Homeless like stray dogs

[PREM-R]

Bangkok Post 17/9/03

Samak: Homeless like stray dogs

Shelter would only attract more of them

Samak

Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej says homeless drifters are a nuisance and should be treated like stray dogs.

Building shelters for them would only attract more people to the city, he said yesterday.

If a shelter for the homeless was absolutely necessary, he would build it in one province, put all the drifters under one roof and provide them with food _ the very same way the city handled stray dogs by sending them to Sa Kaeo province.

Both the homeless and strays were priorities for removal from the streets as the city puts on a sanitised face for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit on Oct 20-21.

City staff are already rounding up dogs, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to begin moving homeless people off downtown streets on Sept 22, according to city officials.

``There are no excuses for being a vagabond,'' Mr Samak said. ``Everybody must have a place to live. If we help them by feeding them and providing shelter more will only leave their homes, come to the city and drift around.

``In doing so, they take advantage of society. We should send them home.''

Mr Samak said the city would set up reception areas at Hua Lamphong and at Sanam Chai, adjacent to Sanam Luang.

Officials would be stationed at Hua Lamphong to advise people arriving in the city and help them contact their relatives.

Tents would be put up at Sanam Chai where the homeless could clean themselves and their clothes.

Earlier, a senior city official unveiled a plan to remove homeless people from the inner part of old Bangkok, known as Rattanakosin island, to Wat Suan Kaew, run by Phra Payom Kallayano, in Nonthaburi province.

Suwit Watnu, of the Human Settlement Foundation, urged the state to explore long-term solutions to help homeless people, rather than cosmetic measures to hide the problem from Apec delegates.

The housing rights activist said it was important the solution did not compromise human dignity, saying that would be against the spirit of the constitution.

``These people need an opportunity. Many are good fellows who have no place to go.

``A large number of them became poor because of national development projects,'' he said.

The foundation operates a temporary shelter for about 50 drifters swept from Sanam Luang in 2001. Construction of the city's home for the homeless planned at the time has yet to begin.

WELCOME APEC - UNSEEN IN THAILAND? - LAND OF SMILES?