Cambodian beggar children carrying their younger siblings during the begging. About 50 of them are currently "professionally" begging in the Rong Klua market in Thailand, right across the Cambodian border. (Photo: Amatak, Koh Santepheap newspaper).By Koh Santepheap
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Aranyapathet (Thailand) – The people who sustained the current poverty are no other than the ordinary people. The Rong Klua market in Thailand is located about 300 meters from the Poipet international gate, there, Cambodian merchants make up between 85 to 90% of all the merchants. This indicates that the Thai side is willing to allow a secure location to conduct business, the market itself is nice looking, that is why several thousands of Cambodian merchants are willing to pay a huge sum daily to cross the border to conduct their business in this market. The question which comes to mind though is why do these Cambodian merchants choose instead to conduct their business in a Thai market which is located very close to Cambodia? Poipet (Cambodia) has its own market as well.
Even though this is a (puzzling) issue, another interesting fact is the number of poor Cambodian children who are begging in this Thai market, which is increasing on a daily basis. According to these Cambodian children who have to carry their younger siblings to beg, their number has currently reached about 50. During the begging, the children also have to face the chase by Thai police officers located in the Rong Klua market. S.N., a 12-year-old girl whose mother work as a hired laundry washer in Paliley village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district, told Koh Santepheap on 20 July that S.R., her younger brother, is 2-year-old. Each day, she carries him around while walking to beg from the border to the Rong Klua market. The border crossing to Thailand is one the main difficulties for these children because they have to sneak across the border with other people, and they fear being arrested by Thai police. Furthermore, during the begging, Thai police officers on motorbike could chase them, arrest them, and send them to Cambodia. Sometimes, their faces are recorded so that they will no longer be allowed to return back to Thailand.
S.N. added that some children who have been arrested by the Thai police before, no longer dare cross the border directly, they resorted to crossing along border holes which could be very dangerous to them. Another 13-year-old girl is carrying her 3-year-old brother, her parents are laborers hauling carts, they live in Kbal Spean village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district. She said that the begging is her daily professional job, if she does not cross the border to beg in Thailand, her parents would scold her. Each day, about 50 children are able to cross the border to beg in Thailand, some of them would earn between 50 to 60 baths (US$1.25 to 1.50) a day. The young girl also said that the majority of the beggar children in Thailand are orphans whose parents died of Aids. These children are asking the Royal Government of Cambodia to provide them with security, with schooling as other children, because they need a good future also. The children know that when they grow up, they will be ashamed should they continue to beg like this. The [beggar children’s life] is a struggling life fraught with problems and dangers. Poverty is a major problem in Cambodia.
Even though this is a (puzzling) issue, another interesting fact is the number of poor Cambodian children who are begging in this Thai market, which is increasing on a daily basis. According to these Cambodian children who have to carry their younger siblings to beg, their number has currently reached about 50. During the begging, the children also have to face the chase by Thai police officers located in the Rong Klua market. S.N., a 12-year-old girl whose mother work as a hired laundry washer in Paliley village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district, told Koh Santepheap on 20 July that S.R., her younger brother, is 2-year-old. Each day, she carries him around while walking to beg from the border to the Rong Klua market. The border crossing to Thailand is one the main difficulties for these children because they have to sneak across the border with other people, and they fear being arrested by Thai police. Furthermore, during the begging, Thai police officers on motorbike could chase them, arrest them, and send them to Cambodia. Sometimes, their faces are recorded so that they will no longer be allowed to return back to Thailand.
S.N. added that some children who have been arrested by the Thai police before, no longer dare cross the border directly, they resorted to crossing along border holes which could be very dangerous to them. Another 13-year-old girl is carrying her 3-year-old brother, her parents are laborers hauling carts, they live in Kbal Spean village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district. She said that the begging is her daily professional job, if she does not cross the border to beg in Thailand, her parents would scold her. Each day, about 50 children are able to cross the border to beg in Thailand, some of them would earn between 50 to 60 baths (US$1.25 to 1.50) a day. The young girl also said that the majority of the beggar children in Thailand are orphans whose parents died of Aids. These children are asking the Royal Government of Cambodia to provide them with security, with schooling as other children, because they need a good future also. The children know that when they grow up, they will be ashamed should they continue to beg like this. The [beggar children’s life] is a struggling life fraught with problems and dangers. Poverty is a major problem in Cambodia.
4 comments:
This is the result of emmigration policies of Hun Sen. THe land grabbings from powerful Hun Sen freind from all helpless farmers will force Cambodian people to take refugee in neighbouring countries as beggers. Very soon Cambodia will become a no man land country. THe new big land owners will sell their land into small plot sections to their new customers from Vietnam. THis policie has been projected a longtimes ago by Ho Chi Minh and is being implemented by Hun Sen. Cambodian must stand up now or forever.
Everyone, please visit Sangkhum Khmer Niyum Party's website http://www.sknparty.com
You should go to Profiles, Pictures and Links of the website. You will learn more about Sarath Oeurn, the president.
Thank you.
As a Cambodian, I am very disturbed to see this misery picture of Cambodian in overseas. That represented the shamefull government of Cambodia which has allowed their fellow citizen to suffer so much like that. What pride has Hun Sen? What an idiot Prime Mimister?
One man and One bullet is the answer!
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