PATTAYA, THAILAND – A Cambodian mother repeatedly deported from Thailand but found begging again with young children, and a separate obscene incident involving a homeless man on the beach, have reignited debate over safety, poverty and the resort city’s image.
Migrant mother seen begging again in nightlife district
The Cambodian woman was seen on the evening of 19 February at around 9:30 p.m. on Beach Road and Pattaya Second Road, in a densely crowded entertainment area, carrying a baby estimated at two to three months old and accompanied by a child believed to be about five to seven years old. Witnesses reported that the group offered sweets while simultaneously asking foreign tourists for money, apparently aiming to elicit sympathy through the presence of the young children.
Repeated deportations and illegal border return
According to reporters at the scene, the woman stated she had already been arrested and deported to Cambodia at least twice, yet had returned via illegal routes. She said she had three children and used natural border crossings during periods of looser controls, then travelled by minivan to Pattaya to beg in order to support her family financially.
Other foreign beggars evade cameras
Journalists observed several other foreign individuals with children quickly leaving the area when they noticed the media and disappearing with the minors into the darkness. Local sources interpreted this behavior as a sign that groups of undocumented migrants, especially from Cambodia, were deliberately trying to avoid attention from the police and media.
Concerns over city image and child exploitation
Residents and business operators said the same or similar groups repeatedly returned to key tourism zones after raids, arrests and deportations, harming Pattaya’s international image. They called for stronger border controls to prevent illegal re-entry, more intensive child protection to counter the exploitation of minors in begging, and clearer regulation of public spaces in major tourist hotspots.
Obscene beach incident shocks visitors
In the early hours of 20 February, a video circulated showing a homeless man, estimated at 30 to 35 years old, behaving in an obscene manner near the beach by Soi 13/1 at about 1:30 a.m., shocking both Thai and foreign visitors. When reporters arrived shortly afterwards, the man had already left the area.
Witness describes regular homeless presence
A witness, Kampanat Ueasakul (38), told reporters that the homeless man was regularly seen on the beach, walking around or sleeping in the sand.
“He was lying on the ground, clearly performing sexual acts, and ran away when he was filmed,”
said Kampanat Ueasakul, witness.
Ongoing homelessness and safety worries on the shore
Local residents complained that, despite recurring operations by the authorities, many homeless people continued to sleep on Pattaya’s beaches, repeatedly raising safety concerns among visitors. According to residents, incidents kept occurring involving homeless individuals with apparent mental health problems, prompting calls for better public mental health services and social support.
Calls for coordinated long-term measures
Community representatives urged local administration, police, immigration authorities and social services to regulate beach areas and tourist zones more sustainably, arguing that cases such as the begging mother with children or the homeless man on the beach damaged Pattaya’s reputation as a safe destination. They also stressed that the problem was not limited to foreign nationals, noting that many Thai people in Pattaya were also begging or homeless, and demanded broader social programmes, rehabilitation measures and shelter options for particularly vulnerable groups.