Flower selling and beggar gang on Samui arrested earlier this month

KOH SAMUI: -- On 5th of August Mr. Poonsak, a police chief in Samui, along with social services representative Mrs. Rakanam and specialized staff from the Development and Human Security department from Surat Thani arrested a gang of child illegal aliens know to sell flowers at night in the Chaweng area.

Authorities are clamping down on the activities of beggars and child flower sellers as they disturb the tourists and give the island a bad reputation.

The children, aged 10, 14 and 17 are from Vietnam. A Mrs. Ping who apparently takes care of the children told the police she was the mother of the children. However when she was asked to provide proof of her relationship to the infants she was unable to provide any. Later a Mrs. Ding (last name not provided) was arrested for begging on Chaweng beach road. The woman claimed to be a Thai national from Issan but like Mrs. Ping could not substantiate her claims with any proof or paperwork.

A Mr. Apechart Krathong, 41 then arrived on the scene on his motorbike and claimed to be a Mrs. Dings husband. When the police searched his motorbike they discovered tourist police business cards and a walky talky. The man then told the officers that he used to work as head of security for the tourist police. However it transpired that he previously had worked as a security guard and had kept the walky talky in order to communicate with Mrs. Ping and tip her off as to where the children could beg and sell flowers after he had checked the area out for police presence.

The social security representative told the police that the Vietnamese children had been arrested and taken into care on a previous occasion before being sent back to Vietnam, however a few weeks later they returned. Mrs. Ping will now be charged under child protection laws and the children will be taken into protective care.

-- Samui Times 2014-08-18

One gang down....1000 more to go.

So great that the police arrested that ruthless "gang" of 10, 14 & 17 year old kids. Everyone can sleep better tonight in Koh Samui.

What, so now they can't sell flowers,have beach chairs and umbrellas, drive illegal taxis. All the guide books are going to need to be rewritten.

Yep, the place will be so much safer now, they can't stab you with flowers anymore....

Can someone explain the " authorities " what the word priority means ???

They should instead get the ones on sukumvit in bkk, where the kids are actually pickpockets. They stick the flowers in your face for distraction, then go for your wallet. It's fairly sophisticated, with lookouts and protectors, and the children are expert pickpockets.

I have seen the flower sellers on Walking Street run when they see police. They are a nuisance especially when the kids grab you and won't let go.

if only they would do the same for LADYBOYS/MEN

Yep, the place will be so much safer now, they can't stab you with flowers anymore....

Can someone explain the " authorities " what the word priority means ???

Getting three children under the age of 17 from Vietnam with someone who can't prove parentage away from an organised begging gang in Samui isn't considered a high priority?

Who knows how these children got there, where they sold perhaps?

They're children who deserve a chance at an education by day and sleep by night. They shouldn't be forced to be roaming the markets and bars at night like they do.

Maybe they were undercutting the gang of 5-10 year old Burmese children working around Ark Bar late at night selling trinkets, garlands and performing the odd dance tricks for money?

Many of the posters here should google "Child trafficking Thailand"

So great that the police arrested that ruthless "gang" of 10, 14 & 17 year old kids. Everyone can sleep better tonight in Koh Samui.

they are so annoying plus the kids are normally making profit for adults. arrest them and deport them safer for them plus they annoy the hell out of me.

They are kids but i annoying little so and so's

Yep, the place will be so much safer now, they can't stab you with flowers anymore....

Can someone explain the " authorities " what the word priority means ???

Getting three children under the age of 17 from Vietnam with someone who can't prove parentage away from an organised begging gang in Samui isn't considered a high priority?

Who knows how these children got there, where they sold perhaps?

They're children who deserve a chance at an education by day and sleep by night. They shouldn't be forced to be roaming the markets and bars at night like they do.

should be deported for their own safety but where they come from it would not surprise me if their parents had sold them to the gang out of poverty

sad but desperate times make people do nasty things and where there are people in poverty there are gangs to profit

The Flower Sellers are back on the streets already!

Nothing changes in Thailand!