The number of Thailand’s homeless children nationwide jumped quickly to some 30,000 in 2010 from 20,000 in 2006, according to research by the Foundation for the Better Life for Children.
Most of the children are found in the northern province of Chiang Mai, where they came down to live in the city from the mountains, while almost 10,000 youngsters are living on the streets of the Thai capital of Bangkok.
According to Teacher Jew, or ‘Kru’ Jew of the Better Life for Children Foundation, the number of young homeless in almost every province of Thailand is rising, and more and more they are at risk of becoming criminals and prostitutes. Many die of HIV/AIDS.
"One factor pushing these children this way is economic. Some people don’t have access to public services, while others have insufficient family income, which makes them unable to finish school,” said Thongpoon Buasri, also known as Kru Jew.
An open space and a small park around Bangkok’s King Rama I Monument at Memorial Bridge, or Phra Buddha Yodfa Bridge (Saphan Phut), has long been a gathering and sleeping place for homeless people.
Another teacher, ‘Kru’ Nang from the Human Development Foundation (Mercy Centre), who has been familiar with the young homeless in the area for about ten years, said family problems is the main cause pushing children to run away from home, while those living on the streets are also either drug or game addicts or those wanting to live with their homeless friends or to live a life which they think is freedom.
No matter what the reason, Kru Nang said most of the children cannot escape the consequences of using drugs, especially glue sniffing, which only gives them the illusion of happiness.
“’Are they mentally happy?’ I don’t think so. These children live here like they’ve no parents. When they see a family of a dad, a mum and a kid holding hands, they surely must feel something and think why they’re not like that,” Kru Nang said.
As a spot for the homeless, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra plans to improve the landscape of the Saphan Phut neighbourhood with a budget of Bt40 million (US$ 1.2 million) to include a fountain, larger floor space, and a fence surrounding the area as well as installing infrastructure and provide regular guards to monitor the Monument’s entrance and exit.
Although the plan is now only a proposal, construction is set to be complete before April 6, the anniversary of the enthronement of King Rama I as first king of the Rattanakosin era. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), or City Hall, believes that the building project will push the young homeless to move away from this gathering spot once construction starts.
"The public space here is not appropriately used. We’ve checked that two families are settled in the premises, and we are to move them out, and as where they’re residing will become construction sites, they definitely won’t be able to live here," said the director of Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon District Office, Suachana Sudcharoen.
Manop Meksuriya, a man with no home, has been living in the Saphan Phut neighbourhood since he was nine. He is now almost 40 and said despite the planned changes put by the City Hall, he was certain those in his younger generations would not return home but rather continue to be homeless in other neighbourhoods.
"It’s hard to say. I think if the children can’t live here, they’ll probably either move to a further distant neighbourhood or go home, which would be rare, or maybe they won’t go home at all," said Manop.
It is a good idea that the BMA wants to make the City of Angels look brighter in this spot, but the question remains where will the next possible shelter for the poor population be if they are not to continue to be homeless. The solution may not be able to be resolved only at the Saphan Phut neighbourhood, but to end the social situation the causes of the problems must be addressed. Families should be much more involved in cooperation with both public and private sectors to come up with strategies to prevent and bring to a halt such a sad cycle of life. (TNA)
Features : Last Update : 17:20:37 13 January 2010 (GMT+7:00)
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