Chiang Mai - Pan Handling / Begging

[SDH]

Now that the BIB have stopped the use of children for begging some ingenious Beggars have recruited other family members with less rights.... 555555

[BB1955]

Saw this in Bangkok once . It worked I gave .....

[eyecatcher]

If you ever go up to Doi Suthep temple; you will often see a couple of dogs sleeping on the steps with plates besides them.....accompanied by a small note saying "please give for dog food"

The irony is that within 5m of the dogs the stallholders are selling food of every imaginable taste.

[Thighlander]

Saw the guy with the fisherman's hat for years in a row. He never remembered me, so he must be real busy. Just needs forty thb for bus home. You all know who I am talking about?

[OldChinaHam]

Every dog's gotta make a living.

[Payboy]

Is that Chiang Mai BTS station?

[SamSipEt]

Saw the guy with the fisherman's hat for years in a row. He never remembered me, so he must be real busy. Just needs forty thb for bus home. You all know who I am talking about?

Yes - the man is a pest.

[hellodolly]

Looks like a good pet trainer.

Is that in Bangkok?

[OldChinaHam]

Agreed the man is a pest, but the dogs are not.

I must say that if this guy's begging allows two other dogs to be well fed and cared for, then I would not wish to intervene.

I am just wondering how hot it gets out there and why someone does not rig up some shade for the two dogs on the right.

[californiabeachboy]

On my first visit to CM I was looking for a place to stay for a couple of weeks, so I walk into a condo complex.

They did not have anything, but as I am walking out, a Western guy comes up to me and says "what are you looking for?"

I had heard about Hillside 4, so I said "where is Hillside 4"

And he says " I live there". Wow, what a lucky coincidence!!

So we walk out to the street and he is looking up and down, trying to figure out where Hillside 4 is. I am not a genius, but if he lives there but cannot figure out where it is, that might be a problem.

So he points me in a direction, then says that he lost his mobile phone and needs some help.

I give him 20 baht (for the directions, not the mobile phone).

About 30 minutes later I see him chatting with another lost Westerner.

I have mixed feelings about that - no dogs involved but he is of course a scammer, but on the other hand it turns out he was right so I got some benefit for my 20 baht. Maybe that is a win/win.

Edited April 28, 2013 by californiabeachboy

[SDH]

I'm not sure where it is...

What about the Frog, I think they're Hmong and walk up to you with the Frog!

55555 I hate that frog, Kermit it's not!

[daoyai]

In the old photo, the cat was photoshopped in later, the guy needing a ticket back to Burma must have finally gotten home after collecting for 5 years..... the wooden frogs annoyed me until I experienced my first CM rain and realized it sounds just like the real frogs ....clever.

[SDH]

In the old photo, the cat was photoshopped in later, the guy needing a ticket back to Burma must have finally gotten home after collecting for 5 years..... the wooden frogs annoyed me until I experienced my first CM rain and realized it sounds just like the real frogs ....clever.

Right you are, that Frog is very close to the real deal, before there were many sellers, now they're moved to pattaya, I spotted them and their frogs last month!

[SDH]

Looks like a good pet trainer.

Is that in Bangkok?

This Cat is from Bangkok, he lives in Silom.

[realthaideal]

I'm not sure where it is...

What about the Frog, I think they're Hmong and walk up to you with the Frog!

55555 I hate that frog, Kermit it's not!

Actually, the frog sellers are all Akha - at least the roaming ones. Seems perhaps we know the vendors even less than they do us then, eh ? The hilltribe vendors are one thing. And anyway, wouldn't hurt you to learn a bit about them, their heritage - mostly still oral tradition, and then alot of that in tatters thanks to war, statelessness, and the great robber of history and culture - missionaries ! We're lucky to have such a cultural mix in town.

But anyway, there is one old flower vendor lady who bugs me. She's short, kind of tight-pressed curly hair, never smiles, never acknowledges she's seen me time n time again for 10 yrs. She just pushes the flowers in my face trying to get me to buy. I tried talking to her in my 1st yr here, but when not given the courtesy of any sign of recognition, but rather just a mark to be peddled to, I completely shut her down.

There's also a curious Chinese monk dude wearing non-Thai monk-wear. I've seen him hitting up Farang exclusively at babylon n Zoe, being careful to avoid the Thais in the mix. Also seen him managing to make some scratch by the foodcarts at Chang Puak. He's got some piece of literature with him... but details are murky. Wonder who he is ?

[bristolgeoff]

i know the lady who sells the flowers too.always the same goes around town pushing the flowers.a few years ago where the un irish bar is i saw her get out off a new toyota land cruiser one time.says it all to me.i told her go away and after that she will just avoid me,but push the flowers in other peoples face.

[Ticketmaster]

Illegal or not, I still see children used for begging. Whenever I see it, I run to the nearest store where I can buy an ice cream treat. I buy it and run out to give it to the kid. Always get a giant smile. I know the money is not for the kid, but the ice cream is. tTe beauty of it is that, unlike say, candy, it cannot be taken by the kid's handler for resale. If not consumed within 5-10 minutes it disappears into a puddle on the sidewalk.

[Puwa]

A few years ago the Mirror Art group, a Thai Foundation, started researching child begging in Bangkok. They found that every beggar was part of a gang, under police protection, often recruited from their villages and brought to Bangkok for the specific purpose of begging on the streets. When an "independent" beggar tried to set up on the sidewalk or a footbridge, in a matter of minutes they were pushed out by the gang. They've been campaigning to discourage the public from giving to beggars.

