Thai Junta to Issue New Law Banning Begging

[Fullstop]

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.

I doesn't care. It also doesn't want "the world to know" it doesn't care.

Hence..."Ban begging and sweep it all under the carpet".

...if Thailand was a carpeted room ... you'd have to walk uphill to get to the other side.

[Jeffreyake]

What makes the gov think these people will want retraining and shelters and welfare assistance.

the question is not what beggars want (a parasitical minority) but what normal taxpayers need. And they need there streets to be cleaned from antisocial elements. Government just found most humane way to fulfill the desire of people.

[Eric Loh]

Nothing wrong with the old law; even the new law. Problem not the law but enforcement of the law.

[Stradavarius37]

The unfortunate part - which is not mentioned in this article, but was mentioned in the BP's article - states that this ban also refers to street musicians. I feel that street performers are always a welcome addition to most cities and situations, and would be sad if they left.

[Water Buffalo]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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!

Thanks for the rant.

FYI, it is not possible to know who you get HPV from and condoms don't even protect against it. It is considered (by experts) a normal part of human sexuality and virtually every person who is sexually active is thought to have had it at some point in their lives without knowing it and most probably still have it now, unless they have been in a monogamous relationship for more than a decade.

Furthermore, only a tiny minority of women actually develop cervical cancer as a result of HPV. The vast majority of the time their immune systems clear the virus within a couple of years.

The guy may be a scammer, but you can't blame him for transmitting an infection he couldn't possibly have known he had. The cancer causing strains don't produce symptoms, except cancer. The wart producing strains are totally harmless (i.e don't cause cancer).

I would like to see the HPV vaccination given to all girls for free, like in most developed countries. And why not guys too?

And what about a PAP smear schedule?

Edited April 21, 2015 by Water Buffalo

[Squeegee]

Whilst Thai mafia/police may control many beggars, it seems too many here are putting all their focus on this and assuming the actual beggars are their victims. This is not the full picture.

Some of the beggars are victims not of mafia but of their own families and it makes them a very good living. Observe Soi 4 and lower Sukhumvit, the little girls selling chewing gum and flowers: these are the same faces that have done this for years. Observe them when they think nobody is looking as the little girl plays with her iPad.... That's not the victim of the mafia, she's a victim of her own family.

The mother waves someone else's baby around the BTS, the youngest daughter is selling chewing gum, the son is doing the shoe shine, the middle daughter is selling flowers, the oldest daughter, you know, that cute one that sold flowers for years, she's chatting to that old man....

In this case the mafia would be the family themselves, same as any (dodgy) family business on lower Sukhum, just keep up the monthly tea money payments and away ya go.

Following on from that, this new hot air from the Ministry Of Yak will change nothing for the family whose daughter provides chewing gum, she's not really a beggar if she can buy some gum from 7/11 and re-sell it to well-meaning fools, not according to the description in the OP.

Nothing changes about the Land Of Musical Chairs Shirts.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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!

Thanks for the rant.

FYI, it is not possible to know who you get HPV from and condoms don't even protect against it. It is considered (by experts) a normal part of human sexuality and virtually every person who is sexually active is thought to have had it at some point in their lives without knowing it and most probably still have it now, unless they have been in a monogamous relationship for more than a decade.

Furthermore, only a tiny minority of women actually develop cervical cancer as a result of HPV. The vast majority of the time their immune systems clear the virus within a couple of years.

The guy may be a scammer, but you can't blame him for transmitting an infection he couldn't possibly have known he had. The cancer causing strains don't produce symptoms, except cancer. The wart producing strains are totally harmless (i.e don't cause cancer).

I would like to see the HPV vaccination given to all girls for free, like in most developed countries. And why not guys too?

Very very smart and informed post to refute the hearsay hysteria of the guy you quoted.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Squeegee

[Bakseeda]

Great...! This law just in time for Yinlucks court appearance.... Then we will see some REAL begging...? but for clemency and certainly not for cash...

[Konaboy1]

nothing will change-(for the better)

[Konaboy1]

nothing will change

[Eaglekott]

Does this law cover monks too?

From the monks you get something in return, you can visit their temples, and they can bless you.

[Pimay1]

In February, a beggar in Mukdahan province made national news after police arrested him and found more than 131,000 baht in his possession. The man, Preeda Kammoongkoon, reportedly told police he once made 400,000 baht from begging in Nakhon Ratchasima province for a month.

He must have been wearing a saffron robe.

[baboon]

Great...! This law just in time for Yinlucks court appearance.... Then we will see some REAL begging...? but for clemency and certainly not for cash...

