Immigration police arrested foreign beggars annoying tourists in downtown Pattaya.
Cambodians Poy, 58, Sompon, 68, Nee, 43, and Jie, 42, were scooped up in the police sweep along Second Road March 7. No surnames were provided. All were found to lack proper visas and processed for deportation.
Pattaya’s beggar problem has not subsided with the reopening of the city. Despite efforts by social welfare organizations to move beggars to homeless shelters and police to crack down on trafficking gangs, it’s still easy to find people begging in the city. Police said human-trafficking gangs pair women with young, unrelated children to elicit sympathy and cash from tourists.
In a campaign to stop the influx of beggars coming into the city, Pattaya-Nongprue municipality in cooperation with Social Welfare and Human Development Ministry and the Chonburi Protection Center for the Destitute are requesting the communities to stop giving money to beggars.
At the same time authorities have also asked citizens to be on the lookout for any activities involving human trafficking, be they children or adults. Anyone knowing of or seeing such criminal activities can inform the authorities by calling Tel. 1300.
