Hua Lamphong shuts out homeless at night

[rooster59]

Hua Lamphong shuts out homeless at night

By THE SUNDAY NATION

 

Passengers wait for trains at Hua Lamphong railway station yesterday beside a notice by railway officials banning homeless people from staying there overnight.

 

IN A BID to prevent homeless people from sleeping inside Hua Lamphong train station at night, the State Railway Authority (SRT) last week strictly enforced an order to close the railway hub for three and a half hours.

 

The station in Pathumwan district will be closed from 11.30pm to 3am every day after the last night train departs Hua Lamphong.

 

A joint effort by the SRT and the Ministry of Social Welfare and Human Security aims to tackle the problem of homeless people and beggars using the railway station overnight. The SRT also aims to upgrade the station to international standard.

 

Passengers waiting to catch pre-dawn trains must register at a counter in front of the station with their ID cards. After registration, the passengers will be allowed to wait outside on the footpath in front of the station.

 

Railway police will be deployed around the clock to ensure security.

 

The move caused resentment among some passengers who were unaware of the new measure, as well as homeless people who regularly sleep there at night. 

 

Some passengers who were not allowed to enter the station after 11.30pm criticised the measure on social media.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30310290

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-26

[steven100]

well they should provide a bus shelter or similar for them to stay at.

[edwinchester]

So Railway Police will be keeping security outside of the Railway Station.

One wonders why they cannot do that inside the Railway Station so that farepaying passengers waiting an early train do not have to wait outside on the pavement? Or am I missing something?

[fruitman]

9 hours ago, steven100 said:

well they should provide a bus shelter or similar for them to stay at.

 

Why don't they go to the temple to sleep?

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

IN A BID to prevent homeless people from sleeping inside Hua Lamphong train station at night

No doubt the homeless aren't celebrating Thailand's improved Happiness Index.

[ableguy]

Being home less can happen to anyone, in the USA so many people live by their monthly cheque that losing a job through no fault of their own can put them on the streets in a few weeks, I know I have met them.

myself I moved to the USA from the UK at age of thirty as a green card holder, I saved like crazy until I had enough money stashed to live for a year, I did not buy my  first house until I had enough money stashed to survive and pay the mortgage for two years, stood me in good stead even though I was a high wage earner.

in Thailand the difference of being homeless or not is having a job where you live hand to mouth on a daily basis or being unemployed. Sadly in this country with very little social welfare not all street sleepers are drug addicts or alcoholics, it's simply living in a third world country that denies being third world, I never heard them brag about being the hub of third world for the homeless.

 

 

[steven100]

13 hours ago, fruitman said:

 

Why don't they go to the temple to sleep?

maybe the monks are playing cards so they can't sleep there

[ableguy]

On 3/27/2017 at 4:23 AM, steven100 said:

maybe the monks are playing cards so they can't sleep there

No too expensive.

[rak sa_ngop]

I think the problem started when they sealed off all the windows and installed aircon about 5 years ago.

 

Hua Lamphong station became a nice cool spot to spend the night!

[impulse]

Are there any toilets in Hua Lamphong other than the pay toilets, and are they open at all hours?

 

I could foresee a big odor problem if the toilet attendants knock off and lock up, leaving a bunch of people overnight with no facilities.

 

I'm not sure the solution at hand is the best one, though...