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Part of your admittance to Thailand is that you have means to support yourself. If you're not Thai, and you got no money, see ya. As the other part of the admittance is that you need an onward/departure ticket.
It's a 'chicken or the egg' problem. There wouldn't be people giving money to beggars if there were no beggars in the first place.
Its not a chicken or egg problem since that is a 'what came first' problem. The beggar can only possibly have come first, all that time ago, since someone can't possibly have been giving money to someone that wasn't there. Someone decided to sit on his ass and try his luck. Just like these idiots. Now I suppose it is a little more like that, since its a how to solve it problem. I was in Phuket a few months ago and didnt see anyone begging, the thais certainly dont.
Shame the fine wasnt bigger, $15 is hardly a deterrent. They should be deported.
While I agree that they need to fund their own travels, if people are willingly giving them money then so be it. They're not stealing, so what's the real crime? We shouldn't be making laws against stuff because it's annoying... That's a slippery slope.
Societies make laws against things like this (that aren't stealing but are annoying) because they affect the society as a whole in a negative way.
For example if a large group of panhandlers set up right outside the entrance to a wall of ATMs in whatever city USA, that is something society finds unacceptable because people feel intimidated and unable to freely conduct their personal business. The people as a whole suffer because of the actions of those few panhandlers.
In this case they aren't performing the function of tourists. Thailand accepts foreign tourists into their country and provides a tourist infrastructure because tourists come and spend money to contribute to their economy. Folks like this aren't doing anything to contribute to Thailand, the only way they affect the balance is some money from other tourists goes to them instead of to the local beggar with no legs up the block.
Societies make laws against things like this (that aren't stealing but are annoying) because they affect the society as a whole in a negative way.
For example if a large group of panhandlers set up right outside the entrance to a wall of ATMs in whatever city USA, that is something society finds unacceptable because people feel intimidated and unable to freely conduct their personal business. The people as a whole suffer because of the actions of those few panhandlers.
In this case they aren't performing the function of tourists. Thailand accepts foreign tourists into their country and provides a tourist infrastructure because tourists come and spend money to contribute to their economy. Folks like this aren't doing anything to contribute to Thailand, the only way they affect the balance is some money from other tourists goes to them instead of to the local beggar with no legs up the block.
It's amazing isn't it? People think foreign countries all are governed by the US Bill of Rights or something and there laws are created by some old white guy in Washington DC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianGC
While I agree that they need to fund their own travels, if people are willingly giving them money then so be it. They're not stealing, so what's the real crime? We shouldn't be making laws against stuff because it's annoying... That's a slippery slope.
We? who is we?
Thailand is a monarchy ruled by a military junta. The laws there are whatever they want it to be, not what YOU want it to be from the comfort of your american living room couch. If they say begging is a crime, it's a crime. Thailand, the government, police, and people, love tourists because they bring money, if this tourist changes from being a resource to there country to a leach, then expect them to enjoy there travels from a Thai jail. Thailand is a poor country, incomes are low, they are doing harm to the economy when they choose to leach in a country that struggles to provide services for it's own citizens.
Regardless, anti pan-handling laws are on the books of many countries including the US.
It's amazing isn't it? People think foreign countries all are governed by the US Bill of Rights or something and there laws are created by some old white guy in Washington DC.
We? who is we?
Thailand is a monarchy ruled by a military junta. The laws there are whatever they want it to be, not what YOU want it to be from the comfort of your american living room couch. If they say begging is a crime, it's a crime. Thailand, the government, police, and people, love tourists because they bring money, if this tourist changes from being a resource to there country to a leach, then expect them to enjoy there travels from a Thai jail. Thailand is a poor country, incomes are low, they are doing harm to the economy when they choose to leach in a country that struggles to provide services for it's own citizens.
Regardless, anti pan-handling laws are on the books of many countries including the US.
My post was referring to "we" as a society in general as a discussion point in regards to making things that are annoying illegal. I never said *I* should dictate laws of Thailand, nor did I say US laws apply to other countries...some of you C-D folk need to calm down on those high horses before responding lol. Hell I even said the begpackers should fund their own travels; I guess I should've specified through non-mooching methods.
The fact still remains that if no one was giving these begpackers money, they wouldn't exist. If people actually want them to go away, then, wait for it....individuals need to stop giving to them. The concept/fad would then die off if people would stop taking the bait.
Last edited by BrianGC; 08-27-2018 at 02:17 PM..
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