Sukhumvit : Museum of horrors
A lot of time has passed since the economic crisis started in 1997, and while there is encouraging news lately, a large proportion of the urban populations seems to be suffering more and more in the last few years. While this was a rare sight in the mid 1990's, you will see quite a few homeless people spending day and night just standing or lying around on the pavement, in dirty clothes and unwashed in months. They probably survive on handouts from the many food stalls around Sukhumvit.
The number of beggars has risen exponentially over the last year. They crowded around the skytrain exits and around the pedestrian bridges over the road. They are not just regular beggars, but most of them feature gross physical deformations, due to leprosy, road accidents or congenital malformations. It really is a museum of horrors, although one seldom stands still and reflects on them. Quite a few of them have open wounds. It may be heartless to say, but most likely some of them reopen them before going to work, to evoke compassion and pity from the many tourists who crowd the street.
It is also not uncommon to find beggars simply lying on the pavement (usually with gross limb deformations) while pedestrians have to navigate around them. Even in poorly lit areas this can happen, and the chances of stepping on them, are quite real, and possibly is what is hoped for. On one of the pedestrian bridges a young woman has taken the habit of positioning her about 6 months old child in the middle of the walkway, also probably hoping for an 'accident' which would create a situation where she could ask for compensation from a guilty feeling tourist who just stepped on the child. Yes, I know I am overly cynical about all this.
I seldom give to beggars nowadays, although I can make an exception for a women with child sitting by the roadside. Rumour has it that some gangs control the beggars, and that they make a lot of money overall. Most likely this is an urban myth, created so people do not feel guilty passing by these people, and neglecting them. My personal opinion is that this problem should be solved by the Thai people themselves. It is not up to the tourists visiting and looking for entertainment. If they are 'real' beggars, the Thai government, charities and Thai rich tycoons should be doing something about it. If it are illegal immigrants or if gangs are involved, it is up to the police department. Surely, it is a real eyesore, and is one further step in the degradation of Sukhumvit Road.
