The immigration police of Thailand have to intensify their efforts: the country’s resorts have been covered by an epidemic of professional beggars with tourist visas. At the same time, beggars not only do not bring income from tourism, which is expected but also seriously spoil the image of the country, because they also prefer to solicit tourists. According to the Pattaya Mail, as a result of the latest such operation, 7 people from Jordan were arrested, who were “getting” tourists in the shopping center.
“The group operated targeting tourists who buy goods in the shopping center. They took up space at ATMs and asked for money for 500 to 1000 baht. After receiving the money, they continued to ask for more money, sometimes standing at ATMs and asking for amounts from 500 to 1,000 baht (for our money, from 520 to 1,100 hryvnias), the police explained. Moreover, some beggars, having received money, demanded more.
At the same time, during the investigation, it was found that beggars used tourist visas to enter Thailand, and some of them overstayed their legal stay. Now they face blacklisting and deportation to their homeland.
The police also reported that six Chinese beggars had been detained before that, and their case is currently being investigated. Moreover, these beggars exchanged the alms they received for Chinese yuan, which were later transferred to their bank accounts.
It will be recalled that a tourist was also detained in Phuket after she was caught illegally extorting money from people in Patong. The tourist from China was detained following a complaint by her “colleagues” who reported a beggar woman begging for money at the Walking Street food court on Tawiwong Road.