Bma To Round Up Bangkok Beggars

[webfact]

BMA to round up Bangkok beggars

By The Nation

Published on January 29, 2010

BMA to round up Bangkok beggars

BANGKOK -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said yesterday that, in a joint effort with the police force and other agencies, it would be rounding up beggars on February 15.

Deputy governor Theerachon Manomaipiboon said a recent survey showed that there were still 131 beggars in the capital despite 557 being rounded up earlier by a team led by Deputy PM Sanan Kachornprasart. Of the beggars, 23 are mostly Cambodians who will be repatriated next month, while the remainder will be sent to a shelter in Nonthaburi where officials will determine if they were involved in human trafficking and if they should be subjected to legal action, he said.

The Prachabodi Centre, run by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, reported that there were 900 homeless persons wandering the streets of Bangkok, and that many of the so-called beggars came from two villages in the Northeast.

-- The Nation 2010-01-29

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[dantilley]

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

[Bagwan]

I award the writer and sub-editor responsible for the totally nonsensical and ambiguous report above a Howitzer Prize for services to journalism i.e. they should be shot.

Furthermore any person with pretension to sanity will know that the figures quoted have been picked out of thin air.

I am desperately trying to get my head round a Deputy Prime Minister marauding round the streets of BKK apprehending beggars, a job that I would expect even Police Private Somjai to carry out with a degree of benefit.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Bagwan

[Hardback]

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

I was thinking the same thing...some of them have been around so long I recognize them, they're still there and not going anywhere soon.

[ThailandTommy]

I award the writer and sub-editor responsible for the totally nonsensical and ambiguous report above a Howitzer Prize for services to journalism i.e. they should be shot.

Furthermore any person with pretension to sanity will know that the figures quoted have been picked out of thin air.

I am desperately trying to get my head round a Deputy Prime Minister marauding round the streets of BKK apprehending beggars, a job that I would expect even Police Private Somjai to carry out with a degree of benefit.

Well put Sir........

Of the beggars, 23 are mostly Cambodians

Really the author must at best be a drunk!!!!

[Crushdepth]

Deputy governor Theerachon Manomaipiboon said a recent survey showed that there were still 131 beggars in the capital

Have to wonder if something has been lost in the translation...or whether the source really was as retarded as it sounds.

[kurnell]

Can we have some photos of the more famous beggars here please?

[beejoir]

15th Feb...now an official holiday for beggars!

[Khutan]

About time, and I might take some photo's, particularly the fat guy with the Dog who used to be near Soi 1 and for some reason is now at the front of Central Rama 3, not to forget the "Sukhumvit Slider"

[Donnyboy]

I am desperately trying to get my head round a Deputy Prime Minister marauding round the streets of BKK apprehending beggars, a job that I would expect even Police Private Somjai to carry out with a degree of benefit.

reminds me of the time a high ranking official leading the "dvd/cd copy sting" in MBK and uncovering 1 copy as all the shops were closed

[dantilley]

"Sukhumvit Slider"

There are at least 3 of these guys doing the rounds.

Haven't seen the infamous farrang beggar "ticket back home" Dutch guy for a while, I guess he must have finally got enough cash for his ticket...

[Hardback]

"Sukhumvit Slider"

I will be using that nomenclature henceforth

There's an "armless" guy who holds a cup in his mouth who sits on the bridge over Klong San Saeb at Pratunam. He used to be on a pedestrian bridge near Rang Nam a few years ago before he was relocated (promoted?) I say "armless" because occasionally he would slip his arms out from under his shirt in order to empty his cup.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Hardback

[bkkjames]

The sames one's I see everyday in lower sukhumvit for years are still there,,,

Old lady with the wooden leg near Pacific Place / Nana BTS with the cup with a few coins in it she rattles as you walk bye.

Directly opposite side of the street near the entrance to soi 7, the old guy with his hand perpetually held out.

The guy on the walkover between these two that does a poor job sometimes of hiding his mobile phone.

