Pattaya's Street Kids

[Gaybutton]

And a tip-of-the hat goes to . . . (wishes to remain anonymous) for alerting me to this article, which appears in the BANGKOK POST:

_____

 

Hope for Pattaya's Children

 

Education and Guidance Can Help Keep the Young off the Streets

 

Story by PICHAYA SVASTI and Photo by SOMKID CHAIJITVANIT

 

Deh, a 14-year-old boy, carries a heavy sack of cement in the hot sun while most children his age are at school. He is not alone as a child worker in the thriving resort city of Pattaya.

 

"I work from eight o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the afternoon every day. I carry and mix cement and lay floor tiles. Sometimes I suffer back pain," Deh said, squinting his eyes in the sun.

 

The boy is paid 180 baht a day and gives all the money to his grandmother because he wants to help her.

 

"I have been in this job for about one month and will continue because it's better-paid than collecting garbage," he added.

 

Deh Chanrasmi has been living in Pattaya since his early childhood with his parents and grandmother. His parents collect garbage while his grandmother stays home because she is old and unwell.

 

According to Deh's grandmother, Thongkham Chomklin, 64, the family depends on the boy's additional income to make ends meet. As garbage collectors, Deh's parents earn only about 30 to 100 baht a day.

 

Deh added that his father rides a motorcycle to collect garbage from dawn till dusk every day, while Deh and his younger brother, aged eight, take up the evening shift.

 

The boy and his family live in a shabby shelter they rent for 700 baht a month. The cramped and small hut is full of garbage waiting to be sorted. Whenever it rains, the water leaks through the damaged zinc roof, making it almost unlivable.

 

However, the grandmother has a bigger worry. "Drug problems are serious in our neighbourhood," she said. "Boys aged 15 and 16 like smoking, and that can lead to nastier things."

 

Deh, she said, used to smoke a whole packet of cigarettes a day until he developed coughing problems. Now, he is trying to quit, and has cut the number of cigarettes he smokes to one an hour.

 

"I want him to stay away from drugs that can land him in terrible situations," said his concerned grandma.

 

She recalled that Khru Taen ("Teacher Taen"), or Sudjai Nakphian of the World Vision Foundation of Thailand's Street Children in Pattaya Project, tried to enrol Deh in a school, but the school had refused, claiming he was too old to study with little children as it was feared he might bully them.

 

Therefore, the project has been encouraging Deh to enter a non-formal system. But Deh has to wait until the age of 16, as is required by the school.

 

"The teacher has promised to send me to the non-formal school," Deh said with hope.

 

Deh's younger sister and brother, Mint and Bew, are more fortunate. They are studying at Wat Thamsamakkhee School. The foundation pays for their education, textbooks, uniforms and learning materials.

 

The foundation believes one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of street children in Pattaya is to identify high-risk children and give them proper support. Deh and his siblings are among the children under its support.

 

According to volunteer Pastor Sudjai Wangsa, from the Phra Siri Church, the programme has presented opportunities for children in difficult situations, such as Deh, providing a variety of activities, ranging from summer camps and group activities to anti-drug orientation and counselling.

 

Deh's younger brother, Chartchai Chanrasmee, or Bew, in second grade, said he plays fun games, prays and sings during summer camps. His half-sister, Piyachat Thongyang, or Mint, in grade four, added that she enjoys the camp activities that make her realise the dangers of drugs as well as teach her English.

 

Like Deh, Mint said she wants to be a police officer when she grows up because she wants to arrest drug dealers.

 

According to Khru Taen, the children eligible for help from the foundation's programme must be under 18 and reside in one of five flagged Pattaya communities - Thepprasit, Kor Phai, Nong Prue, Wat Thamsamakkhee and Pachajeen.

 

Their parents must also meet risk criteria, such as not having permanent addresses, ineligibility for public utility services and insufficient income which forces their children to enter child labour.

 

The project has about 250 children under its care. The children are classified into two groups - homeless children and street children. The first applies to children who migrated to Pattaya with their families and have no permanent address in the resort town. Meanwhile, street children are usually from broken homes and have run away because their parents don't care for or understand them.

