I went to meet a friend today at MBK. I thought I would take the lazy way and go there by taxi but the traffic was very bad, and so at Victory Monument I got out of the taxi and took the stairs to the BTS in order not to be too late for my appointment.

While walking to the BTS entrance I saw something I have NEVER seen before in almost 10 years of living in Bangkok! There, on the BTS walkway, was a farang, maybe late-40?s, playing a guitar and with a cup obviously asking for donations!

Well, during my time living in Thailand I have seen countless beggars seeking a donation. But this was the first time I had ever seen a FARANG competing with the Thais for a few baht!

It made me think, what is he doing here? Why does he have no money? And I hope he gets enough to buy a ticket to back home, wherever that is. Thailand doesn?t need farang beggars!

I walked past him and didn?t give him a single sating. Would you?

I saw that guy playing guitar there many times (haven't heard the sound of guitar though) but I never gave him a baht yet but I feel pity to him and thought that he might need some fund to buy ticket home or at least for living.

>> N'Nueng... please don't jealous farang coz some of them (at least one) is having a hard life in BKK too... hehehe

I saw something like this a few times in JJ market.

Weird but different.

yeah i'd give him something....its just a little change you mean bastard....every body is good enough for a little change !

when he looks like an ...hole I wouldn't give him a single bath, but when he looks like a nice guy and i have some small change, maybe i would give him some change

jees...

a poor man sacrificing all that is dignified for a bit of crack...

where is the love ?

where i come from its mandatory to give away at least 1 or 2 hundred baht a day to "car guards"..which are basically beggars......wheres the freaking harm ??

self richeous twats...not everyone had the silver spoon shoved gently with lubricant up their bum...

I have seen 1 farang begger in BKK before, also playing a guitar, must be the same one although it was about 2 years ago! .. And bragemann, Ive been in Pattaya for over 4 years and never seen a farang begger here..

Oh, and also, I like to give money to beggars, But only if they are disabled or have some disability making them unable to work. When Im shopping in the market, I sometimes have a lady with a baby walk up to me and ask me for 10 baht.. And no, I dont give! But I will give all the change I have to someone disabled, just think how you'de feel if you were them and couldnt get a job.. Poor souls!

I don't give money to male beggars at all, lady beggars touch my heart a bit more.

I would have helped him regardless of what nationality he was.

Tough one Khun_lung.

That would seem odd to see someone from a rich county begging in a not so rich country.

When it comes down to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, beggars are all at the bottom. It seems we should be helping all beggars out, but I'm not that rich. I find myself consciously selecting whom I give a dollar too and whom I don't.

I don't have any hard fast rule, but if the guy is in front of a liquor store asking for a handout, I usually pass. If the guy is in front of a burger or taco store, I usually make a small donation, hoping that he's going to get some food instead of booze.

That's just what I do here in California. I don't know how I would feel or what I would do in your situation. I might feel the same as you do, if I lived there for a while.

Stay cool,

Brian

Thanks for all your comments. It is a dilemma but what was so striking for me was never having seen a foreigner begging for handouts. When it comes to Thai beggars, that's another story and can be debated ad nauseum also.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this story and know your reactions.

That was me.

Yeah that was Mike. And me playing the guitar. =)

In such situations I would weigh out the following:

What difference would the donation make to me v/s what difference could it make for the beggar. If he smells of booze I would not give anything.

Whether he is Thai or Farang should not make a difference in my attitude towards beggars.

thank you slurms, i'm with you. since when was it a crime to share some money with someone less fortunate than what i might be

some sanity...good man johnno !

"Yeah that was Mike. And me playing the guitar. =)"

The dynamic duo, thats how we pay for our Starbucks bill.