Stretching for change: Foreign yogi beggar sought near Bangkok’s Mor Chit BTS station

Human Security Emergency Management Center (HuSEC) officers are searching for a foreign beggar who showed off his yoga skills for money near Mor Chit BTS Station in Bangkok .

Pictures of a foreign beggar seeking money to travel back to his home country went viral on Thai social media this week. The foreign man in the pictures was seen wearing elephant-patterned pants and a yellow T-shirt and performing several yoga gestures on the footpath. A sign in Thai nearby read…

“I want money 20 baht or more for a plane ticket back home. Thank you.”

Channel 7 reported that the foreign man sat and performed yoga at the spot on January 30. Many other Thai beggars also chose the spot because it is always crowded with people commuting to work.

Thai netizens shared their opinions on the foreign beggar saying he might be a backpacker who traveled on a budget or lost his wallet and could not afford to return to his home country.

Others complained about his begging, saying he was taking advantage of Thai people’s kindness. They added that Thai people have to submit financial documents and apply for visas before entering European countries or the US, so foreigners visiting Thailand should also have a stable financial status.

The Minister of Social Development and Human Security, Varawut Silpa-archa, thanked the Thai news agencies for reporting and informing him about the foreign beggar. He ordered HuSEC officers to visit the site and find the foreign man for questioning.

The HuSEC officers went to the scene yesterday, January 31, but did not find the foreign beggar. Vendors in the area reported to officers that officers from the City Law Office warned the foreign man several times to stop begging but he ignored the warning and came to the spot to beg for a few days before his story went viral.

Varawut stated that the foreign man violated the Begging Control Act, and officers would continue to search for the man and notify the Immigration Department for further legal action.

Varawut added that the law did not comply only with the foreign beggar. HuSEC officers were able to arrest three Thai beggars at the scene during the investigation and the ministry would continue questioning and filing charges against them.

เมื่อเช้าได้รับรายงานว่ามีการพบเห็นชาวต่างชาติมานั่งขอทานอยู่ที่ป้ายรถเมล์หมอชิตหลังจากรับทราบ ผมได้ประสานไปยังศูนย์ศรส.เพื่อประสานงานส่งทีมเคลื่อนที่เร็วเข้าไปในพื้นที่เพื่อตรวจสอบเหตุดังกล่าว#วราวุธรับฟังทำจริง#พี่ลูกท็อป#ขอทานต่างชาติ pic.twitter.com/oopvs9NIHq

— ท็อป วราวุธ ศิลปอาชา (@TopVarawut) January 31, 2024