Phuket to Rid Itself of Beggars and Homeless People

PHUKET: -- Phuket will be ridding its streets of beggars and homeless people on February 14 to improve its image as a world-class tourist attraction.

Phuket social development and human security officer Chuanchom Chantawong said the number of beggars and homeless people is escalating in the province which doesn't help with the province's effort to become a world-class tourist destination.

The Phuket Social Development and Human Security Office is teaming up with the police, the immigration police, the public health office, local officials and orphanages in taking these people off the streets in 3 districts.

Beggars and the homeless can be seen at tourist attractions, fresh markets and flea markets. Most are from other provinces and come to Phuket to make a living begging or are forced into the human trafficking trade.

They include children, women, the disabled and the elderly and there are both Thai citizens and foreign nationals. Beggars in Phuket earn a good living with some making as much as 500 baht a day.

Last year, Phuket officials were able to arrest 30 beggars. In January alone, 7 crackdowns at Sapanhin, Katu municipality, Chalong Temple, Sam Kong Market, Patong, and Hua Saphan Rasada Market netted 3 Cambodian beggars, one of which is a 7-year-old girl and 2 males. Officials believe the group were brought into the area as part of the human trafficking trade.

Arrested beggars and homeless people who are 18 to 60 years of age will be sent to a shelter in Sichol, Nakhon Si Thammarat to receive training to find another occupation so they don't return to begging. Those under 18 years of age will be returned to their parents with serious reprimands. If they are orphaned, they'll be sent to an orphanage.

Those who are above 60 will be sent to the elderly home while foreign nationals will be taken into custody by the immigration police to be prosecuted and deported. If the homeless or the beggar is mentally-ill or has a contagious disease, the public health office will step in.

The officer urges Phuket residents not to give money to beggars to stem the trade while those who witness human trafficking should call the Prachabodi Center at 1300 to report the activity.

The crackdown will start on February 14 with a taskforce set up for each of the 3 districts to visit areas often frequented by beggars and the homeless.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-08

Crack down on homeless and beggars, beginning on Valentines Day, I can feel the love.

This will go over like a turd in a punchbowl. In other places where the authotities have tried such things the beggars and homeless relocate to another area causing problems in the new locations. Ultimately they end up back where they started and the mafias still get their money.

Can they substitute ridding themselves of beggars and the homeless with the Phuket tuk tuk mafia please?

How does one get rid of homeless people ?

by giving them a home ?

slightly off-topic; that poor child in the photo looks decidedly mixed-race, but that's another story...

This will go over like a turd in a punchbowl. In other places where the authotities have tried such things the beggars and homeless relocate to another area causing problems in the new locations. Ultimately they end up back where they started and the mafias still get their money.

True enough but this time the mafia won't be paying tea money.

How does one get rid of homeless people ?

by giving them a home ?

sorry, to obvious , sad enough

On a serious note to those of you with young children, a friend of my wife was in a shopping centre in Bangkok when her 4 year old son was snatched when she wasn't looking. About a year later her son called out to her from the side of the road. She didnt recognise him. He has a shaven head and was missing one of his legs. He was stolen and used for professional begging.

In another incident my niece was at school in Cha Am and went to the toilet at lunch time. When she came back the 3 friends she was having lunch with had been snatched and thrown in a van.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to watch your children at all times and as soon as they are old enough explain the dangers of wandering off, talking to strangers, make them memorise your phone number etc. This happens A LOT in Thailand and it very rarely makes the news.

Thailand soon the HUB of the Crackdowns, which would be maybe good but the problems is they only do once a year... They never force the law but only sometimes, so the whole thing is worthless at the end.

Why can't do it normally and take care everything always... Anyway, nice to do it on Valentine day for sure At least that day they will not go out begging 100%

In a normal country they do it weekly and dont publish in advance in the media. All the fake products selling shops close always if any official comes to check on those days, looks like they have some insider info about when they come to check.

This country's law enforcement is completely useless many times...

they will chartered some buses for Isan region ? ridiculous ... the imagine is bad because of the scams , road accidents etc ...not because of homeless people .

i you read somethimes that they earn up to 100.000 baht per month... but i guess this is the thai way: they only wants local beggars, competition is out of the question

And while they're at it, they can ban peasantmobiles, those annoying food carts that block traffic.

On a serious note to those of you with young children, a friend of my wife was in a shopping centre in Bangkok when her 4 year old son was snatched when she wasn't looking. About a year later her son called out to her from the side of the road. She didnt recognise him. He has a shaven head and was missing one of his legs. He was stolen and used for professional begging.

That is the saddest thing I have ever read!

"Arrested beggars and homeless people who are 18 to 60 years of age will be sent to a shelter in Sichol, Nakhon Si Thammarat to receive training to find another occupation so they don't return to begging. Those under 18 years of age will be returned to their parents with serious reprimands. If they are orphaned, they'll be sent to an orphanage.

Those who are above 60 will be sent to the elderly home while foreign nationals will be taken into custody by the immigration police to be prosecuted and deported. If the homeless or the beggar is mentally-ill or has a contagious disease, the public health office will step in."

....and everyone will live happily ever after, just like the soi dogs in soi dog heaven.

