Foreigners 'Begging' In Central Bangkok?

[JayBird]

Could not come up with a better word than 'Begging', but I'm pretty sure this is what it really is.  What I noticed a few days ago in front of Siam Paragon were TWO sets of Foreign Individuals (I think they were either Australian or coming from Europe) who were engaged in the following activities:

 

Set 1: Sitting on the street selling what appeared to be IPhone Cases, with a sign (in English) explaining they were travelling and selling phone cases.

Set 2: Playing music on some improvised musical instrument (I think it was an empty water jug) with a hat up for donations.

 

Now, I'm admittedly out of touch with the common youth (they were in their early 20s I think).  But is this normal behavior for tweenies to be doing whilst vacationing?  Is this also permitted by the law? 

 

Thank you.

[allane]

Hey, let's give credit where it is due. If something motivated them to get off of Facebook long enough to do something productive, that is a good thing, not a bad thing.

[swissie]

Young Americans ? All 37 Credit Cards "maxed-out" ? Quality tourists, for sure.

Cheers.

[JayBird]

5 hours ago, allane said:

Hey, let's give credit where it is due. If something motivated them to get off of Facebook long enough to do something productive, that is a good thing, not a bad thing.

One day I may just give this Facebook thing a looksey.

[payttayasquirt]

"Either Australian or coming from Europe"

Really?

[JayBird]

8 hours ago, payttayasquirt said:

"Either Australian or coming from Europe"

Really?

I didn't want to just come out and say 'White'

[cornishcarlos]

6 minutes ago, JayBird said:

I didn't want to just come out and say 'White'

 

Why not ?

[Sphere]

14 hours ago, JayBird said:

selling what appeared to be IPhone Cases

 

Does this mean their holiday photos are all sold out? 

[SpeakeasyThai]

Why don't you mind your own business? Are they bothering anyone or making a disturbance? You need to think in a more pisitive manner instead of judging or thinking the worse of other people.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Then I guess you missed Amsterdam in the late 80's when this was quite common.

 

Is it Begging? Well technically it isn't! As long as he is not asking for money and there is no law which prevents someone from sitting down, even on a street corner, and playing a guitar with his hat off, then he is not breaking any laws. If someone decides to throw some money in his hat, then up-to-them.

 

But even though we all know that technically it isn't Begging, we all know it is. What gets me is when they bring some small kid along, and dress them in rags. There should be a law against that, but to my knowledge there isn't.

 

I don't mind helping a family in need, but most of these guys don't need your help. Some of the very good ones live a luxury life in and bought and paid for luxury home. It is just a way to make some big money to them. Tax Free to, I suppose, and if they can get away with it. If he can average $1 a minute outside of a busy Liquor Store, that is a pretty good Tax Free Wage for the day.

[smotherb]

10 hours ago, swissie said:

Young Americans ? All 37 Credit Cards "maxed-out" ? Quality tourists, for sure.

Cheers.

" . . . TWO sets of Foreign Individuals (I think they were either Australian or coming from Europe) . . . "

 

Maybe Swiss, eh?

[steven100]

Seems they are from the UK.  Let them be ....   not hurting anyone.

[lemonjelly]

Crap street music to illicit small change from passers by..... crap thread topic to  illicit replies from us, we'll pass you by.

[Kwasaki]

Thailand's problem not yours just walk on by. 

[bkkgriz]

53 minutes ago, smotherb said:

" . . . TWO sets of Foreign Individuals (I think they were either Australian or coming from Europe) . . . "

 

Maybe Swiss, eh?

 

Hey, never miss a chance to bash America or Americans. I mean the OP did mention a country that begins with A, no need to read further. 

[puffy]

Busking like this is very common in all major cities. While in London last year, on the South bank, the whole place was teeming with buskers.

They do no harm and often add to the ambiance of the place.

Their biggest crime in the view of some people on this site is being young.

[Katipo]

I wouldn't call it begging. The first has a little business, as many Thais do. In the foreigners case it's illegal. But then, when has the legality of something ever stopped people in Thailand from doing it.

The other is a busker. Guessing also illegal, but again, who cares.

 

Doing either activity to finance travel is fine by me, as long as they are not actively annoying passers by.

