Cambodia Expats Online: Forum | News | Information | Blog

A year or so ago the authorities took to rounding up all of the street people and beggar kids, especially those really little kids working selling flowers and trinkets and begging in the intersections amongst traffic. There were some still out there, but their numbers seemed to dwindle for a while. Lately they seem back in force, more than before the crackdown, maybe a lot more. Seeing them in intersections all over town now, many selling flowers or dusting/begging. Some seem to be attached to family-like groups, others seem to be in teams of children, but not sure. Anyway, looks like there are a lot more kids on the street of Phnom Penh begging of late, and I am wondering if my observation is accurate, and if so, why the increase.

The families are returning from the resettlement camps.

Resettlement camps?

Resettlement camps.

I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

prahkeitouj wrote:I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

I hate to say this but you actually were scammed. The baby wasn't really his biological brother, someone's baby. Have you ever heard that the baby was rented as a tool to beg people money.

prahkeitouj wrote:I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

Yes, it is sad, very sad, and a dilemma about what is the right thing to do, as you noted.

Samouth wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

I hate to say this but you actually were scammed. The baby wasn't really his biological brother, someone's baby. Have you ever heard that the baby was rented as a tool to beg people money.

I think 50% scam but how can you pass those boys? What they can do more than this ?

prahkeitouj wrote:

Samouth wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

I hate to say this but you actually were scammed. The baby wasn't really his biological brother, someone's baby. Have you ever heard that the baby was rented as a tool to beg people money.

I think 50% scam but how can you pass those boys? What they can do more than this ?

You should blame their parents for doing nothing beside gambling and drinking and letting their kids to beg along the road. Before i also always gave money to those street beggar, but i stopped giving them money when i learned more about them. You are not helping them when you always give them money, but you indirectly urge them to continue to beg people money.

Samouth wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:I try to not give them money, but I can't. I saw a boy around 6 years old carried his brother who was about few months. Many people gave him money and we told him to stop bringging his brother with. But I still saw him bring his brother with him every time I across there road. They not only ask for money but they ask even my water. Sad..

I hate to say this but you actually were scammed. The baby wasn't really his biological brother, someone's baby. Have you ever heard that the baby was rented as a tool to beg people money.

Very possibly true, and that makes it even sadder.

I don't think I would call it a 'scam' though. Even if those kids have been assembled to look like a certain sort of pitiful, they are also still in a pitiful and exploitative situation. The baby isn't the only child being used as a tool there, so is the older brother. The right thing to do is orobably to not give them money, since its probably not going to their benefit, but as prahkeitouj notes, that is a hard thing to do to a child, especially considering that it is possible to misgauge the situation. And I can't think of any good reason to deny them water, scam or not.