“Are we convinced?”
Photo: Sita BunLom
There are those statements in Dutch history that have carved their way into the collective memory.
What about “My God, have mercy on me and on this poor people”, attributed to William of Orange, father of the fatherland, after being shot by Balthasar Gerards. Or “Then rather go into the air”, the alleged last words of Lieutenant Jan van Speijk during the Belgian uprising, when he blew himself up and dozens of others by sticking a cigar in a powder keg. In short: a folk hero. And Colijn in 1936: “At the moment there is no reason at all to be really worried.” A few years later, World War II broke out…
More recently is “Have we got the hang of it?” by Herman Kuiphof. We note the 43rd minute of the 1974 Germany-Netherlands World Cup final, Munich. After twenty seconds, Kuiphof repeated these words, which turned out to be prophetic. There was still a whole second half to go, but the commentator was apparently already sure that the Orange would not make it and that came true.
I wasn't about to mess around when I sat down at a table with a barmaid in Soi Watboon, Jomtien. Because I knew it: sometimes tiny children pass by with a bouquet of two roses (or tulips, real men don't even see the difference). At 11 o'clock at night, when they should have been in bed a long time ago. Back to school tomorrow and all that. While it has nothing to do with poverty, the parents invariably drive up in very expensive cars, let go of the children to pick them up again a little later and take them to the next soi.
But that's where they came in. Apparently two sisters of which the one who walked behind was so small that it barely seemed to be able to exist. Flowers on offer, and then you melt again. How much for two pieces? 100 baht? Bit much huh? But you don't go into tough negotiations with such young girls, so we'll pay it back. The children walked on to return after five minutes. Without flowers.
I gave the bouquet of flora to the barmaid, but she didn't even look very happy. “Mommy, daddy big car”, she said. “Have I fallen in love again?” I thought. On the other hand, Thailand is a fighting society in which everyone tries to survive. These people - the parents - do that too and I therefore refrain from making too negative value judgments.
A little later I paid and continued my own lonely road to my condo. “Are we convinced?” seemed to sound vague somewhere. To be sure, I looked up, but only saw the starry sky.
About this blogger
- Eric van Dusseldorp (1960) lives in Jomtien and works as an online day trader. In addition, he has been a checkers employee at the Telegraaf Media Group (five daily newspapers) since 1983. He enjoys digging up interesting facts from history, researching them and ultimately developing them into pleasantly readable stories on, for example, the leading history site Historiek. Other hobbies: checkers, writing (children's) songs and limericks, genealogy and writing on JOOP (opinion site), Thailandblog and several Facebook groups.
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On the other hand, Thailand is a fighting society in which everyone tries to scrape together as much money as possible, I think most of the time.
Company ruse and deceit that's all it is, barmaid gave a tip for the advice, right?
See here in Korat [my region] for years regularly the 'no thank you' gesture with flowers, raw peanuts, bottles, even more on diluted orange juice and various other very unclear things.
A simple silent silent palm gesture and continue what you were doing.
It is a pity that young children before their tenth year already understand the slogan 'That's how it can be done'.
Indeed
I also try to pennant it as f
But always have a double feeling about it.
What to do? Sometimes I don't buy flour, but I do buy a plate of rice
Is super difficult.
What do you do with that?
Please feedback
In the past I often bought something because I just didn't know how it worked. Now I don't buy anything they offer anymore. What I sometimes do is buy something nice and hand it over. Do this usually with young children who I suspect are being abused by parents / family members.
'The parents invariably drive up in very expensive cars', you write to Eric. I think this is about human trafficking and exploitation of children. Being? Foreigners? In the car is the exploiter. I read several reports about this in the press. If you come across young children selling things at 11 pm, call the police. This can really only be criminal.
Yes Tina,
And do you think they will come??
A few years ago I met 2 Dutch people in the "Box" tent in Chiangmai.
One of those buddies bought all the flowers that the child had clutched in her arms with the words:
"and now go home girl"
How stupid can you be?
