Pattaya’s persistent peddlers: Foreign flower sellers annoy tourists
Reports have emerged once more on May 26 of a troublesome trend in Pattaya: foreigners with young children in tow, struggling to speak Thai, are pestering tourists by aggressively hawking flowers and candies.
Despite polite refusals, these persistent peddlers continue to follow potential customers, even tugging at their arms, creating a significant nuisance for holidaymakers.
Witnesses have also reported groups of beggars, both local and foreign, positioning themselves strategically along bustling tourist hotspots such as Walking Street and Soi Buakhao. These beggars, often accompanied by very young children, appeal to passersby for spare change, adding to the city’s growing problem.
Regular patrols and crackdowns by authorities seem to have little impact, as these foreign individuals mysteriously reappear, continuing to sell their wares and beg for money at various locations around the city, reported Pattaya Mail.
This ongoing issue casts a shadow over the effectiveness of current measures aimed at curbing such activities.
In related news, Bangkok police detained a 31 year old man in connection with a series of flower thefts at Pak Khlong market late April. The suspect apprehended at the entrance to Klong Toey Community, has confessed to the crimes, admitting to four instances of theft. The operation led by the Deputy Chief of the Pak Khlong Talat Police and his team followed the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Criminal Court on April 26.
In other news, in a dramatic incident that captivated social media and sparked intense debate, three British tourists were violently assaulted by contracted guards following a heated argument over a bill on Pattaya Soi 6. The Pattaya police said there was nothing they could do about the brutal assault on the British men unless they came forward and lodged a complaint. The Brit who was kicked in the head came forward and filed a complaint with Pattaya Police on Thursday.
