Young Girl Selling Flowers Until 3 A.m.

[phuketguyhere74]

Maybe this has been covered here, but I was reminded of this today as I saw an article in a local Phuket paper concerning the touting of illegal endangered animals in Patong which led me to think of why nothing is done about the numerous children under 10 years-old selling flowers way into the night all over Phuket. In Rawai, at the new Laguna Complex, there is a girl who sells flowers nightly. She rarely misses a night. How many hours of sleep does she get to be able to function in school the following day--that is if she goes to school. Shouldn't her welfare be more important than the welfare of those animals? Does anyone care? I see her there every night and she is a savvy one. When she is not selling flowers, she is seeing guys pay bar fines, guy leaving with girls, girls picking up guys, hearing the bargirls gossip, playing pool and video games, being a busybody, and taking in all the rottenness that goes on in a girly bar. She very sharp and speaks English better than most of the bargirls. Is there not an organisation in Phuket that looks out children's well being?

[KarenBravo]

When poor parents pressure their daughters to earn good money by prostituting themselves, what hope is there to stop child labour?

Most of the flower girls are from Cambodia.

[eeeya]

One savy girl picked up my phone, unlocked it and fired up angry birds for a bit of a game..

Smart

[NomadJoe]

Yes this is concerning. When they come around our place I always ask them a lot of questions to make sure they aren't trafficked. Where do you live?, Who do you live with?, Where are you from? How often do you go to school? etc. I have even talked to their "Mom" that drops them off. At least in Kata it appears that they are Thai and are working for their family flower business, and are going to school 5 days a week, sleep twice a day. Not ideal but could be worse. Kids work in the family business everywhere in Thailand. By contrast, as you say in Patong it has been reported they are trafficked from Cambodia. One report connected the traffickers to the same people running the endangered slow loris touts.

Edited February 24, 2013 by NomadJoe

[PattayaPhom]

If the parents drop them off, why cant they do the selling also while the child sleeps?. No excuse its uncaring parents that value money more than the welfare of their child

Edited February 24, 2013 by PattayaPhom

[diddums]

If the parents drop them off, why cant they do the selling also while the child sleeps?. No excuse its uncaring parents that value money more than the welfare of their child

whom are you more inclined to buy flowers from, an old hag or a young child.

[britpop]

what one parent calls abuse, another calls survival, it's sickening to see, i'm sure these people wouldn't treat a animal like that, but saying that, they most probably would,why oh why bring kids into the world to knowingly abuse them like that,in any other no corrupt country, the parents would be in court, the kid in care, the authorities accountable, the police policing and monitoring child labour, google the statistics on Thailand regarding family abuse, minors working, child abuse, it's overwhelming, this culture of having kids and leaving them with family members and in some cases just friends is truly saddening, i don't know how kids over here are not more or totally screwed up.

[lavender19]

If it's the same girl i am thinking about.There are about 3 sisters when they get to old to look cute and cheeky the younger one steps in.All speak very good English.

[transam]

This is LOS. First world NO. Because nobody cares about anything. My favourite Chinese Cafe at night has the same kids selling stuff which l always buy and give a few baht. One girl will not take the extra cash. My heart goes out to her and her future.

[Guest]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

[transam]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

And then perhaps they will starve eh.

[Guest]

Or they would be more valuable with a bit of school. We'll not know. At least one way of abuse would be blocked.

[LivinginKata]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

Sadly this is the case. Witnessed this from 17 years ago in Kata, parents drop the kids off with a few roses, punters feel sorry and buy the roses thinking they will be finished selling, parents collect the money and send then out with more roses so long as punters are drinking. Yes, stop giving them money ... but that will never happens. I watched young 8 years growing into young women and god knows what happens them then

[cardholder]

On one occasion in Chiang Mai it was after Midnight and we had seen this 10/11 year old a few times that evening. i said to my missus "time she was in bed" and promptly gave the girl 300 Baht for all the flowers she had left.

My missus was touched by my display of humanitarianism and gave me a warm smile.

It may have been a 'knowing' smile because an hour later we moved to another bar and the girl was there with a new bunch of flowers !!

[Jimi007]

As I rarely go to a tourist bar, or restaurant, I never see this any more. But when I did, I'd say that I didn't need flowers and and asked where your mother was in Thai. Probably not the best idea. We can't solve the social ills here, but we can stop contributing to them...

Edited February 24, 2013 by Jimi007

[surangw]

in some of the thai bar areas they are touting more than flowers. if the cops don't mention it does not exist.