At that moment I was ashamed to be Dutch.
But perhaps that 'buddy' did that because he thought the child should be in her bed at home and he is therefore against child labour. Read this way (and now go home girl) so he meant well. Don't judge too quickly.
Oh yes Tino, we like to be tricked. Some live in a closet of a villa!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY0U_LC7fl4
@Tino
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But is child labor prohibited in Thailand?
If so, the police have a lot to do.
If not, then the police really don't take action.
Very difficult situation,
what will become of those children if selling flowers no longer pays off.
I should not think about it..
Of course that barmaid by Eric's side wasn't happy about those tulips. She would have much preferred the 100 baht.
..i heard they are not thai people either.. . In Pattaya you also have begging mothers, who late at night with babies along the busy road in the filthy exhaust fumes are begging on a rug .. . Even sadder!.. . If only the Thai government did something about it..
At least 10 years ago I suddenly saw an explosion of begging children on Sukhumvit. I don't give anything because that's how you keep begging going. A young lady asks me a little further on for the Tourist Authority what I think of Bangkok. Great, but it's a shame that all those children beg here at night, they should go to bed and go to school on time. Oh, but they are not Thai children, they come from abroad. Then smoke came out of my ears, don't those kids have to go to school?
It is now no secret that there are gangs that make the children beg. If they come back with too little, they are mistreated. So only if no one cares will these practices come to an end.
.could we, perhaps with the help of Thailandblog, not send a letter / signature campaign to the Thai embassy ?.. that Dutch tourists are worried about the children ?.
Not only the tourist steps in with open eyes, but the Thai often also has something like giving and looking away, begging is prohibited in Thailand, but you can work at a very young age, something like 15 years.
Helping your 'family' is completely 'grey area'
Giving nothing or in kind [drinking and eating] works best.
As long as restaurant bar owners don't say anything about it, I wouldn't do much about it as a tourist.
Police here in Korat are sometimes busy with that, I have the impression.
The elephants come here with their owners along the restaurants just like adults, but sometimes also children.
Refuse and if they insist, point it out to the owner or staff.
Think that it is also for Thai legislation to mop up with the tap open and that the 'Dutch tourist is worried' only causes a lot of irritation.
The own mirror image is usually at the bottom of the bag.
Working at a very young age is legal in Thailand? We learn something here every day.
Working at a young age may not be allowed, but if you call it schooling then anything is allowed.
My son has to work many hours on weekends to take tests at school. One would hope that it would be learned in 36 hours a week as is a working week in more countries and a day or so off.
In the Netherlands you can work from the age of 15, right?
In the Netherlands you can work from the age of 13, light work. For 12-year-olds, if they have community service, they will do this tomorrow. A bit strange, by the way, because if you want to do babysitting or odd jobs as a 12-year-old, it is not allowed, but as a punishment imposed by the government, it is.
Basically they call it 'chores' because they should be in school mainly.
On paper there is also not a lot of difference in implementation between the Netherlands and Thailand.
However, the implementation of this legislation in practice can be very different.
The so-called small print.
The neighbors of my wife's shop have 'nephews' alternating all year round who gain some work experience [read 'do odd jobs' all day and evening for compensation in kind].
Life is not always a bed of roses.
School has long been talked out of that head.
Can I still remember when I was that age, the parents or those of your school friend with a company liked to see it do some 'chores' six days a week.
Before and after school and on Saturdays, by the way, because yes you had to have 'papers' of course.
https://bit.ly/3V9ny50
I have been coming to Thailand for over 30 years and have never bought or given anything to those children or beggars.
And yet there are beggars who are so beggars that they really are, if anyone still understands what I mean. I mean sometimes I see Thai people give something to those beggars. These are people who, in my opinion, really have nothing at all. When I see that, I tend to give something. Thailand is not the Netherlands, no-haves are not protected in any way.
You're right about that, but I can't see that. I don't give to charities in the Netherlands either. Certainly not with a director who earns more than a ton. And also not to African countries with a billionaire as president.