
People's Party MP for Bangkok, Bhuntin Noumjerm, is calling for the government to deal with foreign beggars in the Asok-Nana area after most were found to have brought children with them to make more money.
Mr Bhuntin yesterday gave a statement regarding the issue of foreign child beggars near the Asok and Nana intersections, especially at the foot of the two BTS stations.
He urged the government to investigate the matter, given the growing number of cases.
He said surveys by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) and his on-site study found that the number of panhandlers in the area continues to increase and that the beggars often bring along infants, some as young as one month old, to draw sympathy.
Relevant agencies have been notified about the matter, but action was taken superficially, he said.
Mr Bhuntin said most of these foreign child beggars are Cambodians. They were accompanied by elderly individuals who claimed to be the children's blood-related guardians, such as their grandmothers or aunts.
He suggested that authorities might need to conduct DNA tests to confirm whether the adults and children they were seen with have a biological relationship.
However, he warned that bringing children to solicit violates the beggar and solicitation laws, regardless of whether the adults and minors are related.
Mr Bhuntin added that there have also been complaints about public safety, citing reports of tourists being pickpocketed or having their valuables snatched by beggars.
Sometimes, children were used in the operation to pressure pedestrians to give money.
Mr Bhuntin noted these beggars might have entered Thailand illegally or overstayed their three-month visas.
He said many of these beggars operate as part of organised networks, earning daily incomes of 2,000-3,000 baht and using high-end smartphones in some cases.