The Exploited Kids Selling Roses to Tourists On Khaosan Road

[deecee10]

There is some unnecessary sniping at the author of this article. She is not blaming tourists but pointing out that in their innocent and well-meaning way they are contributing to the continuation of the problem. Of course, the traffickers are the real villains and the corrupt and lazy authorities who turn a blind eye are their de facto supporters. A Western tourist can't do much about them, but the tourists can take a stand by not giving money to this scam.

As for it being an old story to some TV warriors, yes it certainly is, but clearly it is new to to many younger Westerners.

The need to expose child exploitation is as relevant to day as it has ever been. Otherwise we are just continuing to pass the buck, literally and figuratively.

[drx13]

There is a lot of hand wringing and sympathetic posts concerning the plight of many children in usually 3rd world countries.

An Australian ethics prrofessor, posed this question to an audience.

"What would you do if you saw a child drowning, hands up if you would jump in despite your $20 hair do, or new $100 shoes ? Hands up who would ?

A forest of arms reached for the ceiling..

"Great how many would send $20 to a bona fide charity that helps save children's lives ?"

II was not there but imagine very few, the others rationalising what a waste of money such a gesture would be.

I know how badly this can go wrong. Some Brits seeing the horrors of Romanianian orphanages, collected a load of money, used it to buy a few container loads of food and building equipment. They drove it to Romania and some handy guys improved the accomodation during their vacation time.

Later someone went to check, the staff had taken the food home..

So unless you are trying some effective ways to find solutions , and this applies not only to children, but the myriad of evils besetting this planet, you may find it difficult to criticise this post. Not that many will be deterred.

My conscience is clear as I have direct and financial action.

Edited October 25, 2014 by drx13

[Cake Monster]

This type of child exploitation, has been endemic throughout Thailand for many years.

Children are also exploited and used as forced labour in ways that many people dont even consider.

I use the example of a 7 year old Thai girl who was " sold " by her mother to a shop owner because she was unable / unwilling to take care of the child.

The shop owner firmly believed that if she had not bought the child, the child would certainly have been abandoned.

Said shop owner, also thought that it was acceptable and perfectly OK to recoup her capital outlay for the child, by working the child 12 hours a day 7 days a week doing all the meanial and dirty jobs.

Next time you see a small child in a store or something and are told by the owners " its my sisters kid that I am taking care of because she sick" - just remember this harrowing story which I can assure you is completely true.

As for the child, and her well fare, I do not know where she is now, as I had to return to my country at short notice, and when I returned the business had gone / closed.

T.I.T

[rametindallas]

"Bangkok's Khaosan Road is the not the kind of place you want to take your kids. The strip of neon-lit bars and nightclubs, budget hostels, and 24-hour Burger Kings"

Yeah, those 24-hour Burger Kings just scream "Don't bring children here!"

Since when did KSR become such a den of iniquity? I haven't been in a few years but last time, there were more tailor shops and clothing outlets than bars.

The youngest of the rose-selling children stumble around Khaosan

Are the children drugged also? Hyperbolic, much, Miss Mairs?

BTW, I take issue with her calling Pad Thai 'greasy'.

The problem lies with the police who have a heavy uniformed and undercover presence on KSR. No unaccompanied minor should be allowed on the streets past 9 p.m. How hard would it be to follow one of these exploited children back to the nest of vipers that control them. I smell bribe money; a little here, a little there, so no one criminal has to pay too much. The more crime allowed, the more bribe money. RTP are the #1 mafia in Thailand.

[darrendsd]

So just Khao San road?....Pattaya, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai..Hua Hin..........everywhere......and everyone turns a blind eye......cheap, forced child labour!....all a part of the cause of global condemnation towards Thailand....and the authorities still try to convince the world of their ongoing efforts to stamp it out, but it's simply just talk!

If you read the story it says there are around 500 of these kids around Thailand

This story happens to focus on what happens on Khao San road, i'm sure the charity's that are trying to help these kids are aware and are trying to help kids in other city's to

Darren....as many of us residents here in Thailand know all too well...........there are literally thousands of these kids, all over Thailand, being exploited in this manner.......500 may be correct for KSR.......

These kids work every single night without a day off.

Are there really 500 of them every night on KSR? I doubt it.

[rametindallas]

It is really a shame but the story blaming foriengners is ALL wrong

There are numerous people who need to be involved if this is to be brought to an end but clearly like other for profit crimes, if there is not a customer then there is not a market for the illegal activity.

In other words, the easiest way to get rid of this problem or at least significantly reduce it is to educate people to stop giving them money.

the easiest way to get rid of this problem or at least significantly reduce it is to educate people to stop giving them money.

