Be warned, there is a female with a young child targetting foreigners on BTS station steps. I've seen her twice in the past 6 months along the Sukhumvit/Siam route. From what I've overheard, she has a sob story about losing her purse and needing to get to her home near the airport via BTS and Rail Link. She offers to let the foreigner call her "husband" to verify the story. If they give her a few baht, she asks for more, claiming she lives beyond the airport and has to get additional buses.

 

Anyone else come across her?

1 hour ago, orientalist said:

Anyone else come across her?

Her? Only one?

Sorry, but such mother/baby begging or story telling is virtually everywhere.

Baby/child often not even related (rent a begging baby).

Both from Cambodia or other neighbor countries.

The "husband" is her "pimp"/"papasan" and will collect most of the begged money and drive off in his limousine.

 

And not only in Thailand.

Last time I fell for such a story (need money for ticket) must have been in the 80s (in Germany). Germany nowadays flooded with beggars from south eastern Europe.

 

Did you live in a major city before before Bangkok?

Ladies with babies/small kids outside so many BTS stations now!

 

Rule of thumb - Do they look dirty, dressed in rags, homeless? Usually not and if not do not give.

Saw a homeless man sitting on a bench browsing facebook on his smartphone the other day. Times have changed... 

There are many variations of the mother&child scam.

 

In Kathmandu you often get the mother asking to buy milk/formula for a child. She's in agreement with a local shop owner and if you fall for that, he shares the profit with her or buys the milk back.