Benjamin Holse, who suffers with a form of
macrodystrophia lipomatosa, a gigantism disorder that typically resulted
in him having a swollen-looking, abnormally large leg, will be deported
after spending money he earned begging on booze and prostitutes.
Boonlua Chatree
A physically impaired German beggar who blew 40,000 baht in
donations on hookers and booze in Pattaya was thrown in immigration jail
until he could be deported.
Benjamin Holse, 29, fueled an Internet scandal by getting photographed
and video recorded several times posing for photographs and wandering
drunk through Walking Street Sept. 25-26, just days after the Tourist
Police in Bangkok came to his aid after being photographed begging on
Khao San Road.
Holse is apparently afflicted with a form of macrodystrophia lipomatosa,
a gigantism disorder that typically resulted in him having a
swollen-looking, abnormally large leg. He told people he started begging
three weeks ago after losing his passport and money.
His plight went viral on the Twitter and Facebook and the donations
began rolling in. The Tourist Police arranged an appointment at the
German Embassy for Sept. 28 to arrange a flight home. But Holse
disappeared, only to reappear in online photos and videos in Pattaya.
He was begging again, this time on Beach Road near the site of the old
pier. Tourist Police took him into custody, but released him after
arranging a hotel for him for the night.
Motorcycle-taxi drivers near the mouth of Walking Street said he
approached them the evening of Sept. 23, asking for helps to acquire the
services of a prostitute. To show he was serious, he flashed 40,000 baht
in donations from Bangkok residents. However, Holse turned up his nose
at the women the motorcycle drivers got for him, and he wandered down
Walking Street to find his own trouble.
A Pattaya Mail reporter found him drunk and posing for “celebrity”
photos at a bar. Patrons there said he bragged of getting all the free
cash and said the money came from “stupid Thais” who were idiotic enough
to donate.
By the end of the night, he had only 7,000 of the 40,000 baht he came to
town with. So, the next day, he was back on the street, soliciting more
cash.
This time, immigration police got involved, arresting him on
visa-violation charges. He was transferred to the Immigration Detention
Center in Bangkok and was scheduled for deportation.
