Remember this article next time you see a beggar in the street

[ezzra]

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/worlds-richest-beggar-is-worth-13-million/news-story/8d71554ea756ccd7bdbe4fc3b95cf319

[save the frogs]

a blogger in india mentioned there are crime rings organizing the beggars.

 

but it's not always the case. 

 

some people genuinely are down and out and need the help.

 

try to use your gut whether to help others or not. 

 

[dingdongrb]

Reminds me when I was first living in China and was riding in a taxi with a good friend visiting from Hong Kong. The taxi was stopped at a red light and an older man (mid 40s or so) was walking with and helping a young teenager who was apparently blind and was panhandling for coins at the cars stopped for the light.

 

I rolled down my window and held out my hand holding a few RMB ready to hand off to the begging teen. My friend pulled my arm back in the taxi and told me not to give them any money. I told my friend it wasn't much and I only wanted to help a little. 

 

My friend says that in China folks typically don't give hand outs to those unfortunate. The reason according to my friend is that there's belief that the father, not wanting to work, may have blinded the youngster on purpose in order to gain money without having to do real work.

 

.....sad to hear this but after that I stopped giving handouts remembering what my friend had said.

[bignok]

I never give to them. 

[save the frogs]

8 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

The reason according to my friend is that there's belief that the father, not wanting to work, may have blinded the youngster on purpose in order to gain money without having to do real work.

and the authorities don't look into those types of situations and press charges?

if it were true, wouldn't children report their parents?

 

[Phulublub]

I lived in Edinburgvh for a time.  Prime "begging" spots were populated by people like this.  genuine beggras were moved on by the ringleaders who took a cut of the daily take and made sure no-one from outside the gang were in place for any length of time. 

 

Being a tourist city, these lowlife did rather well.

 

PH

[RanongCat]

Professional beggars be everywhere . Face to face is personal choice. Charities with logo and famous names employ themselves first. Stand in Indian rail station to watch suits and tie change to beggar rags in morning and reverse in evening !

Trust a beggar no more than lawyer was my fathers advice.

[HandsomeTallFarang]

Plenty of able-bodied men begging in Bangkok. This one beggar near my condo could easily work a job. But instead just chooses to laze around, ambushing BTS riders exiting the station during rush hour.  I never give them anything. Plus if I give to one beggar, another beggar sees it and then they feel entitled to some money too.

 

If I gave money to every beggar I encountered on typical day on sukhumvit, I would be right there begging along with them.

[bbko]

Two professional beggars at my local 7/11 every night, what little money they do get is quickly spent on booze.

[worgeordie]

Goes way back to the Sherlock Holmes story , The man with the twisted lip,

about a man with a good job in the city ,found by accident he could earn

more been a beggar,  I see some in the bank sometimes paying their takings

in, they are disabled ......

 

regards worgeordie

[bignok]

3 sad faces for not giving to beggars. Name yourselves.

[bignok]

1 hour ago, HandsomeTallFarang said:

Plenty of able-bodied men begging in Bangkok. This one beggar near my condo could easily work a job. But instead just chooses to laze around, ambushing BTS riders exiting the station during rush hour.  I never give them anything. Plus if I give to one beggar, another beggar sees it and then they feel entitled to some money too.

 

If I gave money to every beggar I encountered on typical day on sukhumvit, I would be right there begging along with them.

My take as well. Give one give all. Plus they might pinch the wallet.

 

 

[ozimoron]

1 hour ago, bbko said:

Two professional beggars at my local 7/11 every night, what little money they do get is quickly spent on booze.

Professional?

 

2 minutes ago, bignok said:

My take as well. Give one give all. Plus they might pinch the wallet.

If you ever wind up on the street I hope you hold out a sign saying "Don't give to me because I never gave to others either".

[HandsomeTallFarang]

44 minutes ago, bignok said:

My take as well. Give one give all. Plus they might pinch the wallet.

 

 

The way I see it, it’s their country, let their own people / government help out. I already help out enough as it is, getting dual priced at every opportunity. Taxis wanting 300 to go 2km. Fruit vendors without prices listed so they can charge 70baht to foreigners instead of the 40 baht to everyone else. (Happens to me). Bars adding things on to the tabs of drunk farrangs. 
 

I already inadvertently donate my money to some Thai folks, one way or another. I don’t feel the need to give any more.

 

Although There is one guy however who I see all the time and I will give to him, buy him a beer from nearby 7/11. That’s because he can speak English and seems genuinely cheerful, the happiest homeless guy I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t beg for money, and he has a shop laid down selling some Muay Thai stuff. I slip him a 100 every now and then, not because I feel bad feel obligated to, but because he seems like he’s genuinely down on his luck and not a professional beggar.