Every tourist entering the Kingdom would need to be given a book the size of the collected works of Shakespeare to know all the scams that operate here. I appreciate your thought but tourists do not 'tour' with the thought of familiarizing themselves with all the evils of every place they visit. Suppressing evil is supposed to be the responsibility of the local police and not the responsibility of tourists wanting a 'care-free' holiday. KSR has a dedicated police station and many uniformed and undercover officers patrolling constantly. Believe me, they know everything that goes on on KSR. Child exploitation and other crime happens because they want/allow it to happen.

Tourists are the last people who should be responsible for crime prevention.

if there is not a customer then there is not a market for the illegal activity

So, your solution to drug crime would be to lock up every drug user so the drug dealers would have no customers?

[Spock]

About 15 years ago when I worked for a year in Phuket after 5 years in Bangkok, I used to drink of a night time at the open air bars in Patong. I did a bit of research and investigation into the rose selling kids there. I could speak Thai and questioned the kids, then lucked one day upon the shanty town in which they lived outside of Phuket town. The group was run by a large woman who was assisted by the mothers of a couple of the kids, though the vast majority of the children had supposedly been left in the woman's care by their parents who had gone off elsewhere.

The Fagan woman bought the flowers 50 for 90 baht and the kids sold them for 10 baht each, giving her a profit of 410 baht on each bunch. The kids ranged in age from about 6 through to 15. They started work at about 6pm and worked through till 3am or when the bars closed next morning. They were then driven back to their accommodation in Phuket town. Unbelievably most attended the locally primary school in the daytime - this was part of the deal with the parents that their kids would be educated, and the Fagan woman was actually fairly strict with their attendance. The amazing part of it all, given how little sleep they had, was that the kids were able to function at school and on the job. The Patong police obviously got a cut and there were also adult protectors hovering in the background. The women in the syndicate sat out back of the open air bars preparing the flowers and restocking the kids.

There were a few Burmese kids in the group, but the vast majority of the children were Thai. The Burmese children would occasionally get picked up by the police but then be bought out by the Fagan woman. Many of the kids confessed to hating flower selling. There were also kids (teenagers) selling cigarettes who seemed to be free lancers. They claimed to be paying a monthly bribe to police of around 1000 baht during high season.

There was also a second wave of children who would descend upon Patong at 9pm. Many of these arrived on miniature motor scooters which would be parallel parked on the main drag. These were the pick pockets. Their modus opperandi was to accost foreign men on the footpath by wrapping their arms around them in a group hug. A stolen wallet would be passed quickly through the group and into the hands of one child who would secrete it on his body. I watched this occur one night then accused the boy who had finished up with the wallet. He denied having the wallet and the tourist seemed reluctant to push the issue. Besides, there were about 6 children involved, and a Thai male appeared and made it clear that my involvement was not appreciated.

About 30 minutes later walking on the same stretch of path, I was king hit from behind. When I came to my senses, I went to Patong police station to report the assault and the background to it. A policeman accompanied me back to the area where of course we failed to locate the guy who had earlier threatened me and I assumed hit me. The police also showed no interest in my claims about the pick-pocketing gang. Despite the central location of the police station, police presence in the streets was almost non-existent. The criminals were basically left to ply their trade without interference.

There was also a group of Kamen beggars who I had seen in Bangkok and Pattaya who would come down (by air con bus) to Phuket in the tourist season. The children were sent out to make the money with the woman supervising in the background. In Pattaya, Kamen children were often involved selling chiclets at the bars. The children generally knew more Thai than their parents. Child beggars in tourist areas make good money as do mums with small babies. Rarely would you see men involved in supervision or begging. I assumed they were probably somewhere drinking the proceeds of the children's labour.

As for the article, I find it hard to believe that the majority of children in the Kaosan racket are from Burma. The Burmese border is a long way from Bangkok, and I am sure that the child owners would find plenty of destitute locals willing to sell their children into the racket. The writer needs to do some serious research if she really want to get to the bottom of the exploitation of these children. She barely skims the surface of the problem and how she arrives at the figure of 500 children involved is a mystery

[Absolut]

It is not just Khaosan Road...

This is rife throughout Thailand where there are tourists...

To be honest I have not seen any in KP, or KS. I think the community would put a stop to it immediately. There are other examples of children working here, but it appears to be their parents exploiting them...

I was witness to this in Phnom Penh - sitting at the riverside you see many. As a man I recall feeling there is almost no way to help these kids, as any male who shows interest is immediately suspected of ulterior motives, by all onlookers and even the kids themselves.

