Thai Ministry survey shed light on street beggars

[webfact]

Ministry survey shed light on street beggars
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has 1,186 street beggars, 750 of whom are Thai and 436 foreign, according to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.

The report, which was presented to the Cabinet on Tuesday, revealed that 147 of the beggars are children and 64 of those are Thai.

Street beggars are usually spotted at markets, community areas, shopping malls, transport hubs and religious places. The reasons cited the most as driving people to beg for money were economic problems and insufficient income to cover family expenses, while disabled people could not find other jobs to support themselves, the ministry said.

Beggars believe begging for money is not illegal.

The ministry will screen the beggars and explain the law to them before sending them to related agencies or local hospitals for medical treatment or vocational training. As for the foreign beggars who entered the country illegally or allowed their visas to expire, the ministry would ask the Immigration Bureau to return them to their countries of origin. The ministry will also push for the creation of nationwide database of street beggars and an update of the 1941 Beggar Control Act.

Bangkok, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Rai and Nakhon Sawan are the provinces where street beggars are most prevalent. Child beggars were mostly found in Nonthaburi, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Songkhram and Suphan Buri provinces.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Ministry-survey-shed-light-on-street-beggars-30254872.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-26

[Beng]

......explain the law to them before sending them to related agencies or local hospitals for medical treatment or vocational training.

I can see the need for medical treatment, but vocational training ?

[CelticBhoy]

"Beggars believe begging for money is not illegal."

That beggars belief .

[Rod Wallop]

They work for the cops. The article failed to mention that.

[thesetat2013]

From what my Thai wife says most of the beggars work for one individual who drops them off to beg then collects them and takes most of their money they were given. At first I didn't believe her until one day driving I witnessed it myself when I saw a van door open and a beggar got out. Inside were many beggars. Whether they work for the BIB as Rod suggests or not they are working for someone. This is one of the reasons I will never give money to them. As one Op here suggests that they should be given vocational training? This is a good idea in theory only. These people have spent their lives getting free money. They will not take any training to actually have to work for it now

[noitom]

How in the world did they compile this level of detail count? It's unbelievable. Everyone knows that it's a Thai gangster sponsored activity. When they bust the Thai big man running this racket, then we can take them seriously.

[rametindallas]

Nothing says a country doesn't care for its most unfortunate than the presence of beggars. Beggars are the number one thing I am embarrassed about when I have people come to visit me in Thailand. Many Thai have told me it is a mafia racket and to not give them money.

The ministry will screen the beggars and explain the law to them before sending them to related agencies or local hospitals for medical treatment or vocational training. As for the foreign beggars who entered the country illegally or allowed their visas to expire, the ministry would ask the Immigration Bureau to return them to their countries of origin

Just like cleaning up the beaches makes Thailand more attractive, getting the beggars off the street (in a humane way) will boost the image of Thailand in travelers' eyes. Another thing the good General is doing that the politicians wouldn't. Refusing medical treatment and/or learning an occupational trade will show who is needy and who is scamming (as many Thais believe).

I've related this story before but it illustrates how many of these beggars are scammers. A friend got a call one day from her friend saying she thinks she sees my friend's baby with a street beggar. My friend went to the location and found her baby being used to solicit money and had the beggar arrested. My friend's maid was later arrested, also, for renting the baby that was in her care to the beggar. Any tourist walking past would not know the baby was rented or that the beggar was a professional beggar. As CelticBhoy wrote, 'It beggars belief'. I have few doubts the Thesakit (BMA street police) take a commission from them

[daveAustin]

Are we missing a couple of zeros? 1186 beggars! Or is this Pattaya alone?

[Thailand J]

They got the math right this time: 750+436=1186

Good job!

[FireMedic]

They forgot about the "picking the open sores and leaking the infectious fluid all over the place" beggars.......

[teatree]

They can make over 1000b a day. A friend of mine has a minimart in BKK and often has beggers coming in to change coins into notes.

[Loles]

So, my old song:

If you see children as beggars you buy for them: milk, ready to eat street food, chocolate, etc. Those mafia idiots won't take kid's chocolate.

[WhizBang]

The majority of these 'beggars' are run and controlled by the mafia, be that the RTP (the largest criminal organization in Thailand), or someone else.

That is why I refuse to give a single satang to them. It is also why I will tell anyone who does give them money that they are mafia.

The precision of the numbers quoted above does however, beggar belief.

Edited February 26, 2015 by WhizBang

[kingalfred]

1186 in the whole of Bangkok! Maybe one day someone went round the city and did a round up? Meaningless false statistic

[bapoboy]

They work for the cops. The article failed to mention

are you sure?

[bapoboy]

Are we missing a couple of zeros? 1186 beggars! Or is this Pattaya alone?

i don't see so much beggars in thailand compared to europe and america..

[Strangebrew]

I feel those figures are off a tad I have seen with my own eyes at least 10 nto 15 kids with hands or cup at the ready and that's just using the cross over to MBK walking from Siam at least 2 on stairs and another 2 before the turn toward MBK.

[h90]

436 foreign...why not send them home?

[elVagabundo]

Are we missing a couple of zeros? 1186 beggars! Or is this Pattaya alone?

i don't see so much beggars in thailand compared to europe and america..

According to reports in the USA (http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/mediadocs/282.pdf), 1 in 30 children in the States was "homeless" in 2013 (though the definition of this term differs from study to study). I know that Thailand is NOT the USA, but if we WERE to extrapolate this ratio to Thailand which, according to the UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/Thailand_statistics.html), has an under 18 population of 15,106,900. That would be equal to more than 500,000 homeless children (and this number obviously does not include Adults who experience homelessness).

I'm not saying that homeless person=beggar, but I'm fairly sure that more than the fair share of the homeless population does eke out a living through begging. I also recognize that the Thai population is VERY different from that of the USA. All this being said, I guess I'm just trying to say that 1186 seems like a real low ball.

[iReason]

436 foreign...why not send them home?

Why not read the article?

[masuk]

From what my Thai wife says most of the beggars work for one individual who drops them off to beg then collects them and takes most of their money they were given. At first I didn't believe her until one day driving I witnessed it myself when I saw a van door open and a beggar got out. Inside were many beggars. Whether they work for the BIB as Rod suggests or not they are working for someone. This is one of the reasons I will never give money to them. As one Op here suggests that they should be given vocational training? This is a good idea in theory only. These people have spent their lives getting free money. They will not take any training to actually have to work for it now

BEGGING 101 ??