bust Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Just curious as to where people draw the line with beggars. I remember the first time I was in LOS about 12 years ago, I convinced myself that if I gave to one, I should give to all, so not willing to be continually putting my hand in my pocket every few feet I didn't give anyone a single baht. Nowdays I always give to the blind people that walk along singing through those speakers. Not sure if the batteries are going flat in most cases or that's just the style. I see it as singing for your supper. But the guy who drags himself along lower Suk or the people on the stairs see nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 My wife has firm set of rules, 2 hands 2 feet and can walk unassisted, dont give money, they could work. (To bad if they suffer from mental health issues), chidren, dont give money EVER, Elephant, big, sooft feet, city road bad, dont give money DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Dog. spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 She also said I was as fat as a elephant and also had shitty feet DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAT_AUSSIE Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I used to buy this old blind guy in Uttaradit a can of iced coffee whenever I saw him sitting near the 7-11 flogging his recorder. It was funny to see him suss what the thud in his bowl was. He worked it out quick that everytime he got an Iced coffee that it was the farang again. Fatty... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preahko Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I use the same principle I used to use in the US: I give money to beggars who are musicians (including singers), period. I can't give money to everyone, so I choose my own criteria and stick to it. my rationale (which of course only has to make sense to me) is that they are out there working for a living by bringing some music into my day (I may not always like that music, but hey...), and I compensate them for that. preahko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YimSiam Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 A musician in the NYC subway who's making my wait more interesting, sure. The blind guys with the echoing speaker? No way. I give at the office, and I don't give on the street in Thailand or anywhere (musician-types as above excepted, bargirls excepted, drug addicts occasionally excepted). Once YOU know you're not going to give, THEY know you're not going to give, and they leave you alone. In Asia, none of the money is going to the beggars anyway, no matter how unfortunate they may be, that plastic cup and whatever's in it belongs to a mafia, not the beggar. Indian cities drive this point home better than anywhere - that guy with his hands and feet bent backward who hasn't bothered to get treatment for the leprosy that caused his nose to fall off is just the latest sales pitch by the beggar mafia, who will only stop mutilating people and discouraging leprosy treatment when the money's no good. There's a beggar woman in the city I live in now, I've seen her around for at least five years, always with an infant baby in her arms, less than a year old. Have I ever seen her pregnant? No. It's a scam, they just keep sending her out with new babies. (When she sees me, she just says hello, no begging, but she nails tourists to the wall). On the other hand, it's good for your karma to be a giver, so might as well throw a few coins in the cup. It's the intention, not the effect... YimSiam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I've never been able to figure out my wife's criteria, but it comes down to she pretty much gives to most. What I notice is the beggars out of the farang gehtto do much better... TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooNoi Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 A musician in the NYC subway who's making my wait more interesting, sure. The blind guys with the echoing speaker? No way. I give at the office, and I don't give on the street in Thailand or anywhere (musician-types as above excepted, bargirls excepted, drug addicts occasionally excepted). Once YOU know you're not going to give, THEY know you're not going to give, and they leave you alone. In Asia, none of the money is going to the beggars anyway, no matter how unfortunate they may be, that plastic cup and whatever's in it belongs to a mafia, not the beggar. Indian cities drive this point home better than anywhere - that guy with his hands and feet bent backward who hasn't bothered to get treatment for the leprosy that caused his nose to fall off is just the latest sales pitch by the beggar mafia, who will only stop mutilating people and discouraging leprosy treatment when the money's no good. There's a beggar woman in the city I live in now, I've seen her around for at least five years, always with an infant baby in her arms, less than a year old. Have I ever seen her pregnant? No. It's a scam, they just keep sending her out with new babies. (When she sees me, she just says hello, no begging, but she nails tourists to the wall). On the other hand, it's good for your karma to be a giver, so might as well throw a few coins in the cup. It's the intention, not the effect... YimSiam Spot on, Yim. When I was in the US on holidays, I saw a beggar in Washington DC with a sign that said: "NEED A BUCK FOR A BEER, A HOOKER AND SOME WEED... AT LEAST I'M NOT SHITTING YOU!" He got a buck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiSong Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Give them food. There are so many food stalls and so many beggers...I give them food Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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