[Reasonableman]

This is only the number who are recorded as not paying kickbacks on time, and must therefore be punished

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

[Splatter]

This is only the number who are recorded as not paying kickbacks on time, and must therefore be punished

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

131 "complete" beggars.

No legs, sliding on stomach on sidewalk = .6 of a beggar.

One missing arm = .75 of a beggar

Baby = 0.25 of a beggar

Apologies for my sick joking. Which is what this round up could be.

How is this action going to help these people? From wherever they come from?

[Crushdepth]

They get no help from the government at all but in Bangkok they seem to do pretty well in terms of donations from the public. Whether they get to keep it or not is another matter.

[Reasonableman]

Actually, they have to spend quite a lot on taxis to take them to and from home, and between different venues. In many countries, this would be a tax-deductible expense. Maybe the Thai taxation authorities could look into it

They get no help from the government at all but in Bangkok they seem to do pretty well in terms of donations from the public. Whether they get to keep it or not is another matter.

[sokal]

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

Here in Vancouver Canada there is like 800 beggars and drug addicts around.

[webfact]

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

Here in Vancouver Canada there is like 800 beggars and drug addicts around.

on East Hastings...

[jontom]

The sames one's I see everyday in lower sukhumvit for years are still there,,,

Old lady with the wooden leg near Pacific Place / Nana BTS with the cup with a few coins in it she rattles as you walk bye.

Directly opposite side of the street near the entrance to soi 7, the old guy with his hand perpetually held out.

The guy on the walkover between these two that does a poor job sometimes of hiding his mobile phone.

BMA PLEASE ROUND THESE ONES UP AND TAKE THEM AWAY!

On Nut BTS station old lady sits half way up the stairs waiing everyone probably to say sorry that we all have to go slowly and walk around her because SHE IS IN THE WAY!!!! , the man with 2 half arms on the top of the stairs who agressively bangs his stumps on the ground everytime I walk past, the 2 cheating Cambodian children (boy and girl)who recently have been pretending to be collecting for their school but are agressive beggars at the bottom of the stairs, the old lady with the false leg at Nana the 20 plus ones down Nana Soi 4 etc etc PS I saw the Sukhumvit slider at ON Nut BTS station how the hel_l did he get there?????All night sliding from Nana?

Almost forgot! also round up the stupid Americans who keep giving them money and encourage them to get in everyones way!

[PhilHarries]

How do they come up with these figures? Well I reckon it’s something like this:-

The section head comes in one morning “listen up chaps, the Boss wants to know how many beggars there are on the streets of Krungthep”

“Oh, no! Not another of his bright ideas”

“Yes, yes but you know what he’s like when he gets a bee in his bonnet, so anyone got any bright ideas of how we can come up with a number? Somchai?”

“Well, sir, we could go out on the streets and count them”

“Are you mad? Do you know how hot it is out there? Stupid boy! Any other bright suggestions?”

“Well we could all jump into the limos and go down that new massage parlour we approved the licence for last week. Looks like they have some real tasty girls there and on the way we could count the beggars”

“I like it, shows initiative but unfortunately our entertainment budget is a little low until the next round of licence renewals. Any other ideas?”

“Well we could just sit here and count up the ones we pass each day on the way to work.”

“Okay, that’ll do, I’ll start with that old guy outside Nana Plaza. That’s one.”

“Well sir, there’s the old lady on Sukhumvit with the dog so that’s two.”

“Don’t forget the man with no arms on the footbridge, that’s three.”

“Sir, do dirty scruffy farang beggars count?”

“Hmmm, no I don’t think so, all farangs are dirty beggars.”

……..

……….

…………

“Right chaps, we now have 130, is that all you can think of?”

“Well there’s the one they call the Sukhumvit Slider if he counts, from what I’ve heard he’s a bit of a celebrity.”

“Right, that’s it 131 it is. Well done chaps, time for lunch and by jimminy we’ve earnt it.”

