The Thai Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is set to launch a nationwide campaign this Friday aimed at discouraging the public from giving money to beggars. The initiative, which comes in response to the growing number of beggars across the country, seeks to shift public perceptions and address the root causes of the issue.
The campaign’s launch event will take place at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in the Pathumwan district, featuring a coalition of organizations including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), the Immigration Bureau, and the Mirror Foundation. These groups, along with other advocates, will participate in spreading the campaign’s message through the distribution of multilingual pamphlets at key locations such as the Pathumwan Intersection and along Rama I and Phaya Thai Roads. The pamphlets will be available in Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Cambodian to ensure the message reaches a broad audience.
The primary objective of the campaign is to raise public awareness about the increasing beggar population in Thailand and to promote regulatory and legal measures to manage the situation. The campaign also aims to change the public’s attitude toward giving money to beggars, a practice that officials argue often exacerbates the problem by enabling illegal activities and human trafficking.
“We need to change mindsets,” stated Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development. “While giving money to beggars is often seen as an act of kindness, it can lead to unintended consequences, including the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.”
Recent data from the ministry highlights the urgency of the issue. A survey conducted during the current fiscal year identified 506 beggars nationwide, marking a 20% increase compared to the previous year. Among these, 331 were Thai nationals, with nearly a quarter classified as repeat offenders. The highest concentrations of beggars were found in Bangkok and major tourist destinations such as Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Lop Buri, while nine provinces reported no beggars, including Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Satun, Nakhon Phanom, Lampang, Phetchaburi, Nan, and Phang Nga.
Between October 2014 and July of this year, the ministry recorded a total of 7,635 beggars, with 65% being Thai citizens and the remainder foreign nationals. The majority of these individuals were concentrated in major urban centers and tourist areas, particularly in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Chiang Mai.
The campaign is part of the government’s broader efforts to address the beggar issue and protect those at risk of exploitation and involvement in illegal activities. The event will be attended by various officials and representatives from the participating organizations, underscoring the collaborative nature of this initiative.