

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Get rid of all these so-called 'unwelcome' elements and what are you left with?

ok - I don't know much but let me take a shot at this one...

 

Welcome and neutral elements? 

[rwill]

Their plan for shifting to 'quality' tourists seems to be working.

[Aussieroaming]

At least he isn't stealing or creating <deleted> YouTube videos

[edogthong]

22 minutes ago, SGD said:

I've never seen a hard drug user that didn't get their start on dope one way or another

You're really showing your age, lack of wisdom as well as a basic understanding of logic with that argument. I can guarantee you that all of those hard drug criminals started with alcohol or cigarettes or coffee or tea or chocolates... I could go on but it's such a silly argument that I can't believe that there are people around who still buy into it. And what about the people who've managed to come off hard drugs because of cannabis? 

[phantom51red]

1 minute ago, Aussieroaming said:

At least he isn't stealing or creating <deleted> YouTube videos

Maybe he failed at that too,selling <deleted> for 1 bht is a cry for sympathy,better for him in the long run to go back to where he came from and start again.

[deesquared]

At 1 baht how is it possible to fund even a bus ticket to Bangkok?

[phantom51red]

8 minutes ago, edogthong said:

You're really showing your age, lack of wisdom as well as a basic understanding of logic with that argument. I can guarantee you that all of those hard drug criminals started with alcohol or cigarettes or coffee or tea or chocolates... I could go on but it's such a silly argument that I can't believe that there are people around who still buy into it. And what about the people who've managed to come off hard drugs because of cannabis? 

Im neither for or against it ,had my fair share of it in years gone by,but do agree with the majority on hard drugs do start of with cannabis,most if not all of the druggies in my hometown certainly did,and some of my friends too who are no longer living because of hard drugs.

 

They used to have street in amsterdam called needle alleyway,its now really a tourist walkthrough with shops ect but in the 90s it was full of smackheads hitting up openly,not a coincidence they started using hard drugs in amsterdam the worlds tokers heaven.

Edited September 13, 2022 by phantom51red

[off road pat]

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I think foreigners including the press should keep their nose out of this issue.

 

What people don't realize is that much of the charm of Thailand comes from the diversity of the people who are attracted to the country and its welcoming people. Not all of Thailand's mystery and charm is homegrown. Look at the way Khaosan road's 'crossroads of the world' charm has been obliterated in the process of cleaning it up. Who goes there any more? It's appeal these days seems to be largely nostalgic.

 

Get rid of all these so-called 'unwelcome' elements and what are you left with? In the interests of not offending anyone, I'll refrain from answering that question, but a clue might be found in the bathroom mirror. And by the way, to all the cannabis enthusiasts out there, do you really think that decriminalization is not going to attract a certain (perhaps large) number of these free-spirited vagabond type tourists? Whether the cops succeed in preventing them from setting up sidewalk vending operations remains to be seen, but something tells me beach side resorts like Pattaya might see a lot more of this type of tourist in the future.

Foreigners selling items like self made jewelry, paintings, bags, postcards or other stuff used to be no problem 30 to 20 years ago,...

[OneMoreFarang]

If it would be a cute girl, then that would be obviously alright.

But an unwashed young man with long hair? Deport him! ???? 

[Jingthing]

I wish him luck.

[Optomist]

I was thinking about doing something similar, but calling it "BegPecker" to fund my Boom Boom ????

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 minutes ago, Optomist said:

I was thinking about doing something similar, but calling it "BegPecker" to fund my Boom Boom ????

You are going to ask people to pay you to have sex with them ?

Are you thinking of becoming a male prostitute ?

Edited September 13, 2022 by Mac Mickmanus

[zyphodb]

7 hours ago, marcusb said:

Good point!! Those dirty greasy long haired hippies and their wacky weed are going to descend on Thailand like locusts in biblical passages!  I tell ya, its the beginning of the end.  Its disgusting that they come to Pattaya for marijuana, instead of sex and booze and gambling like normal folks.  

Why is there no laugh icon???

[brewsterbudgen]

1 minute ago, zyphodb said:

Why is there no laugh icon???

 

[Gecko123]

 

7 hours ago, marcusb said:

Good point!! Those dirty greasy long haired hippies and their wacky weed are going to descend on Thailand like locusts in biblical passages!  I tell ya, its the beginning of the end.  Its disgusting that they come to Pattaya for marijuana, instead of sex and booze and gambling like normal folks.  

During the decriminalization debate that raged on this forum a few months ago, some proponents of decriminalization were attempting to portray the typical cannabis tourist as jet-setting high-end Elon Musk types and happy upscale suburban couples enjoying  discrete tokes on their vape pens while sipping on vintage Bordeaux on the balcony of their five star hotel after getting back from their chartered scuba diving excursion. I was merely suggesting that this guy might be a vanguard or at least a closer-to-reality example of the underbelly of the demographic which decriminalization might attract.

 

Just to repeat the counter argument so that the good citizens of Pattaya can keep an eye on the situation as it develops, be vigilant for ancillary criminal activity such as harder drug sales catering to the cannabis user demographic, or just more criminal activity in general.

 

The argument that the cannabis demographic is no worse than the booze or monger demographic only holds water to the extent that they're mutually exclusive. It is possible to smoke weed, drink, and pick up bar girls at the same time, right? But one thing that just crossed my mind, and pot smokers might want to consider is, is whether pot smoking impairs a person's lady boy radar. Something to think about if you're going to partake in sin city right? Could be a whole lot of cannabis fan boys in need of morning-after psychological counseling if they're not careful. 555 ????

Edited September 13, 2022 by Gecko123

[Regyai]

8 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

What's next? The go fund me packer?

Be fair its a refreshing change from the more routine Pattaya beggar type plying shares in his bar

[Colabamumbai]

8 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

That's Greasy...

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S7FsAgPuVwU

And I'm Bubbles from Nover Scotia. 

[Colabamumbai]

Thai motto, live and let live. 

[edogthong]

52 minutes ago, phantom51red said:

not a coincidence they started using hard drugs in amsterdam the worlds tokers heaven.

That's true but what's also true is that most of those people weren't Dutch. That fact said more about the social problems in other countries than it did about the problems in the Netherlands. Also, that is no longer the case in Amsterdam. 

 

For a more recent and relevant example you should look to Portugal where they've decriminalised all drugs and it's a huge success. We now know that hard drugs is not a criminal issue. It's a medical and social one. Keeping addiction a criminal offense only increases drug use. Focusing on treatment is the way to go. 

[kennw]

6 hours ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Ahem.  Perhaps so...but he's unlikely to have a work permit, and selling is a job a Thai could do, so he couldn't get the job anyhow.

Like it or not it is against the law. So all those who say "so what" are encouraging law breakers.

[Road Warrior]

he ok he wont have to pay tax as norm for Thais working !!

[bang saen guy]

Why is this news? Pattaya has foreigners begging for money constantly. A bar owner on Soi 6 is constantly begging for money.