Edited July 15, 2023 by HandsomeTallFarang

[bignok]

11 hours ago, HandsomeTallFarang said:

The way I see it, it’s their country, let their own people / government help out. I already help out enough as it is, getting dual priced at every opportunity. Taxis wanting 300 to go 2km. Fruit vendors without prices listed so they can charge 70baht to foreigners instead of the 40 baht to everyone else. (Happens to me). Bars adding things on to the tabs of drunk farrangs. 
 

I already inadvertently donate my money to some Thai folks, one way or another. I don’t feel the need to give any more.

 

Although There is one guy however who I see all the time and I will give to him, buy him a beer from nearby 7/11. That’s because he can speak English and seems genuinely cheerful, the happiest homeless guy I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t beg for money, and he has a shop laid down selling some Muay Thai stuff. I slip him a 100 every now and then, not because I feel bad feel obligated to, but because he seems like he’s genuinely down on his luck and not a professional beggar.

Yes

[bignok]

11 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Professional?

 

If you ever wind up on the street I hope you hold out a sign saying "Don't give to me because I never gave to others either".

Nasty

[kwak250]

I remember years ago going to Oxford and this begger was in a nice suit sat outside a restaurant and asked me for money.

I almost said to him you need to trade your suit for some old clothes as his cup was empty of change .
Never knew why he was begging and might well of been genuine but still.

[swm59nj]

See this should give inspiration.  If a beggar can do it.  Then you can do it too.

 

[animalmagic]

On 7/15/2023 at 5:51 PM, save the frogs said:

and the authorities don't look into those types of situations and press charges?

if it were true, wouldn't children report their parents?

 

Do you think the authorities care about poor people? 

[save the frogs]

16 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

Do you think the authorities care about poor people? 

good point

Edited July 17, 2023 by save the frogs

[rwill]

I almost never give money to people asking/begging for it.  But when I see someone I think needs help but isn't asking for it I will help them.

Like when I see elderly people pushing carts around the roads looking for bottles and such to sell.  I'll pull over and give them some money.

[ignore it]

Elderly woman with a cup 

South side of Klang

tween Buracao and 2d road

I stopped dropping bhat

when I saw her smart phone

was better than mine

 

[CecilM]

True story:

The maid of the wealthy friend of my wealthy prof. at uni here dressed up her children in rags and put them to beg on the streets. The mother found the kids begging. What a coincidence. 
Most beggars are organized crime, a few a real. Such a hard call whether to give money or not. 

[Celsius]

I usually make a personal judgement regarding this issue.

 

I never give to any children, or one legged men that look like that German scammer who was kicked out of Thailand. I also don't give to charities.

 

What I do is when I see an old skinny person on the street I usually buy 100-200b worth of food around from 7 or whatever is available and give it to them. Sometimes I will toss a 20 to those street performers sittiing in the sun. 

[RamblingOn]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:36 PM, HandsomeTallFarang said:

Plenty of able-bodied men begging in Bangkok. This one beggar near my condo could easily work a job. But instead just chooses to laze around, ambushing BTS riders exiting the station during rush hour.  I never give them anything. Plus if I give to one beggar, another beggar sees it and then they feel entitled to some money too.

 

If I gave money to every beggar I encountered on typical day on sukhumvit, I would be right there begging along with them.

Why do you waste your breath by looking at the wrong persons?? Quite a of beggars in Bangkok who are in real need, focus your attention to them.

[nana kid]

If there is a lady with a child                        I go to 7-11 and get a small milk for the kid

[spidermike007]

When I was living in India, many years ago, I used to carry around a daypack, full of food, fruit, etc. When a beggar would ask for something, I would offer them food. If they were sincere, they would accept the food with gratitude. If they were a pro, they would just sneer at me. It was a truth barometer, and made it very easy to out the fools.

[NoshowJones]

On 7/15/2023 at 9:24 PM, bignok said:

3 sad faces for not giving to beggars. Name yourselves.

NoshowJones.

[billd766]

On 7/15/2023 at 9:40 AM, bignok said:

I never give to them. 

When I used to live and work in Bangkok back in the 1990s, I used to give to the beggars everyday and be thankful that I was not one of them.

 

Usually my small change or perhaps a 20 baht note.

[ThaiFelix]

Many years ago I was in Kuta, Bali winding my way back to my accomadation in the wee hours, when I took a wrong turn into a lane and came across a van full of beggers.  My curiousity led me to stop at a drink stand nearby to use as a cover while I watched what was going on.  Over the next 20 minutes or so about another half a dozen or so beggers arrived out of the shadows from different directions and each handing over a small bag to the driver before entering the van.  Apparently the whole thing is organised, call it mafia if you like, but these people were brought in from outlying villages to beg, even the babies were often hired out and didnt belong to what you think is its mother.  Very similar happenings go on today with the flower seller kids in Klong Toey.