The website in Thai: http://www.stop-childbegging.org/

[daoyai]

A few years ago my X-GF was looking for employment opportunities on the web. She stumbled on a site that was recruting disabled and disfigured people to work as beggers, they would be collected daily and dropped at various locations to beg.

I have heard that here in CM the best spots are rented out by the police. That is why the begers are not concentrated in one area and there seems to be an order to the caos.

I respect the hilltribe strolling vendors, even if they are persistent. I occasionally buy the jasmin flower "lei" 20 baht for a nice string of good smell. The same string would be $15. in Hawaii.

Edited April 29, 2013 by daoyai

[SDH]

Illegal or not, I still see children used for begging. Whenever I see it, I run to the nearest store where I can buy an ice cream treat. I buy it and run out to give it to the kid. Always get a giant smile. I know the money is not for the kid, but the ice cream is. tTe beauty of it is that, unlike say, candy, it cannot be taken by the kid's handler for resale. If not consumed within 5-10 minutes it disappears into a puddle on the sidewalk.

Right on! I used to buy the brats (around 10-13) some food but they had to sit down and eat it before their pimps came back, I never gave to the small ones before (obvious reasons, the pimps would just take it), but I really like your ice cream idea, very crafty!!! Ice cream for all!!!

[uptheos]

i know the lady who sells the flowers too.always the same goes around town pushing the flowers.a few years ago where the un irish bar is i saw her get out off a new toyota land cruiser one time.says it all to me.i told her go away and after that she will just avoid me,but push the flowers in other peoples face.

She may have got out of a Land Cruiser, but I guarantee she doesn't own it. They are often dropped of by their bosses at various starting points around the tourist areas and then picked up again later. I think tourists like to see them and don't mind them.....it's the bloody frogs, how many more years will they be in vogue?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Actually, the frog sellers are all Akha - at least the roaming ones. Seems perhaps we know the vendors even less than they do us then, eh ? The hilltribe vendors are one thing. And anyway, wouldn't hurt you to learn a bit about them, their heritage - mostly still oral tradition, and then alot of that in tatters thanks to war, statelessness, and the great robber of history and culture - missionaries !

I met an Akha chick at Spicy the other day and can confirm the oral tradition. I do seriously feel lucky to live in a city with a large ethnic diversity.

I think tourists like to see them and don't mind them.....it's the bloody frogs, how many more years will they be in vogue?

Top tip: Buy one and carry it with you. Then croak it right back at them. Also, sneak up on a buddy and croak it, he'll just ignore it without looking, then you can start prodding him in the back. And finally get all upset that he ignores you. Really, they're awesome. Everyone should own one. In 30 years we'll find an old picture of one on Pinterest and then remember them as a lovely item from the good old days, when ethnic diversity was all around us, as well as hand-made items made from that legacy material called 'wood'.

Edited April 29, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[daoyai]

in thirty years, yes "wood" may just be a fond memory of the "oral tradition" of sapiceyyy.

[scd]

i know the lady who sells the flowers too.always the same goes around town pushing the flowers.a few years ago where the un irish bar is i saw her get out off a new toyota land cruiser one time.says it all to me.i told her go away and after that she will just avoid me,but push the flowers in other peoples face.

Me too. I've seen her returning from Wararot with the flowers in the daytime and have a feeling she may live close to Loi Kroh.

If it makes ya feel better, i once saw a very drunk acquantance sexy dance with her at a bar! I was pissing myself laughing. She looked slight shocked but still continued to try and sell him the flowers in mid gyration!

[hellodolly]

We get a few in my area and my wife has been here so long she can tell me who most of the legit ones are.

Most of them unless they have a child she just says they drink. If she says they are OK I have no problem giving.

[slapout]

There is one old biddy who seems to favor the east side of the moat as her hunting ground. She use to have a baby straped on, but now she is going solo, just panhandling. Been around for several years She will get right in your face even after being told no and repeating it. She is not a poor person, as she seems be seen at some quite upscale buffets, etc.

This is one that I will be rude to, as she only seems to understand that type of rebuke. Those selling something are not near the pain in the arse this old biddy is.

[eyecatcher]

If you ever go up to Doi Suthep temple; you will often see a couple of dogs sleeping on the steps with plates besides them.....accompanied by a small note saying "please give for dog food"

The irony is that within 5m of the dogs the stallholders are selling food of every imaginable taste.

...and just to prove a point; this mornings hungry specimen

[Ulysses G.]

There is one old biddy who seems to favor the east side of the moat as her hunting ground. She use to have a baby straped on, but now she is going solo, just panhandling. Been around for several years She will get right in your face even after being told no and repeating it. She is not a poor person, as she seems be seen at some quite upscale buffets, etc.

This is one that I will be rude to, as she only seems to understand that type of rebuke. Those selling something are not near the pain in the arse this old biddy is.

Is she the pushy one with one bad eye that goes around grabbing people that won't give her money? She has been around forever and should be arrested.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[Loptr]

Another good use of a dead cat. Thanks for the tip!!!

[slapout]

There is one old biddy who seems to favor the east side of the moat as her hunting ground. She use to have a baby straped on, but now she is going solo, just panhandling. Been around for several years She will get right in your face even after being told no and repeating it. She is not a poor person, as she seems be seen at some quite upscale buffets, etc.

This is one that I will be rude to, as she only seems to understand that type of rebuke. Those selling something are not near the pain in the arse this old biddy is.

Is she the pushy one with one bad eye that goes around grabbing people that won't give her money? She has been around forever and should be arrested.

Thats the one, I was thinking more along the line of a good attack dog.