This is a familiar scene for me in bangkok as I am in car or taxi. I can look out the window and see little children on the middle of the road selling something. Most of the time, it is lotus flowers.

The children are normally really young from age 3 to 11. My first feeling is sadness and wanting to help. Afterall it is only 20 bhts. But as I think about it a little more by doing so, do I really help or hurt the child. The reward would only encourage them to return the next day. Again putting their life at risk against traffic and oncoming cars.

So what is the right thing to do?

for the short run, i dunno..

for the long run...i've also been trying to figure that out...sort of knowing how but dun think it's gonna be easy.

HBK,

Most of the kids on the street are "run" by gangs, or the general mafia as Thai's say. They do not get the money you give them. They return it to their ring leader (an adult). Sometimes it is a legitimat child return ing the money to the parent for then to afford food to eat. But mostly it is not. And often if its a parent, they are gambling with the money. The gangs that run kids keep the children pumped up on methelamphetamines and that is why you often see them at night, late at night. So maybe now you cna make a decission.

You wanna help them, give it to Mercy Center run by Father Joe Mier. he feeds them, cloths them and puts them is school as well as obtains health services for them.

RC is right....as for my personal view... if you want to help them... dont support them.....

At times its hard to look the other way pretending they are not knocking on your car's window.......