Stop giving to beggars, says foundation
Young kids 'are being exploited' by gang lords
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1 ... foundation
* Published: 27/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News
At least a thousand child beggars will be off the streets within a year if kind-hearted but misguided people stop giving them money, the Mirror Foundation says.
Witanapat Rutanavaleepong, head of the foundation's ''Stop Child Begging Project'', said 80% of young beggars, from newborn babies to 12-year-olds, came from Cambodia.
The rest are stateless children mostly from Mae Sot district of Tak, Thai natives from the northeastern region, and other nationalities such as Burmese.
''[If people] stop giving money out of pity for them for just one year the number of young beggars would drop by at least 1,000,'' Mr Witanapat said.
''The youngest case [we have seen] is a 10-day-old baby.''
One out of three child beggars are being exploited, he told a seminar on Sunday supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The talks were aimed at promoting a campaign to bring a halt to the practice of using children to make money for unscrupulous gang leaders.
''When you give them money, they will respond with a wai (Thai greeting) and say thanks. It is not a way of making a merit as many think. But it is supporting the sinful business
[of exploitation].''So, we have to adjust the attitude of people.''
Young Cambodian beggars are usually accompanied by their parents, relatives or agents when they enter the country illegally by the eastern line train (Aranyaprathet to Bangkok) or by van.
Social Development and Human Security Vice-minister Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak said young beggars could be found everywhere in Bangkok _ especially at department stores, flyovers and fresh markets.
He said child beggars were often the victims of human trafficking.
The foundation also revealed that children begged from eight to 12 hours a day, earning between 300 and 1,000 baht.
Most can be seen at business zones in Bangkok and in front of large department stores, skytrain stations and along the footpaths of Sukhumvit Road from Soi 3 to 12.
Somjit Tantivanichanon, superintendent of the Nonthaburi Reception Home for Destitute, said more than 2,893 2,800 foreign mothers and their children have been sent to the home since 2005.
Most came from Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, which borders Sa Kaeo in Thailand's east.
Of those, 1,157 had been repatriated, while 1,724 people who were found to be victims of human trafficking were sent to the Immigration Police Bureau for further legal action.
''Over 53% of them are the old faces while the remaining 47% are newcomers,'' she said.
''All of them have the same purpose _ to find money.''
Police spokeswoman Sunshine Ratanapanich said there were two groups of beggars _ those willing to enter the country and those who were victims of human trafficking.
Repatriation is provided to those who willingly enter the country to beg.
Victims of exploitation are sent to support organisations for rehabilitating and then repatriated to their home country.
''To stop giving money to children might lead to possible violence, but maybe it is worthwhile to reduce the number of them entering this begging circle,'' she said.
Sirisopa Teansamruey, a social worker at the Kredtrakarn Protection and Occupational Development Centre, said children are not only exploited to work as beggars but also driven into forced labour and prostitution.
