Promises deportation of destitute,
mentally ill foreigners
Publicity over the
growing number of Thai and foreign homeless on Pattaya’s streets finally
has prompted city officials to convene a committee to address the
problem.
Warunya Thongrod
Publicity over the growing number of Thai and foreign
homeless on Pattaya’s streets finally has prompted city officials to
convene a committee to address the problem.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh chaired the March 6
city hall session attended by Chonburi Immigration Police, Chonburi’s
Social Development and Human Security Office and Banglamung Hospital.
The goal of the meeting was how to handle not only vagrants, but the
mentally ill wandering the streets.
Officials noted the problem is not an easy one to get
a handle on because Thai law does not allow the state to arrest or
commit people to shelters simply for being homeless. Unless they are
minors or certifiably mentally ill, they cannot be forcibly removed from
the streets if they don’t want to go.
In the case of those under 18, however, Nong Plalai’s
Baan Mitmaitree shelter officials said they would start accepting
homeless minors. In order to remove older homeless people from the
streets, however, the subjects will have to sign a consent form that
they agree to be placed in shelters.
Foreigners, however, are a different story.
Immigration officials said any homeless nationals from Cambodia, Laos or
Myanmar will be deported immediately. Those from other countries will be
deported after verifying their passports and other documentation with
their embassies.
Handling mentally ill or unstable homeless people is
more complicated, officials agreed. Banglamung Hospital executives said
they are having increasing difficulty in sending patients for therapy.
Ronakit said another meeting with executives from Banglamung, Chonburi
and Sakaew hospitals would be needed.
The deputy mayor said the suggested plan is to treat
mentally disturbed patients with medication until cured, placing some in
Baan Mitmaitree to be cared for if needed.
Again, however, authorities would simply wash their
hands of any problem with foreigners, obtaining medical certifications
that they are mentally ill and then deport them back to their home
countries, immigration police officials said.