[BangkokHank]

"Sukhumvit Slider"

I will be using that nomenclature henceforth

There's an "armless" guy who holds a cup in his mouth who sits on the bridge over Klong San Saeb at Pratunam. He used to be on a pedestrian bridge near Rang Nam a few years ago before he was relocated (promoted?) I say "armless" because occasionally he would slip his arms out from under his shirt in order to empty his cup.

Ha - I know that "armless" beggar too. Every time I pass by I think to myself, "That guy's clearly hiding his arms under his shirt." I'd like to have a friend video me going up to him and pulling up his shirt. Then again, the way farangs are being murdered in Thailand these days, perhaps I'll just leave him to his scam . . .

I of course also know the Sukhumvit Slider. When you think about it, there really is no need for anyone to slither along the ground like that while begging - except that it evokes more sympathy and thereby generates a higher income.

[bkkjames]

131 beggars in the capital

131 beggars in Bangkok?! There must be 131 in lower Sukhumvit alone...

Here in Vancouver Canada there is like 800 beggars and drug addicts around.

on East Hastings...

Thought they were moving them out prior to the Olympics?

[changnaam]

Wow, I never new this guy was famous and had a name.

Funny I have seen him at On Nut, Asoke and Thong Lo..... all in the same day and always in different directions....... he must make enough for a day pass in the morning at On Nut and then hey ho he is sorted for the day !!!

[otherstuff1957]

The 'armless' beggar used to work near Rang Nam over 5 years ago! He's really made a long term career of keeping his arms inside his shirt.

BTW, he really does have arms, I saw them once when he was a bit slow slipping them under his shirt when I came upon him unexpectedly.

[webfact]

one nonsensical post deleted

Sorry for the 3 innocent members who replied and their posts had to be sacrificed...

[sokal]

Here in Vancouver Canada there is like 800 beggars and drug addicts around.

on East Hastings...

Thought they were moving them out prior to the Olympics?

Actually I was just in the area at christmass and they have cleaned some of it up. It is still ridicules and it is still the worst in North America

[sbk]

Sorry guys this is news not jokes forum. posts deleted yet again.

[bangon04]

The sames one's I see everyday in lower sukhumvit for years are still there,,,

Old lady with the wooden leg near Pacific Place / Nana BTS with the cup with a few coins in it she rattles as you walk bye.

Directly opposite side of the street near the entrance to soi 7, the old guy with his hand perpetually held out.

The guy on the walkover between these two that does a poor job sometimes of hiding his mobile phone.

BMA PLEASE ROUND THESE ONES UP AND TAKE THEM AWAY!

On Nut BTS station old lady sits half way up the stairs waiing everyone probably to say sorry that we all have to go slowly and walk around her because SHE IS IN THE WAY!!!! , the man with 2 half arms on the top of the stairs who agressively bangs his stumps on the ground everytime I walk past, the 2 cheating Cambodian children (boy and girl)who recently have been pretending to be collecting for their school but are agressive beggars at the bottom of the stairs, the old lady with the false leg at Nana the 20 plus ones down Nana Soi 4 etc etc PS I saw the Sukhumvit slider at ON Nut BTS station how the hel_l did he get there?????All night sliding from Nana?

Almost forgot! also round up the stupid Americans who keep giving them money and encourage them to get in everyones way!

I suppose they only count beggars who simply ask for money. There is the guy who frantically bangs a plastic water bottle and groans (Suk Soi 1 and other places ) but maybe he can be classed as a street musician / busker???

Maybe the Suk Slider could be classed as a street acrobat?

And the footbridge "mothers" with their random babies could be street theater / performance art?

And as for the juvenile flower sellers / shoe cleaners etc....

[bangon04]

I award the writer and sub-editor responsible for the totally nonsensical and ambiguous report above a Howitzer Prize for services to journalism i.e. they should be shot.

Furthermore any person with pretension to sanity will know that the figures quoted have been picked out of thin air.

I am desperately trying to get my head round a Deputy Prime Minister marauding round the streets of BKK apprehending beggars, a job that I would expect even Police Private Somjai to carry out with a degree of benefit.

Which Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for rounding up the stray dogs? I forget.....