[DLock]

On one occasion in Chiang Mai it was after Midnight and we had seen this 10/11 year old a few times that evening. i said to my missus "time she was in bed" and promptly gave the girl 300 Baht for all the flowers she had left.

My missus was touched by my display of humanitarianism and gave me a warm smile.

It may have been a 'knowing' smile because an hour later we moved to another bar and the girl was there with a new bunch of flowers !!

Fell for that trick myself a few years ago.

You so much want to do the right thing, but there is no easy answer.

Now, when i see beggars I just walk by. If I thought my money would help, I'd be dropping money into plastic cups everywhere.

[phuketguyhere74]

If it's the same girl i am thinking about.There are about 3 sisters when they get to old to look cute and cheeky the younger one steps in.All speak very good English.

Yeah,..Those are them. They get dropped off by their mother and stay really late. The older one, maybe 9 yrs-old, gets there early and starts playing pool. She is getting to be a pest, but as long as people buy her flowers, she will continue to sell.

[hanuman2543]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

And then perhaps they will starve eh.

Try to buy food for them instead of buying flowers from them. I do that, but sadly the food is very often refused and they are only interested in money. There must be a lot of pressure on them to sell. Useless to ask, why the police don't do anything about it.

The only chance to stop the exploitation is to stop buying whatever from them.

Edited February 25, 2013 by hanuman2543

[transam]

This is not farangland and this is not a first world country. There is no social security and so folk have to use their heads to make a few baht to feed the family and survive. Sorry it upsets you but it is reality in LOS.

[Hedghog]

I really don't see it as a problem.

It happens worldwide.

Its called making a living.

Not all countries citizen's have the privilege, of social security payments.

[phuketguyhere74]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

And then perhaps they will starve eh.

I doubt anyone of them will starve. The most important thing is that they stay in school.

[Hedghog]

These street sellers,make more money than you think.

Don't judge a book by its cover.

[phuketguyhere74]

in some of the thai bar areas they are touting more than flowers. if the cops don't mention it does not exist.

I have also seen some flower girls selling the Thai only bars, but I have never seen Thai guys buy any flowers,....sometimes the female Thai patrons will but something, but not like in the farang catered-to bars.

[transam]

And must point out that in my ''perfect'' country, UK, my ex wife on her way by train to the city had to endure a daily begging routine, on the train, by Eastern European babes followed by mum, well back. So why didn't my perfect country sort that out.

[iSabai]

Pandering to such begging scams only encourages them to continue. The children are used solely for the sympathy factor. They get no money from their sales, only food and a place to sleep. Their handlers control them, and the money they take in, entirely. And in the process these unfortunate kids grow up street hardened and go on to... who knows what?

It's despicable, but as TA says, this is a '3rd world country' and unfortunately such things are all too common here. But 3rd world or not, child abuse is child abuse. That it happens elsewhere, even in farangland, is no excuse.

If nobody gave them money, maybe they'd eventually find it's not profitable enough, and come up with something else. Though I shudder to think what that might be...

[Chicog]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

And then perhaps they will starve eh.

Or perhaps their parents will stop squandering their winnings gambling and drinking more like.

[transam]

As long as people buy roses or other stuff from the kids, they are considered valuable money making assets by their keepers.

These kids do not make the choices to stay at the streets. The adults who collect the money do. They make their decisions based how much money the kids can bring in.

Stop buying stuff from the kids. Stop giving them any money how ever cute they are.

And then perhaps they will starve eh.

Or perhaps their parents will stop squandering their winnings gambling and drinking more like.

You know their families. Please tell.

[phuketguyhere74]

These street sellers,make more money than you think.

Don't judge a book by its cover.

I am sure they make A LOT of money--all tax free.They have very little overhead,...and make sometimes 300% profit on those flowers...Same as the bars who make sometimes 400% profit by selling a Chang for 130 baht in some places in patong when it costs like 32 B at the shop.

[MissChris]

So why not give these kids a gift - compliment them on their excellent English, encourage them to learn to speak it as clearly as possible as well as to understand falangs. Especially us Aussies They will, despite their lack of a formal education, be employable in lots of areas in Phuket if their English is good. Better still if they learn to write it while they are young and their brains take on learning really quickly.

If you see these kids regularly, why not stop and talk to them? Encourage correct English. Maybe pull out a pen & paper and teach them to write it. Make them feel good about themselves, rather than the object of derision & pity.