PATTAYA, Chonburi – Pattaya, a bustling economic hub and tourist destination located less than 300 kilometers from the Thai-Cambodian border, has long attracted Cambodian workers, both legal and undocumented. Among the activities frequently targeted by local police for crackdowns is begging, an illegal practice that persists despite regular enforcement efforts.
On the evening of August 3rd, 2025, reporters conducted an investigation into Cambodian beggars in Pattaya, observing groups scattered across busy areas, including outside convenience stores and in nightlife districts frequented by tourists. These beggars often use young children to evoke sympathy from passersby. Additionally, some Cambodian individuals were seen keeping watch, ready to signal the group to flee at the first sign of trouble.
Reporters spoke with a 24-year-old mother nursing her two-month-old daughter while begging outside a convenience store. She shared that she is aware of the ongoing tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, noting that her home is near the contested area. “I don’t want to go back,” she said. “Life there is tough, and I was abandoned by my husband.” She revealed she had earned only 200 baht that day but said things were better for her in Pattaya than in Cambodia.Another Cambodian mother, accompanied by her young son, initially fled into an alley and hid in a hotel restroom when approached by reporters. After some time, she agreed to talk, admitting she had previously been arrested and deported to Cambodia but returned to Thailand within a month. Suffering from diabetes and unable to find work in her home country, she resorted to begging in Pattaya. When asked if she wanted to return to Cambodia, she replied, “I want to, but I have no money and there is little opportunity there.”
A local resident from Surin province, living 70 kilometers from the border, told reporters that Cambodian beggars are a common sight in the area. During recent clashes between Thai and Cambodian military forces, she spoke with some beggars who expressed fear of police arrests but said returning home would mean hardship and starvation. “They can’t find jobs there, so they come to Thailand to earn money to support themselves and send some back to their families in Cambodia,” she explained. While acknowledging that begging is illegal, she noted that these individuals generally pose no harm and as a result enforcement against them was relatively rare.
Reporters also observed Cambodian beggars, mostly women with one or two young children, at various tourist hotspots. Their presence often elicits sympathy from tourists, who readily donate money. However, when approached for interviews, the beggars were reluctant to engage and would quickly flee with their children into nearby alleys.
Local residents and motorcycle taxi drivers reported that the same beggars often return even after police arrests, reappearing within one to two months. “It’s become normal, so people don’t pay much attention,” one driver said. The beggars, primarily Cambodian women, typically position themselves along footpaths, using their children to attract sympathy.
According to locals, these beggars can earn a minimum of 400–500 baht daily, with some making as much as 1,000–2,000 baht on good days. They often beg from early evening until late at night.
While the beggars reportedly cause little trouble for tourists, their activities remain a persistent challenge for authorities in Pattaya, highlighting the complex interplay of economic hardship, migration, and illegal activities.
