News Forum - The return of the begpacker sparks online debate

[Thaiger]

While the Covid-19 pandemic brought tourism to a screeching halt in Thailand much to the detriment to millions of people’s livelihood and the country’s economy, one thing that the majority of people did not seem to miss has now reared its ugly head again. Social media has erupted over the return of the much-maligned begpacker trend as photos of one in Pattaya have created heated debate. Photos posted to social media of a foreign tourist sitting on Pattaya Beach Road with a sign offering to sell beads to pay for his round-the-world trip have fueled controversy over the pre-Covid trend […]

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[Fanta]

Some people think that if someone else is getting something then they are missing out. They call that being selfish/entitled. If someone wants/needs to beg then let them and just be grateful it isn’t you. 

[Noble_Design]

Definitely not the kind of wealthy tourists that Thailand is aiming for.

[23RD]

By the look off this Begpacker he's been in Pattaya to sample the delights of the many new Coffee Shops that have spung up in Pattaya over the last couple of months. 

I wouldn't be surprised if he was stoned whilst trying to sell beads.

[jobapps]

maybe hes on that new nomads visa working non remotely 

[MrStretch]

Didn't immigration ask him for his 10K baht in cash and onward ticket?  Something smells.

[Cabra]

4 hours ago, Fanta said:

Some people think that if someone else is getting something then they are missing out. They call that being selfish/entitled. If someone wants/needs to beg then let them and just be grateful it isn’t you. 

Maybe. I lived in NorCal for 25 years and I can tell you that more than one of the Haight-Ashbury "bums" trolling for handouts where trust fund brats playing a role. I'd be less inclined to believe a foreign backbacker begging in THA is truly needy, than I would a Thai beggar. In either case, I've found more effective ways of being charitable than handing out coin on the street. 

[DiJoDavO]

They should be able to do whatever they want. 

But they should also know that people will probably find it strange that someone from a wealthy country is begging for money from people from a country that's mostly seen as less wealthy. 

This just looks silly in a way like, look at me being so different. I can travel without doing shit. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to do that, but this is not tge way. Do something that makes you enough money without much effort. Not begging on your holiday. That's just weird and lazy. 

Btw, he's selling it for 1 THB per piece? What does he eat and where does he sleep for how much a night?????

[palooka]

7 hours ago, Noble_Design said:

Definitely not the kind of wealthy tourists that Thailand is aiming for.

Oh poop,  Anut stuffed it up again with billionaire tourists flocking to Thailand in their private jets.

[palooka]

When will Thailand (and those who run the place) realise that Thailand is, and for the foreseeable future, totally dependant on cheap skate tourism. They may pump it all they want to help their mates with the 5 star hotels but it starts at the bottom and goes up, not the top and drifts down with gravity.

The cheap hotels were here long before the 5 star.

Besides the billionaires have better places to go, Rivera is cheap this year without the Oligarchs pumping prices up and service down.  European Hiso so love the situation at present.

[Blogosopher]

9 hours ago, Fanta said:

Some people think that if someone else is getting something then they are missing out. They call that being selfish/entitled. If someone wants/needs to beg then let them and just be grateful it isn’t you. 

People don't travel to a vacation destination to see people on the streets begging and/or being bothered by people asking for money. Informed people know that many of these people are professional beggars and not "down on their luck" people that they purport to be. Go get a job, leave people alone and let people enjoy their vacations without being bothered.

[Mazz11]

Beggars in Thailand are nothing compared to some other places I have travelled.

I witnessed beggars in India who had been maimed as children to increase their success when begging. This was a terrible thing to see. The thought of such entrenched poverty to drive someone to such a barbaric act to make an amount of money that we westerners would consider a pittance.

[perceblue]

Surprise, surprise, not.

Quantity rather than quality.

Backpackers, begpackers and border runners the forever tourists that make no investments here, probably working online on limited budgets.

Of no use to the Thai economy at all.

So back to pre-covid times it seems.