On a serious note to those of you with young children, a friend of my wife was in a shopping centre in Bangkok when her 4 year old son was snatched when she wasn't looking. About a year later her son called out to her from the side of the road. She didnt recognise him. He has a shaven head and was missing one of his legs. He was stolen and used for professional begging.

In another incident my niece was at school in Cha Am and went to the toilet at lunch time. When she came back the 3 friends she was having lunch with had been snatched and thrown in a van.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to watch your children at all times and as soon as they are old enough explain the dangers of wandering off, talking to strangers, make them memorise your phone number etc. This happens A LOT in Thailand and it very rarely makes the news.

A few years ago I heard a simililar story from friends about an attempted snatch of a child from a dept. store. I wonder how comon this is?

And of course we all know the police allow these beggers to operate under the local mafia and get their own kickbacks. It certainly is a lucrative trade. Some earning thousands a day! Amost every illegal thing that goes on in Thailand, only goes on because the police allow it, I think the government needs to be directing all its efforts in cleaning the police up rather than pathetic efforts to blame others for the things that go on. Theres only one group to blame, and thats the police. they are a blight on society.

I guess they are sick of all these beggers charging outragous prices for transportation and beating tourists, Ohhh wait that is the Tuk Tuk mafia. There are homeless people everywhere in the world no matter how rich the country. They want an image makeover start with the organized crime aspect of Phuket. Get rid of the "extra" 70 illigal Jetskis that were mentioned in a previous article. Looks like only the scams that make tea money are allowed to exist.

My first year in Thailand I lived in a soi off Khaosan road. One particular beggar was collected every night by taxi, I once watched her counting her takings, it took quite a while.

The government - successive governments, in fact - continually abdicate responsibility for this problem, preferring to pass the buck to charitable organisations - and the tourist. And Phuket is hardly unique; Bangkok has a widespread problem.

Much of the time, these are the families of idle Thais, who will spend what little their wives and kids collect on gambling and booze. And the police encourage it: for example, when one of these useless gits decided to take violent issue with his wife - presumably for not collecting enough - the police officer's answer was to pay him off, rather than arrest him.

The day when the authorities decide to treat this issue with the seriousness it merits, is the day when the kids - who really need hugging and loving, and educating, not money - might just start to appreciate their childhood.

But I won't be holding my breath.

My first year in Thailand I lived in a soi off Khaosan road. One particular beggar was collected every night by taxi, I once watched her counting her takings, it took quite a while.

yes, they make good enough money. For sitting about all day.

Can they substitute ridding themselves of beggars and the homeless with the Phuket tuk tuk mafia please?

No doubt, the beggars are at least passive, many of the tuk tuk drivers are nothing more than human garbage.

Anyone who knows Bangkok will have seen the guy who begs on Sukhumvit with no arms and legs..and who always lies on his stomach even in the most torrential downpour I saw him still begging!Was over at Salendang one day and who do I see..him!!Apparently some of the guys told me he gets picked up in a Mercedes and driven around...

Anyone who knows Bangkok will have seen the guy who begs on Sukhumvit with no arms and legs..and who always lies on his stomach even in the most torrential downpour I saw him still begging!Was over at Salendang one day and who do I see..him!!Apparently some of the guys told me he gets picked up in a Mercedes and driven around...

He was known as the inch worm back in the days. Made at least 30,000 baht a month easy

Why would these beggars stay where the money isn`t when they can go to where the money is?

This will go over like a turd in a punchbowl. In other places where the authotities have tried such things the beggars and homeless relocate to another area causing problems in the new locations. Ultimately they end up back where they started and the mafias still get their money.

True enough but this time the mafia won't be paying tea money.

Until thing quieten down and the beggars will be back. It is the same with all these crack-downs, they are announced, effective for a short period of time while they are flavour of the month and then forgotten until the next time the law is enforced.

Feel good factor only.

slightly off-topic; that poor child in the photo looks decidedly mixed-race, but that's another story...

.. well it's not so far off topic, nor are the scars on the mother's face. She has had a rough time, and is about to get rougher.

I have serious misgivings about the motives of the "clean up". It is money driven and feels bereft of compassion. The arrestees will be categorised and processed. Were the Phuket Social Development and Human Security Office worth it's salt, the needy would already have been attended to. But it is a step up from the dog meat trade. Fingers crossed for the unfortunate.

On a serious note to those of you with young children, a friend of my wife was in a shopping centre in Bangkok when her 4 year old son was snatched when she wasn't looking. About a year later her son called out to her from the side of the road. She didnt recognise him. He has a shaven head and was missing one of his legs. He was stolen and used for professional begging.

That is the saddest thing I have ever read!

For a bastard that does something like this, hell is little to ask for!!!

God save our children!

I wonder if Pattaya will see a surge in beggars/homeless from 15/16 Feb.

So, if you are a beggar or a homeless person - take St. Valentines as a holiday, then back to work on the 15th!

Good of the police to warn everyone!

They need to do this on a full time basis, unannounced, they can catch some of the Paedophiles while they are at it. I am sick of seeing young girls (6-8) selling flowers on the streets of Patong when they should be asleep. At a bar complex on Nanai Road, in front of Mae Ubol market, it is common for tourists to pick these girls physically up, hug them, pass them to each other and sometimes kiss them. STOP IT NOW!