A Farang Beggar

[BambinA]

last 2 weeks my sister and me went to Central Plaza Chitlom, we park our car at Central world plaza and walk via flyover

i met a farang bloke sat with despair face with a backpack ..and he has a paper board , write as

" i need 8000 baht for flight , you guys and donate me 100 /500/1000 bht "

i asked him whats wrong ..he said he broke up with a TH girl friend, and no more money .. he has around 10K baht ..need some more

he claimed he come from Holland

anyhow, today i just found from TH forum , people meet him at many BTS station as victory monument , nation stadium, pleon chit ..for atleast 2 mths

i think he is just a liar .. actaully if i was him, i'd contact with the embassy

what do you think?

Edited November 21, 2005 by BambinA

[The Dude]

I think the guy is a disgrace and should be dealt with by proper authorities

[toastwars]

So you think that farangs are never broke?

a popular misconseption, have a little compassion, the guy may be stuck 1000's of miles from home and his doing at least something to get himself back. we are not all walking ATM's

[BambinA]

i think , he 'd get around 500-1000 Bht / day (atleast) for 60 days

= 30k-60k (atleast) ..nice income

[Greer]

Yes, I agree with BambinA - I smell a rat.

I am pretty sure that the embassy would at least be able to assist in some way if his story is genuine - even if it came to organising contact with friends or family back in his home country.

I should think that 2 months begging on the street would have been more than enough reason for his government to make emergency arrangements - maybe get a ticket organised that he must pay back when he gets home, rather than illegally begging.

Something odd here, IF the guys story is genuine...

[Khun Bob]

penang has had a farang guy beg for over 3 years now...

tries to make himself look local too...

[fanta rood]

Why doesn't he just go to the dutch embassy?

Edited November 21, 2005 by fanta rood

[expatinasia]

Most embassies have emergency repatriation services. If he's still hanging around begging, he wants to.

[britmaveric]

con for sure!!! Most beggars make more dosh than you or I do. I'm not saying there aren't legitimate ones, but highly unlikely especially if you've seen this lad day/day for 2-3months.

[The Dude]

The beggar is a huge bullshitter. I have heard about this guy over the past couple of years begging in the area. Sometimes he positions himself near the canal bridge by Phetuberi Rd. Toastwars, I expect to see you with a wad of cash to hand over to this scammer scumbag

[Firefan]

I promise to stop as soon as I have enuff for that BMW Z3!

Cheers!

[GuestHouse]

A word on the matter of Compassion

My mother and her neighbor went traveling to India a couple of years back, on their return leg and while checking in at the airport they met a young Italian guy who claimed to be in similar circumstances.

The young man explained he had been robbed by a travel companion, had no money and had not eaten for several days. He was waiting for money to be transferred to him by his family so he could buy a ticket home.

My mother gave him the remnants of her Indian currency and her emergency food supply, tinned fish, sweets etc. He asked for her address that he might return the money.

A month later my mother received a letter from the young man's mother thanking my mother for the assistance she had given her son.

Remember.

It is better to give than to beg.

Remember too.

There but by the grace of god.

[gbt71fa]

Take him to some of the shanty towns that construction workers and their famalies live in. Better yet, I will bring him to the country I work in and show him what poor really means. When I was Italy I saw a lot of gypsies and students begging for hand outs. It is funny-there is real poverty in Thailand, especially up north, but I don't they realize that they are supposed to be "poor and unhappy". They always have a smile on their face. He is embarrassing farangs everywhere.

[fanta rood]

Good thing his girlfriend dumped him (I hope this happend for the girl). What a loser. Shows how dumb people in Netherland are. He's embarassing me. Same goes for his ex. They are both embarassing me. My reputation down the drain. Thanks alot.

[remmy]

Does anyone have his picture? maybe you can post here and see if he is the same person begging at different locations?

[leftcross]

surely immigration can sort this idiot out? i hear they have a lovely hotel on suan plu for those in need

[samran]

Saw him on the way home this arvo. He was sitting on the pathway which links the walkway over wireless/ploenchit with the ploenchit BTS station.

My first reaction was that he was a scammer, thoug a ###### fine one. Cleanly shaven and nicely dressed, successfully evoking the sympathy of at least two Thai passers by. I should have stopped and turned around and said something.

[BambinA]

My first reaction was that he was a scammer, thoug a ###### fine one. Cleanly shaven and nicely dressed, successfully evoking the sympathy of at least two Thai passers by. I should have stopped and turned around and said something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he look nice, blue eyes ..late 30's

last time that i met him, i gave him 100 bht and told him, ok..he might want to fool people .. but its ok for some cans of chang ..

