Thai Junta to Issue New Law Banning Begging

[Lite Beer]

Thai Junta to Issue New Law Banning Begging

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — The Thai military government has approved the draft of a law that will criminalize begging, a common practice in streets of Thailand's major cities.

The new law, which will replace previous legislation on begging enacted 74 years ago, was approved in a Cabinet meeting today, said Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesperson.

Named the Control of Begging Act, the law is intended to reduce begging and provide panhandlers with rehabilitation and job training programs, said Maj.Gen. Sansern said.

Under the act, those who cannot be trained to work – such as children, the elderly, and the disabled – will be sent to shelter homes and provided with welfare assistance.

According to the draft of the legislation, the following actions constitute begging:

- asking for assets of others with words, texts, or any other gesture, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets. (The clause excludes asking for money from family members and lawful charity fundraising)

- committing any gesture that compels others to donate assets out of pity, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1429536107

-- Khaosod English 2015-04-20

[thesetat2013]

Many of these so called beggars are actually already working a job as a beggar. They get taken care of and get a small percent of their begging and get rides to and from the places they will be at begging. Their money goes to a pool kept by the people who care for them

What makes the gov think these people will want retraining and shelters and welfare assistance. And what makes the gov think these people who profit from the ones begging will allow those souls freedom to get education and welfare and shelters?

Edited April 20, 2015 by thesetat2013

[ratcatcher]

How about action against the criminals that so blatantly exploit so many of these poor people. by transporting and using them for gain?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Their money goes to a pool kept by the people who care for them.

That's quite a euphemistic way of referring to illegal human trafficking.

Based on past reporting, much of the begging activity is controlled and run by gangs and/or mafia who keep most of the proceeds for themselves.

Those beggars who don't meet their assigned quotas can be beaten, denied food or otherwise abused.

I've seen past reports where people intentionally had limbs amputated to facilitate their begging activities.

Having mothers leave their newborn or infant children laying on sidewalks of major/busy roads on plastic or paper mats for long hours in the heat is hardly what I'd call caring for them.

[laislica]

Will this law affect the way the Temples collect their donations?

<Snip> the following actions constitute begging:

- asking for assets of others with words, texts, or any other gesture, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets. (The clause excludes asking for money from family members and lawful charity fundraising)

- committing any gesture that compels others to donate assets out of pity, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets.

<Snip>

[metisdead]

An off topic deflection post has been removed.

[docshock13]

Well there go the bars! Beggars all.

[kalbo123]

how about banning poverty?

[rametindallas]

Public begging by using babies or displaying amputations for pity, is a stain on the reputation of Bangkok. It tells the world that Thailand doesn't care for its least fortunate. It doesn't matter that some of it is sponsored by organized crime or that some beggars find it easier than working for a living, it still offends the senses of tourists and leaves a bad memory of their visit to the Kingdom. My mia noi said that most are not even Thai but Cambodian; I don't know if that is true or not but no one should be blocking the stairs of a BTS station with their hand or cup out. Exploiting children to sell garlands or roses is reprehensible. It the government is willing to offer them retraining or a job, I think it is a good idea to ban them.

About ten years ago a friend of mind told me about her close friend who had a very young child. This close friend got a phone call from her friend who told her she thinks she sees her baby with a beggar. My friend's close friend went to the location and found her child being used by a professional beggar. The police were called and it turned out that the woman's maid was renting the child out to the beggar while the mother was at work. Begging is easier than working a real job and some of them make a lot of money. A few years ago, in Bangkok, there was a blind singer who would go into restaurants and people would give him money. The police investigated and he was making several thousand Baht per day and wasn't even blind. Scammers are everywhere. I would like to see all jobs as toll booth operators, ticket takers at parking areas, etc, go only to those who can't walk. I once saw a Thai cripple (not a beggar) wearing a T-shirt that said, "Don't let the things you can't do stop you from doing the things you can do". Wise words.

[rametindallas]

how about banning poverty?

Has that ever been done before? Anywhere? How would you treat lazy people? Jesus said, "The poor will always be among us".

[tphut]

- asking for assets of others with words, texts, or any other gesture, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets. (The clause excludes asking for money from family members and lawful charity fundraising)

surely it will stop begging, (for one second) then they realize that if i get a lot of cheap plastic something then i just sit there with my cup and when someone gives me money then they get a plastic thing.

So now it is fully legal

Edited April 20, 2015 by tphut

[elgordo38]

Will this law affect the way the Temples collect their donations?

<Snip> the following actions constitute begging:

- asking for assets of others with words, texts, or any other gesture, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets. (The clause excludes asking for money from family members and lawful charity fundraising)

- committing any gesture that compels others to donate assets out of pity, without compensating the giver with any form of work or assets.

<Snip>

The monks do say a prayer for you.

[elgordo38]

Passing laws against begging and changing lottery ticket prices and procedures are small potatoes. Lets work on increasing pensions for the elderly. Before passing new laws lets strictly enforce the ones on the books.

[stoneyboy]

This beggars belief.

[up-country_sinclair]

Could it be that in addition to improving the image of Thailand's big city streets, the junta is also firing a shot across the bow of the mafia?

[BKKdreaming]

OK....army man......follow the van that drops off and later picks up the beggars

now bust that place , divide the money in the safe up among the beggers and throw the "keepers" in a real bad jail......taking all the keepers stuff and giving it to the poor,

I am happy the Army wants to clean up Thailand and take the $$$$ power away from the police and mafia.....

but unless you take the $$$$ too the bad guys will just sit back and wait until the Army is gone.

yeah I know its not going to happen........

