Begging for change: Bangkok business plea as Middle Eastern beggars disrupt Soi 4 harmony
Business operators urged the Thai police to arrest nearly 30 foreign beggars from Middle Eastern countries who have been begging and causing a public nuisance in Soi 4 near Nana Plaza in Bangkok for the past two months.
Bangkok is home to not only rich Chinese beggars but also scroungers and vagrants from the Middle East region. Business owners near Nana called on Channel 7 to bring the issue to the public’s attention so that the police could take serious action. They have lodged complaints multiple times, but no action has been taken.
Shopkeepers and restaurant owners in Soi Nana reported that foreign beggars have been soliciting in the area for over two months. Posing as customers, they enter every shop and demand money from real customers.
Some shopkeepers have noted that the foreign beggars also demand money from them, causing annoyance and adversely affecting their business. The persistent actions of these beggars have led some customers to leave the establishments due to disruptive behaviour.
The begging gang reportedly has at least 30 members and they often come to beg in families, with their children. Locals questioned how the group could stay in Thailand for so long and what kind of visas they had.
Channel 7 showed a video of a foreign woman trying to close the door to prevent the foreign beggar from entering. The woman told the beggar to leave and stay away from her shop.
Another video showed a beggar’s family gathering in Soi 4 near Nana Plaza and making a lot of noise. The Thai netizen who shared the video claimed that two groups of foreign beggars fought over begging spots.
Other netizens stated in the comment session that they saw these foreign beggars at shopping malls like Terminal 21 and Siam Paragon as well.
In the latest update on the arrest of Chinese beggars, Thai PBS reported that officers managed to arrest seven of them and fined them between 100 and 500 baht each. The media reported that all the Chinese beggars had entered Thailand legally during the free visa campaign. They were later deported and banned from entering Thailand for 10 years.
According to police, three other Chinese beggars are still at large. Officers are looking for them and the other suspects behind the operation.
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