I think women need to get more involved in this matter, the fewer men the better - perhaps the kids will be more willing to trust those offering help. To help though, you need to offer some alternate life for them - this is where it all falls to pieces.

It's rampant on KS, go to any of the bars in Soi Reggae and there's kids selling flowers all night long.

There was even a thread on TV regarding some kids that had been picked up by the authorities.

Where's there's tourists, unfortunately there is these poor exploited children.

[ParadiseLost]

It is not just Khaosan Road...

This is rife throughout Thailand where there are tourists...

To be honest I have not seen any in KP, or KS. I think the community would put a stop to it immediately. There are other examples of children working here, but it appears to be their parents exploiting them...

I was witness to this in Phnom Penh - sitting at the riverside you see many. As a man I recall feeling there is almost no way to help these kids, as any male who shows interest is immediately suspected of ulterior motives, by all onlookers and even the kids themselves.

I think women need to get more involved in this matter, the fewer men the better - perhaps the kids will be more willing to trust those offering help. To help though, you need to offer some alternate life for them - this is where it all falls to pieces.

It's rampant on KS, go to any of the bars in Soi Reggae and there's kids selling flowers all night long.

There was even a thread on TV regarding some kids that had been picked up by the authorities.

Where's there's tourists, unfortunately there is these poor exploited children.

Have to admit I haven't been near Chaweng for a long time, but on KP I have not seen them, certainly not gangs like the OP describes. Plenty of underage workers in family businesses...

Not that I am a disbeliever, it saddens me that it exists anywhere.

[NativeSon360]

So, what else is news? Welcome to the real Asia.

[NativeSon360]

Any civilized society would impose heavy penalties on the parents who allow minors to work like this but in Thailand effectively no one cares that's why this continues so its not the fault of any German or other tourist that chooses to buy.

Everyone involved in to blame. The tourists should understand how child exploitation works. They cannot deny culpability for representing Demand that incentivises Supply. The Police are less responsible than the parents, who put the sentimental gun to their children's heads. As far as free will, the children act with agency (as the victims of exploitation).

The problem is a global one.

Do you have a bona fide solution for eradicating a social institution, that has existed for thousands of years? Is any foreigner, on this forum prepared to risk deportation from Thailand, by organizing a public "consciousness raising" rally, in defense of those "Exploited Kids"? Absolutely No one! So, then what's the point of the OP's thread, or the video link?.

[Thongkorn]

i don't buy from children selling Flowers on the Street in Thailand, There use to be a Thai advert telling people not to. But i do buy plants from a lady who pushes her barrow around with plants that she has grown herself. I have know her for years. These children are usual gang controlled, or by parents who are exploiting there children. watch them scatter when the Thai police are about.

[Stokakrishna]

these kids are not just on Kaho San road.

they are everywhere in thailand where tourists are.

they are in Pattaya, Huahin, every pther town and street in bkk.

Why they demonize Khao san road? these kids are on Sukhumvit, and Silom, and other streets as well

[TheyCallmeScooter]

The problem is a global one.

Do you have a bona fide solution for eradicating a social institution, that has existed for thousands of years? Is any foreigner, on this forum prepared to risk deportation from Thailand, by organizing a public "consciousness raising" rally, in defense of those "Exploited Kids"? Absolutely No one! So, then what's the point of the OP's thread, or the video link?.

People can't handle the truth. So they can't handle the solution.

I could tell you what the only bonafide solution has to be but it wouldn't be popular. The problem with truth is that it cannot be refuted. So those who will not accept it are cornered.

And the messenger gets shot.

So, then what's the point of the OP's thread, or the video link?.

That's not the right question. Truth doesn't need a point. It's the default. The right question queries your aversion to it.

[northernjohn]

I thought by now they would have figured it all out. Just get rid of the kids let them starve to death. Problem solved.

[Mystery]

Very interesting and haven't time to read all comments but want to say I agree it should be down to Thailand to solve the problem not the tourists - although also agree tourists should be aware - but the tourists refusing to buy will only (perhaps only in the short term but still) result in the kids being beaten and abused for not making enough money for their captors. Thailand i.e. government, Prayuth (I think is the Priministers name now), the Police and Immigration and Social services all have a DUTY to get involved.

On another note I live in Hua Hin and we have flower sellers too... different story though with them I think... A couple of them go to school with my step-son... Been in Hua Hin for four years now and seen the same kids work the streets at night and go to school during the day... I do wonder what nationality they are and what their situation is. Needless to say I DON'T buy their flowers, but I do pop into 7/11 and buy them an ice-cream or sweets every now and then (now don't start about teeth and feeding them rubbish, they'd hardly be happy if I gave them a carrot would they and if I give them money it'll go to their parents) and I prepare to engage them in conversation and encourage them and their happy smiles and attitudes when I see them at school when I pick my son up.