[kenk3z]

There is a big intersection near where I work (USA) that has an organized team working it for cash handouts. I can observe their operation at times from the office windows. They have a couple of signs to hold saying "homeless veteran" and the like.

It looks like they get a handout about every other light cycle of some sort of bill - I presume a dollar bill but you never know. Since this is tax free I estimate they are making well above minimum wage for just standing and holding a sign.

The operation works in shifts, and when the next people come the people leaving hand over the "homeless veteran" sign and walk off. I have seen the people coming in carrying Starbucks coffee cups (expensive, like $8 USD a cup).

To me they are tolerable because they are well behaved. No shouting or trying to intimidate or touch the car. I understand in New York and other larger cities, there are people "working" for handouts at the stoplights who want to aggressively wash your car windows and then stand there demanding cash. Even more disturbing to me was some video I saw from near Moscow where Russian Army troops were slowly walking through multiple lanes of slow rush hour traffic, intimidating people to roll down their windows and make a "donation". With rifles slung over their shoulder (not in firing position but being carried).

Different places have different rules and levels of enforcement - some of it based on complaints from people. Apparently there are no rules against begging anywhere in Thailand? And for the most part it seems very passive.

kenk3z

[mrbojangles]

At least this guy isn't forcing a copy of the "Big Issue" on anyone. Man, them guys really hack me off

Edited November 21, 2005 by mrbojangles

[BambinA]

actaully a farang beggar is pretty new foe me in banker .. live here for age ago, this is my fisrt time to see

and for sure, he is a good attention!!

[Neeranam]

Remember.

It is better to give than to beg.

Remember too.

There but by the grace of god.

Amen, brother.

It is better to be a beggar in Thailand than in my home country.

If it pisses you off, just don't give him any money.

[Rinrada]

Assume he has a Non Immi "O" or "B"...probabally B and a work permit then good luck to him.

Just a case of another enterpre.farang on the way to making his fortune

[cdnvic]

If this guy's so clean cut can he not get some kind of job? I normally don't give to beggars who aren't missing major body parts. Every baht he gets is a bhat some legless landmine victim doesn't get.

He has alot of options the truely needy in Bangkok don't have.

cv

[ThaiPauly]

Well Done Bambina for helping him out.

there are probably a dozen reasons for giving/not giving and it is a question of personal choice.

Personally a beggar is a beggar and I am far better off than they are, so giving makes me feel good. I dont give a shit where the money goes. If its a scam then what a fukcing awful job he has.

Would you want to humiliate yourself like this??? Maybee he really does need the money. He is not a DISGRACE to anyone, or anyone's country. he is a human being , down on his luck. I come from Oxford, you would think that is the last place you would find Beggars, but on the contrary, there are more there than London (per capita) !!

Hope all you rich folk out there never have to do this, if it happens to you, just post it, (but we will have a job getting the money to you) so on second thoughts , better not, just beg, and hope.

I agree with Guesthouse, we have many similar views on many things.

Again well done Bambi, on behalf of us so called "Rich" Farangs I thank you.

TP

Edited November 21, 2005 by ThaiPauly

[bendix]

I've seen the guy before, in Sathorn and Silom areas. At least 4 months ago. Waste of space, in my opinion - there is no excuse for a farang to be begging in Thailand.

Am just curious though . .does he need a work permit to be a beggar?

[Boo]

next time offer to go with him to his embassy to help him sort his situation out, if he refuses or seems reluctant to do that, then you know he's a scammer, if not he will be very grateful that someone took an interest in his life & your kismit will be improved.

[BambinA]

my sister just told me , she watched a news from Television , and saw an OLD farang bloke who has a wife (had accident and dead) ..he try to sell his craft that make from soda can

this one makes me sob badly

in the TV , he siad he love LOS, he would love to stay here till die..

anyhow, this old farang man try to WORK for money , better than the other one i met in real life

Edited November 21, 2005 by BambinA

[mr hippo]

my sister just told me  , she  watched  a  news from Television ,  and saw an  OLD farang bloke who has a wife  (had accident and dead) ..he  try to sell his craft that make  from  soda can

this  one  makes me  sob badly   

in  the TV  ,  he siad  he  love  LOS,  he  would love  to stay here till die..

anyhow,  this old farang man  try to  WORK  for  money ,  better than  the other one  i met in real life

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is that the guy that sits outside Robinsons at Saphan Thaksin?

[BambinA]

Is that the guy that sits outside Robinsons at Saphan Thaksin?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i have no idea babe .. my sister just told me, she said she saw him in television 2-3 mths ago

but if i met him, i'd love to buy his craft