 

"A lot of street children hang around in Sunee Alley, which is notorious for child prostitution. Many of them offer themselves to the sex trade," Khru Taen said.

 

The foundation has tried to help these youngsters by operating a day centre named Little House in a Big Forest. The centre provides counselling for those in trouble and arranges medical treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases.

 

It also offers art and music therapy. Every evening, a number of children drop by to sing and enjoy the music in addition to taking Thai and English language classes. The teaching is aimed at decreasing the children's communication problems with their employers and foreign customers to prevent them from being taken advantage of.

 

"Also, we guide them for career changes in the future. We always tell them that their jobs are short-lived. And there are tendencies for them to become mama-sans or pimps when they are older," she said.

 

According to her, the number of the centre's users has grown from five or six to 20 or 30 a day, with new faces showing up all the time. Among the visitors was Parn, a 14-year-old street girl. She escaped from home at the age of 10. She worked as an independent child prostitute in Sunee Alley from the age of 12 until six months ago.

 

"Parn entered and left our shelter so many times that we told her we could not help her if she was still doing so, but she said she didn't want to be locked up, wake up early in the morning and follow orders," Khru Taen said.

 

At last, however, Parn made a very important decision to change her life. Parn reportedly stopped selling her body and has been staying at the foundation's shelter for six months.

 

According to Khru Taen, it is estimated that Pattaya has more than 500 homeless and street children who are at risk of falling into prostitution and drug use.

 

"Here in Pattaya, there are neither preventive mechanisms nor safe zones for children. From Na Klua to Jomtiem lies a long stretch of karaoke and beer bars. Children see strippers dancing and bar girls drinking with foreigners everywhere. There are even beer bars near schools. Where are the safe zones for youngsters?" she questioned.

 

"Some mama-sans and drug dealers have sent children to join our project as their spies. We knew that but still wanted them to listen to our message. Some of these children changed. They are now waiters or waitresses or still working at nightspots but no are longer prostitutes," Khru Taen said.

 

Despite the odds, it is important to show high-risk children there are other choices in life, she said. "That's basically what we're doing, giving them choices. It's up to them to decide which way to go."

 

The project needs volunteers to help the children with art, music and sports activities. For more information, call Sudjai Nakphian on 08-6042-5040.

 

[Guest luvthai]

Good article, fairly written. It offers some understanding of why kids are on the street. Very poor homelife unliveable rents and access to little education. Back breaking work for one so young. I have always said that if a kid has a good home life then it is less likely he will end up as a hooker. The need to help at home is strong and expected even at such a young age. What other options do they have?

[Gaybutton]

Good article, fairly written.

 

I think so too. On several boards people have made suggestions and asked the central question: What can the gay community do to help rid Sunee Plaza of so many under-age boys? For those who wish to take an active roll, maybe involvement in this project is a way to start. My guess is it's probably too late for an organization like this to do anything about the under-age boys already working in the bars, but sooner or later those under-age boys won't be under-age anymore. Perhaps a project like this can help prevent, or at least reduce the number of "new" under-age boys appearing on the scene.

[PattayaMale]

There seems to be an underlying message to the groups project that in addition to helping "street kids" with things like art and sports, there is a strong feeling that legal aged "entertainment workers" should be looked down on. Most that I know help support their families and the economy of Pattaya. Child labor for small wages is all right?

 

"Also, we guide them for career changes in the future. We always tell them that their jobs are short-lived. And there are tendencies for them to become mama-sans or pimps when they are older," she said.

 

I am happy that a group is helping kids have activities at night. But the idea that prostitution leads to drug use is not true. Motor taxi drivers, baht bus drivers, bank workers, store owners, have a good chance of drug use.

 

Many university students are prostitutes. Many prostitutes are now our boy friends.

 

I am very supportive of anti-drug programs. I am very supportive of education programs. I am not so supportive of programs that push certain western Christian value programs.