[German Viking]

Part of the problem is the foolish farang who believe they are helping these children and their families by buying flowers. They are only keeping the children on these streets and in some cases the money could be going to a pimp who simply sits at home, then takes his cut when the child returns and the rest may go to the mother.

The problem could be eradicated by the police situated on KSR, but as we all know they don't care enough to make the effort to ensure kids are not operating on this street and other localities.

All things considered we can't rely on the police to police. So if nobody buys a rose then there is no market. THE END

I seldom read such a stupid comment, yes blame the tourists again.

You sounds like 1. semester student in Marketing who analyses the market, causes and effects, this is not that simple.

[German Viking]

It is not thr farangs money that keeps these kids enslaved. It is the local police abd immigration and the people who purchased them from their families (maybe one in the same). The tourists flocking to Khaosan road mostly dont even know those kids are Burmese not most certainly don't know the kids werr bought from families. Although ignorance is not generally an excuse the writer should be pointing their fingers at the police (which is stationed right there at the end of Khaosan road. The Thai immigration for not learning nor caring where these kids are kept.

It is really a shame but the story blaming foriengners is ALL wrong

I don't see anywhere in the article where the blame is placed on foreigners. The article clearly says that tourists are unaware of what's going on.

I agree, I don't see it either but don't let it stop the Thai bashers from posting their daily rant against anything Thai although I would assume that most of them live here and know where the Airport is

It appears comprehension is not your strong point.

Let me help you,

"their money is precisely what’s keeping them enslaved."

It is not the fault of the Thai human traffickers, the Thai mafiosa running these kiddy rings, the complicit Thai police or the everyday Thai citizens who turn a blind eye.

No, these kids suffer because silly farrang stupidly buy the roses and "their money is precisely what’s keeping them enslaved."

I can't believe it, but it is like an old friend telling me for decades.

"The last idiot is still not born" and when these kind of comments continues this subject will be soon a melting pot of them.

[MAJIC]

damn white people! Keeping the exploited kids enslaved like that with their purchases.

Unless you are being facetious (which I would say you are) then you have misinterpreted the Tourists who put their hands in their pockets to try to give something to the poor. knowing full well it's not good enough,but if you want to stamp out this form of exploitation? what would you suggest is acceptable? to a Country that has virtually no social services,to speak of! and begging is part of the economic structure?

[MAJIC]

And yet another shuffle-the blame article from an ignorant so-called "journalist" that tries to implicate foreigners for all the shortcomings in this country.

When I have to read semi-idiotic things like "...is what happens when generations of tourists remake a street in their own image..." I am compelled to ask: "Do local entrepreneurs play any role in the transformation of Khao San Rd. or have those bloody tourists set up all those bars, burger joints, guesthouses and street stalls by themselves so they could 'create' a little street to their liking?"

Unfortunately the author also fails to mention (intentionally?) who exactly is buying those children from their parents and puts them to work. If Miss Mairs had done a little research into this, she might have found out that it is actually local criminal networks and individuals who are responsible.

Furthermore, if Miss Mairs had negotiated other areas of Bangkok with open eyes, she might have noticed that children selling roses and other trinkets are NOT confined to Khao San Rd., but can be found ELSEWHERE, too, e.g. at major road intersections and even in entertainment areas mostly frequented by locals only.

But since she so faithfully reports her version of the truth from Khao San Rd., has Miss Mairs actually bothered to ask the local police why they allow these children to wander the street and ply their trade night after night after night and what the police are actually doing to stamp out what Miss Mairs has rightfully identified as human trafficking? No, she hasn't. Oops!

And god forbid that Miss Mairs - in her rookie journalist innocence - may one day stumble through places like Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin or Chiang Mai. It would presumably be a rude awakening and shatter her preconceived notions of "what happens when generations of tourists remake a street in their own image".

What do you expect? Miss Mairs is out to make her name as a journalist exposing the wrongs around the world,so don't expect her to give too much of an in depth probe on the subject, and risk her health!

[Ricardo]

I look forward to the follow-up article from Ms Mairs, in which she will disclose that not-all of the ladies who work in the sex-industry in backpacker-enclaves, are happy with their lives, and that some of them are driven to it by their poor economic circumstances.

Also that she was shocked, and so are many budget-tourists she interviewed in a guesthouse, to learn that bears are sometimes disappointed by the poor provision of public-lavatories, in their forests ?

Before she moves on to Italy, to do a deep background investigation, into the religious-beliefs held by the Pope !