[Thai at Heart]

Yet another completely unenforceable law.

Why do they cook up such ridiculous laws. Trafficking people to force them to beg is illegal. The act of begging is a universal human need in times of desperation.

[visionchaser45]

Does this law cover monks too?

[Your Thainess]

Here we have another example of the military's naivety in running a country. How about sticking to the plan, guys, or was it all a ruse to monopolize power for as long as possible?

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason?

It's great the Army is cracking down on the deformed beggar gang.

Are they concerned about these impoverished people or are they just attacking their political opponents that profit from this gang?

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Mafia diverting 'donations meant for the poor' into police pockets.

Is there anything scummier than taking these donations?

Every morning at 6AM, the mafia distribute around 550 imported, disfigured, sick, Cambodian beggars all over Bangkok.

How much do these people bring in every day?

Probably 1,000Bt each or more I estimate.

Thats 17,000,000Bt per month! or 204,000,000bt per year.

[webfact]

New law seeks better control over beggars, and buskers
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE CABINET Monday gave the green light to a draft bill on street beggars, which empowers the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to send migrant beggars back to their home countries.

Also under the bill, buskers and street performers will be required to seek permission from local administrative bodies before taking to the streets.

Government spokesperson Yongyuth Mayalarp said this bill, which stemmed from a Cabinet resolution on February 24, is meant for the Social Development Ministry and related agencies, as well as the National Council for Peace and Order, to regulate and resolve the issue of street beggars.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/New-law-seeks-better-control-over-beggars-and-busk-30258353.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-21

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Who controls the begging mafia?

We know the police/BMA have control over this gang.

Once in a while there will be VIPs staying at the Landmark Hotel on Sukhumvit and the beggars are ordered to disappear for a day or so.

It would be very easy to identify who runs this human trafficking gang. I could have proof in less than an hour I bet.

I would encourage a journalist to place several "beggars' out there on the footpath some morning before the mafia distributes their team of beggars.

Then wait with a hidden camera and watch who arrives to evict them.

Any bets on how long before the police/BMA/mafia show up and throw these people out?

5 minutes?

10 minutes?

20 minutes?

Now you know who runs the human trafficking gang in Bangkok.

[colinneil]

Stopping begging haa haa haa. What a joke.

In Thailand it is an industry. It is not performed by poor people, just criminal gangs.

Many years ago when i first visited Thailand, myself and a friend were walking along beach road in Pattaya.

We past a lady sitting in the gutter begging with a small baby.

I felt sorry for her gave her 100 baht, later in the day we walked past the same spot, same baby different lady, next day another lady but same baby.

Yes a clear case of baby for rent.

Since that day 17 years ago, i have never given 1 baht to any beggars i have seen.

Also stop the monks begging, 2 years ago 2 monks outside my home.

They would not leave, asking for money time and again. My neighbor asked why they would not leave, 1 monk answered, farang has big home, so he have big money.

[Nick167]

So will this also cover people using crowdfunding platforms to raise funds ie I know of one Brit farang guy....some lee chapp...... that went online seeking monies for child support for his son and they are residing in Bangkok. The guy uses the funds to drink at the bars and womanise despite having his first wife "killed" by giving her HPV infections that lead to her having latent cervical cancer. He then married his fillipino maid and had a daughter . Would love to report him as his stuff is still online.

Also, can the law be extended to salestaff" who also beg ie like the jewish deep sea mud skincare product people at some pop up stands at various shopping malls and the sales staff at Power Buy and Power Mall or The elctronics sections of Big C and Lotus or Homepro....................Lol!

[Lupatria]

Time to implement the Vietnamese model-

“We are not without accomplishment. We have managed to distribute poverty equally.” – Nguen Co Thatch, Vietnamese Foreign Minister.

[baboon]

A noble objective, but I am simply not convinced sufficient funds can or will be made available to provide viable alternatives. Besides, forms of begging such as poncing from tourists are simply too tempting for some to pass up.

[jamesjohnsonthird]

All the Junta needs to do is call in the Chief of the BMA and order him to knock it off.

Remember the child porn that was being sold on the streets a couple years ago? It made the press and, BAM, it was gone the next day.

The BMA/Police/Mafia control every square centimeter of the public property. If the BMA Chief really wanted the beggars gone, it would happen in an hour or two.

The problem is the BMA, Police and Mafia are taking in 17,000,000Bt a month.

Edited April 21, 2015 by jamesjohnsonthird

[Fullstop]

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Does this law cover monks too?

Are there ANY laws in Thailand that apply to 100% of the population with no "exceptions".

[kiwikeith]

Their money goes to a pool kept by the people who care for them.

That's quite a euphemistic way of referring to illegal human trafficking.

Based on past reporting, much of the begging activity is controlled and run by gangs and/or mafia who keep most of the proceeds for themselves.

Those beggars who don't meet their assigned quotas can be beaten, denied food or otherwise abused.

I've seen past reports where people intentionally had limbs amputated to facilitate their begging activities.

Having mothers leave their newborn or infant children laying on sidewalks of major/busy roads on plastic or paper mats for long hours in the heat is hardly what I'd call caring for them.

The old law 74 years old never worked, how will a new one work maybe only take 37 years to work!