Calls are made for travellers to stop buying garlands at intersections

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry calls on the public to stop buying garlands from children at various intersections.

Pakorn Panthu (ปกรณ์ พันธุ), director of the ministry’s Social Welfare Service Office, said society can help stop child exploitation by their own parents by not supporting those young garland sellers.

Mr. Pakorn said the ministry had helped families of these children by providing investment funds and scholarships but they still used their children to sell garlands.

He said children must be in schools and not on the streets. He also asked people not to give money to beggars.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 06 June 2006

Calls are made for travellers to stop buying garlands at intersections

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry calls on the public to stop buying garlands from children at various intersections.

Pakorn Panthu (ปกรณ์ พันธุ), director of the ministry’s Social Welfare Service Office, said society can help stop child exploitation by their own parents by not supporting those young garland sellers.

Mr. Pakorn said the ministry had helped families of these children by providing investment funds and scholarships but they still used their children to sell garlands.

...hmmm... grossly inadequate government support for these families versus child exploitation by their parents?? could be either... what sort of "investment funds" were provided to the families?

He said children must be in schools and not on the streets. He also asked people not to give money to beggars, especially farang beggars.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 06 June 2006

He said children must be in schools and not on the streets. He also asked people not to give money to beggars, especially farang beggars.

I saw the famous farang beggar ensconced at the top of the escalator leading from the MRT into Asoke BTS station a couple of weeks ago. Still needing 4,000 baht to "get home"...

Maybe some enforcement of laws would help. If underage children aren't suppose to be selling garlands then arrest them or their parents (handlers). Personally, I never buy them, but a while back, they wanted these kids to sell expressway tickets!! I am not sure what the message or concern is by the gov't.

I am not sure what the message or concern is by the gov't.

My take on this is that it's part of the general Bangkok cleanup ahead of next week's celebrations for His Majesty. Don't want the visiting foreign puuyai to witness that child labour hawking their wares at intersections.

so I take it is still ok to buy the garlands from the adult sellers ?

Maybe some enforcement of laws would help. If underage children aren't suppose to be selling garlands then arrest them or their parents (handlers).

Spot-on Scott... it's the responsibility of the government and law officials to nip this in the bud. But then again, that would require getting up from their desk and actually working.

No parents would like to have their owned children selling flower garland, if they are not in the lower caste. Their survivors depend on their daily incomes. By banning and suggesting not buying from them, it just likes pulling their lifelines. These peoples just only want to make a decent living whether rains or shine, at least they are much better comparing to those crooks that exploit the unacquainted.

If this government is sincere in helping these underprivileged instead of casting them aside, they should at least set-up a special foundation to help and train this street under privileges some skill to survive.

Unless we are in their shoe and how we look at the coin.