 

[Gaybutton]

There seems to be an underlying message to the groups project that in addition to helping "street kids" with things like art and sports, there is a strong feeling that legal aged "entertainment workers" should be looked down on.

 

I disagree with you. I don't get an interpretation like that. They're trying to help prevent children from turning to prostitution. What's wrong with that?

[Guest]

I disagree with you. I don't get an interpretation like that. They're trying to help prevent children from turning to prostitution. What's wrong with that?

 

"Also, we guide them for career changes in the future. We always tell them that their jobs are short-lived. And there are tendencies for them to become mama-sans or pimps when they are older," she said.

 

Also did I read this is part of World Vision Foundation? Isn't that the Christian group? I am not sure myself.

[Gaybutton]

Also did I read this is part of World Vision Foundation? Isn't that the Christian group? I am not sure myself.

 

Am I missing something? I see nothing sinister about this organization. To me, something like this beats hell out of the idea of trying to organize boycotts. If anyone actually contacts this group and checks it out, let us know who and what is behind it.

[Guest joseph44]

Am I missing something? I see nothing sinister about this organization. To me, something like this beats hell out of the idea of trying to organize boycotts. If anyone actually contacts this group and checks it out, let us know who and what is behind it.

 

Check this out: http://www.worldvision.or.th/index_e.html

it says: "Under Construction"

 

 

[PattayaMale]

Here is their vision statement from their web site:

Our Mission

World Vision is an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God.

 

I believe that is a bit hypocritical for those of us that are involved in picking up legal age boys and contributing to promoting prostitution by doing so on a web site that has many porno ads, moderated by someone who use to sell services of meeting boys for a fee, to support a mission that looks at prostitution as a mortal sin and promoting that western christian morality.

 

As I said, I think it is wonderful that there are activities such as art, that give under legal age street kids something to do at night.

 

However, I do not feel that prostitution at the bars in Pattaya (legal age) is morally wrong.

 

This group was part of a "Fair" at Big C (Central Festival Mall). They had some of the street kids on stage praising how that had been "saved" (helped) by this group. Each of 5 children had written a paper about what is wrong with Pattaya. Each one in some way said the bars and people selling sex. Of course this was all in Thai. But my Thai friend started to laugh and told me what the kids were saying.........and added that it must have been written by their teacher because a Thai child would not say that.

 

Many of the children's parents in Pattaya are bar workers that earn a fairly good wage (by Thai standards) through prostitution. Many Thai parents look at it simply as a job to raise money for their families. Many of the boys we off have children and love them dearly. Many look for the security of a farang. That sex (prostitution) part is why many come to live in Pattaya.

 

I don't see anything morally wrong with this. Most of us moved to escape the Christian persecution of the west.

 

That is what I think is sinister, Gaybutton (note the sin part). And I think that is what you are missing, GB.

 

If this group was purely a charity providing activities for street kids I would be all for it. But their price as stated in the article is not without strings. "Deh's younger brother, Chartchai Chanrasmee, or Bew, in second grade, said he plays fun games, prays and sings during summer camp.

[Guest]

Am I missing something? I see nothing sinister about this organization. To me, something like this beats hell out of the idea of trying to organize boycotts. If anyone actually contacts this group and checks it out, let us know who and what is behind it.

 

I don't think sinister is the word I would use. But, I don't think there is anything wrong with being a mamasan or waiter or even a gogo boy in a bar. That seems more of a Christian value than a Thai one and the group seem to be trying to move the kids from their religion to Christianity. That is what bothers me. I love the taking off the street part. I just don't think that should come with a breaking of the bread requirement that so many groups have.

[Guest buaseng]

I don't think sinister is the word I would use... ... and the group seem to be trying to move the kids from their religion to Christianity. That is what bothers me. I love the taking off the street part. I just don't think that should come with a breaking of the bread requirement that so many groups have.

I totally agree with you BUT I would use the word sinister.

 

These Christian do-gooders and similar NGO organisations are trying to cover up their brain-washing techniques and attempts at converting often poorly educated and naive Thais to Christianity or to accepting Christian values with claims of 'saving' their poor or destitute streeet kids from a life in prostitution. Saving kids from working as prostitutes, especially those who are young or under age, is laudable but the ethos behind this work is sinister and morally repugnant and in most cases is just a pretext for advancing their ideological crusade by subterfuge.