[Suradit69]

17 hours ago, JayBird said:

they were either Australian or coming from Europe

Maybe they were Australians coming from Europe 

 

17 hours ago, allane said:

Hey, let's give credit where it is due. If something motivated them to get off of Facebook long enough to do something productive, that is a good thing, not a bad thing.

And at least they didn't come here on holiday while pretending to teach English.

[Time Traveller]

Selling things = begging? 

Do tell JayBird what fascist communist wierdo country do you come from to have such dumba$$ beliefs ? Or are you just a Bernie Sanders supporter who want welfare freebies instead of working ?

[JayBird]

47 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Thailand's problem not yours just walk on by. 

I did just walk by. I thought it was interesting and unusual so thought I would share. And was curious if this is actually common or not.

 

Since they are not doing any harm in not bothered by it at all.

[JayBird]

6 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

Selling things = begging? 

Do tell JayBird what fascist communist wierdo country do you come from to have such dumba$$ beliefs ? Or are you just a Bernie Sanders supporter who want welfare freebies instead of working ?

their sign said something to the effect of raising money to pay for their travels.

 

playing music with a water jug is not selling.

 

a cloth on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign does not a store make.

 

fascism is the opposite of socialism

 

the content of your reply otherwise makes no sense to an inquiry of the norm of this behavior in Bangkok today.

 

 

[ResandePohm]

1 hour ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

Then I guess you missed Amsterdam in the late 80's when this was quite common.

 

Is it Begging? Well technically it isn't! As long as he is not asking for money and there is no law which prevents someone from sitting down, even on a street corner, and playing a guitar with his hat off, then he is not breaking any laws. If someone decides to throw some money in his hat, then up-to-them.

 

But even though we all know that technically it isn't Begging, we all know it is. What gets me is when they bring some small kid along, and dress them in rags. There should be a law against that, but to my knowledge there isn't.

 

I don't mind helping a family in need, but most of these guys don't need your help. Some of the very good ones live a luxury life in and bought and paid for luxury home. It is just a way to make some big money to them. Tax Free to, I suppose, and if they can get away with it. If he can average $1 a minute outside of a busy Liquor Store, that is a pretty good Tax Free Wage for the day.

Technically it isn't begging. It is called Busking and is common throughout Europe. It is often found in subways and open squares and is usually very enjoyable and of a high standard. I take my hat of to young people who can work their way around the world in this manner

[little mary sunshine]

Go back to your home country and

stop embarrassing yourself. 

[TheFishman1]

Thought that was for Thais only hope they had a work permit TIT

[Kwasaki]

18 minutes ago, JayBird said:

And was curious if this is actually common or not.

Seen it quite a bit with Thais begging in various places, only seen foreigners down and out a few times in Phuket & Pattaya but not begging. 

 

A funny story for me was my wife and l were in this market area forget where, this cute little Thai girl about 5yr came up to me and put on the best hungry face ever holding her hand out begging, my wife said straight away go away, no want etc, and told me don't give her anything right,  then turned away to look at the market stall,  softy me passed a 10 bath coin craftily to the little girl she ran off delighted, l felt good,  within 2 mins or so there was about 8 to 10 kids heading towards us.   my wife was not pleased, a lesson learnt for me.

[GOLDBUGGY]

36 minutes ago, ResandePohm said:

Technically it isn't begging. It is called Busking and is common throughout Europe. It is often found in subways and open squares and is usually very enjoyable and of a high standard. I take my hat of to young people who can work their way around the world in this manner

I would rather they went back to school and then got a job like the rest of us. But? Each to their own I guess.

[AhFarangJa]

12 hours ago, JayBird said:

One day I may just give this Facebook thing a looksey.

 

Don't !!!! Whatever you do, just Don't !!!!!!!!!!      

[billd766]

1 hour ago, bkkgriz said:

Hey, never miss a chance to bash America or Americans. I mean the OP did mention a country that begins with A, no need to read further. 

 

But America is actually the United States of America.

 

Perhaps it was one of these countries that DO start with A.

 

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

[speckio]

back packers who ran out of money?

[maxcorrigan]

31 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

Thought that was for Thais only hope they had a work permit TIT

Ah i was wondering when the work permit note would crop up, 24 posts and you made it, well done Sir!