You have to be kidding. Get a bloody life, man!

[Eaglekott]

The unfortunate part - which is not mentioned in this article, but was mentioned in the BP's article - states that this ban also refers to street musicians. I feel that street performers are always a welcome addition to most cities and situations, and would be sad if they left.

I might be wrong were but i believe you need a permit to be a street musician. If you have that there should not be an issue.

[Pimay1]

Does this law cover monks too?

From the monks you get something in return, you can visit their temples, and they can bless you.

Right, it's called "Buy A Blessing".

[Eaglekott]

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

Does anyone know how many there is that is forced by some kind of "Maffia" to beg? I mean I have been talking (with help of some thai friends) to several beggars about their living, and every one I have been taking to is working for them self, and they cal it work even if they give nothing in return.

Well, actually the first two I talked to they said that they only kept a small amount of the money them self, and I believed is was the Maffia, but after som more talk it came clear that it was that their wife or Girlfriend that took care of the money for the family. From that point I changed my question to ask if the beggars family keeps all that money of if there is some one out side.

None so far has mentioned giving anything away, except the blind people selling cookies, but thay have a salary no matter if they sell a box or not. And they do NOT accept a gift of money.

I urge more people to have a conversation with the beggars, they are very friendly and kind. They get happy if you stop for a second and talk a little bit.

[jackanapes]

its about time they stopped begging its been going on for quite a long time finding them some type of work would be adequate .

[jamesjohnsonthird]

its about time they stopped begging its been going on for quite a long time finding them some type of work would be adequate .

Finding them work? This is their job. They are employees.

They are not even local. They are trucked in from another country. The mafia/police shuttle in these illegals across the border so they can control them.

Their job qualifications are the stomach turning disfigurements, diseases, oozing amputations or willingness to torture a baby or puppy dog all day.

Edited April 21, 2015 by jamesjohnsonthird

[fareastguy]

So I guess the "blind-guy" who gets dragged around our local talat all day by his g/f is safe as he sings you a song!!

[sapson]

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>

Absolutely spot on, so what will become of the monks ? the early morning parade with their collection bowls for donations.

The countless daughters in the entertainment industry sending money back to Moma in Issan...............who gains enormous face by giving most of it to the local temple and then doesnt have enough for food for the family

Monks wandering into cafes and putting an envelope in front of your partner and waiting for a bung without question?

The countless exchanges between partners.....................honey you gave momma 5k baht less that ten days ago, why do you need to send more now? Moma go temple have to give money to make merit!

Believe it or not their are some thinking Thais out there who question all of the above and think it is a load of boll%cks! and privately will admit to this!

Edited April 21, 2015 by sapson

[Nobb]

Just do your job about arresting the lieing, cheating, drugging and stealing in your country.

[dean008]

Agreed, try to enforce the law and make motorcyclist use helmets, and stop them and cars driving on the wrong side of the road. Agreed, begging is an issue but introducing new laws when existing laws are not enforced makes little sense.

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.

[ezzra]

Kudos to the junta,, now I can show my missus that begging is not allowed and to please

leave me alone... this woman when she start begging there is no stopping her.....

[NoshowJones]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Does this law cover monks too?

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

No.

[skildpadden]

You can make all the laws and crackdowns you want, but if it is not enforced it is utterly useless and a waste of everybody's time.

[hawker9000]

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".

Are you serious? The U.S. has had its War on Poverty for decades, and is now a well-established welfare state as a direct (and unavoidable) consequence. 'Course the "war" is lost. But there's far more profit in waging it than winning it, as it feathers many liberal politicians' nests (and even helps elect presidents...), and keeps legions of appointees and marginally productive bureaucrats on one payroll or another, and checks rolling in for the many lazy ones you mention (as well as the needy, in whose hands only the smallest fraction of the funds allocated actually ever wind up) so it will go on. ...and on, and on, and on ... Just one way the U.S. is leading the world ... into unfathomable debt.

Edited April 21, 2015 by hawker9000

[winstonc]

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.

dont forget aretha franklin..she said a little prayer for YOU......taxi for winstonc

[DM07]

Another law, another day with 3 arrests and another forgotten law, never to be enforced again...

[hawker9000]

Another law, another day with 3 arrests and another forgotten law, never to be enforced again...

It might be good for some tea money (in itself sort of another form of begging) though.

[Thailand]

Nice easy short term targets in line with deckchairs, lottery tickets etc.

[Linzz]

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!

Israeli skin care products stands in shopping malls in NZ have been banned for scamming with products at no fixed price. Sorry to hear these thieves are in Thailand.