[Gaybutton]

Ok, you've all convinced me that you're right. While I see nothing wrong with being a mama-san or go go boy, I thought this organization's purpose was to try to prevent under-age children from being involved with prostitution.

 

Based on what everyone is writing, now my opinion has changed. I still believe the group does want to help the street kids, but I also believe what PattayaMale, GayThailand, and buaseng are saying.

 

To me, the questions are:

 

1. Can this organization really accomplish anything?

 

2. If they can, is it really worth the price?

 

Based on my interpretation of these posts, that price would mean jumping out of one frying pan right into another fire and, quite frankly, I don't know which situation for these children would be worse.

[Guest luvthai]

I have a problem with the west trying to push christian values on a buddist culture. This is thailand and should be left as thailand. The buddist religion is a very loving and forgiving religion. Lets please keep our puritanistic values to our homelands. The people of thailand make up the reason keep comming back. I never felt so completely at peace with my self as when I am in thailand.

[Guest]

To me, the questions are:

 

1. Can this organization really accomplish anything?

 

2. If they can, is it really worth the price?

 

I think you summed it up pretty well there. I do think that one is possible. The real question is it is really worth the price and I don't think it is. A group that actually does the good deeds WiTHOUT the agenda to convert would get my support. I see nothing wrong with a group like this giving boys options and showing them there are other paths to life and work and getting money. I do have a problem with a moral judgement is placed on them that is not one that their culture places on them or their parents place on them. I am perhaps way off base, but I do think something like this group would be beneficial if they did not have other underlying objectives.

[Guest buaseng]

Based on what everyone is writing, now my opinion has changed. I still believe the group does want to help the street kids, but I also believe what PattayaMale, GayThailand, and buaseng are saying.

I am fully prepared to accept that they help street kids especially in keeping them away from prostitution and drugs. What I have a major problem with is the methods they use and the underlying ethos of their work.

 

In these sorts of cases the end does not justify the means.

[Gaybutton]

I wonder if this thread makes some sort of history. It appears that we're all agreed.

[Guest naughtybutnice]

I am fully prepared to accept that they help street kids especially in keeping them away from prostitution and drugs. What I have a major problem with is the methods they use and the underlying ethos of their work.

 

In these sorts of cases the end does not justify the means.

 

I fully agree with you about the methods used by World Vision but that said it is an incredibly wealthy organisation with world wide support.

 

I actually live in Bangkok but I sponsor four children in Pattaya for their education and general needs through the Pattaya Street Kids' Support Project a UK based non-religious charity and I have had the pleasure of meeting one of their trustees on a number of occasions and we have discussed the religious aspects of some other organisations who are providing help for children not only in Thailand but around the world. The trustees of the PSKSP have made it clear in their publicity and also their 'Articles of Association' lodged with the UK Charity Commission that they do not take into account the religious beliefs of any child who needs help and their work in supporting any projects in Pattaya is on the undertanding that such work will not include any religious teaching.

 

Education is the keystone for these children to be given a chance of a job opportunity and the PSKSP are great advocates of making educational facilities available for the kids.

 

Yesterday I received news that they had just completed and paid for the extension work at the notorius Ko Pai slum in Pattaya where they have increased the size of the ELC so that it can accomodate 80 children whereas before the maximum was 30. They also through sponsorship have 85+ children attending state schools in Pattaya and at the Hauy Pong children's home not only pay for some of the children to attend local schools but have recently refurbished an old dormitory which as meant that another 40 children can be accomodated there, these are kids that have been picked up from the streets or simply abandoned.

 

Anyone interested in learning more about their work can visit their website : http://www.pattayastreetkids.org and I am also aware that other members of this board are involved with sponsoring the kids.

 

As a final endorsement of their work it should be noted that as shown in their accounts the charity make no deductions for expences and all running/travel costs are met by the trustees from their personal funds.