Giving to beggars

[Some Guy From Seattle]

As soon as I arrived at BKK airport I was hit up for $10 (U.S.) from a Brit who said he fell asleep and someone stole his bags and his passport and now he needed to get to his embassy, but he didn't have any money. He even had a "police report" which was conveniently written in Thai. I almost started to believe him until a bottle of rum fell out of his back pocket. Welcome to Bangkok, I said to myself.

Side Note: I just love seeing beggers hide the $ they receive from people so it looks like the have "earned" little to no $.

I usually only give leftover food to bummies.

[Killing Me Softly 101]

There was a beggar at a freeway exit in LA. Sigh said, "Need Money to buy beer."
I threw him a cold one. He was grateful.
I like honesty. He drank it on the spot.

[robitusson]

Originally Posted by Loxley

...why do a small percentage of the poor go begging in farang districts and the rest of them just get on with life?

If I do give to beggars it'd almost always be away from Farang areas.

[cluezo]

There needs to be an official Beggar's ID card issued to every qualified beggar. Card pinned to their shirt. No card-no bhat...gotta a card, gotta a bhat. Simple.

[Killing Me Softly 101]

Would they beg for the card? If so how since they don't have a card.

Would the Beggars Card look like a TL, a WP, a DL, or an ID card?

Would foreigners be allowed to get a card or would it be a protected category of work the would be excluded to foreigners like architecture?

Would hill tribe people who are not Thai but born in Thailand, be allowed to have the card if the stay in tourist villages and would the card be revoked if they moved out of designated areas?

Would there be a separate agency or ministry created to administer the card?

Would persons using this card have to report to said agency every 90 days and be charged a fine if they forget or could they beg the appropriate agency for forgiveness even though they don't have a valid card?

Could the card be extended, bent, folded, spindled. or mutilated?

If one is qualified in one province would the card be valid in another? If one has a home country Begging Card, would this help in qualify them here?

Oh so many questions.

[Piece Train]

I'm sometimes reminded of the song by Everlast called "What It's Like"...
We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin for yourchange
the hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
he asks a man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
"get a job you fucking slob" is all he replied.
God forbid you ever had to walk mile in his shoes
cos then you really might know what its like to sing the blues
then you really might know what its like (what its like) X4

...

Iv seen a rich man beg, Iv seen a good man sin, Iv seen a toughman cry
Iv seen a loser win and a sad man grin I heard an honest manlie
Iv seen the good side of bad and the down side of up andeverything between
I licked the silver spoon, drank from the golden cup and smokedthe finest green
I Stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times before Ibroke their hearts
you know where it is yo, it usually depends on where you start.
I knew this kid named max who used to get fat stacks out on thecorner with drugs
he liked to hang out late, he liked to get shit faced and keep apace with thugs
untill late one night there was a big gun fight and max lost hishead
he pulled out his crome .45 talked some shit and wound up dead
now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of thispain
you know it crumbles that way, at least thats what they say whenyou play the game
god forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
then you really might know whats its like to have to lose
and then you really might know what its like (what its like)
then you really might know what its like (what its like)
then you really might know what its like (what its like)
to have to lose.

...


or Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise"...

She calls out to the man on the street
sir, can you help me?
Its cold and Ive nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?
He walks on, doesnt look back
He pretends he cant hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh think twice, its another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, its just another day for you,
You and me in paradise
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see shes been crying
Shes got blisters on the soles of her feet
Cant walk but shes trying
Oh think twice...
Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that shes been there
Probably been moved on from every place
cos she didnt fit in there
Oh think twice...

...sometimes that's when the Cross or the Corps step in...

[Guy Mandude]

Originally Posted by Loxley

I give to Nuns, monks, blind and disabled people....what about you?

Have you seen the "new" monks who are very aggressive panhandlers? They usually wear large beads on their robes - I don't know if they're Chinese or not - and carry a covered brass offering cup. I've never seen a Thai monk act this way...

[yorkshirefarang]

Don't give them money but I will go in the 7 11 and buy them some water or pop. If I'm eating something on the move as I often do I'll give them a sandwhich or the rest of my snap

[DontTaserMeDude]

Originally Posted by Killing Me Softly 101

Would they beg for the card? If so how since they don't have a card.

Thats hilarious, KMS101.

I always give to beggars because I was one myself. I know how it feels.

[Killing Me Softly 101]

Originally Posted by Guy Mandude

Have you seen the "new" monks who are very aggressive panhandlers?

I was eating in a restaurant a week ago and one came inside the farang restaurant and practically assaulted me with the alms bowl. Now I do take a bucket of stuff sometimes to the temple or drop a sip baht note in the box, and when I lived in Bangkok when my soi had the money trees, I would put 50 baht on it (they also had a school) but this was ridiculous. So I shooed him away with an ungracious had gesture. A few monks have kicked out of the mookhood locally over this.

[LeedsLeedsLeeds]

The behaviour of the monk is totally unacceptable as alms are to be offered, not asked for. Also, unless you were eating breakfast he was breaking another of his rules as no food is to be begged for or consumed after mid-day.

[Guy Mandude]

Originally Posted by LeedsLeedsLeeds

The behaviour of the monk is totally unacceptable as alms are to be offered, not asked for. Also, unless you were eating breakfast he was breaking another of his rules as no food is to be begged for or consumed after mid-day.

Thanks for letting me know the decorum related to soliciting alms - I'm oblivious to it all, but I do react to it. I don't think these are "real" Thai monks, but every beggar has to have a "gimmick," chai mai?

There's one I call the "human mop." You've all seen him or one of his proteges. He appears to be missing a leg, wears filthy black pants and black shirt, and is completely stretched out on the street, pulling himself along about 4 inches at a time, pushing his beggar's bowl in front of his arm. I've seen him and variations usually around the Nana...

[jananya]

It only fair to giv to poor people. Make you better person.

[phuketbound]

I don't find that there are a lot of beggars in Thailand, after being to Cambodia. A lot of monks in Cambodia will ask for money, but it is usually to enter a temple.

[Piece Train]

Originally Posted by LeedsLeedsLeeds

The behaviour of the monk is totally unacceptable as alms are to be offered, not asked for. Also, unless you were eating breakfast he was breaking another of his rules as no food is to be begged for or consumed after mid-day.

The only time I've ever given anything to a monk directly is when they came by my school with large bags and we were to give merit. Other than that, I've never seen them out on the street or in public begging...

I have also seen them go door-to-door collecting merit from homedwellers. Perhaps these donations are not for them, but for the disadvantaged who cannot afford them, or so I am told...