A shelter for Bangkok's homeless

A shelter for Bangkok's homeless
Sanam Luang's 300 residents will soon have to move
Published: 17/01/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

As the night falls, 52-year-old Banjob emerges from a dark corner of Sanam Luang into the open air in the middle of the wide field and spreads out a one-metre square plastic sheet printed with colourful Breeze detergent logos over the rough cement blocks.


SLEEPING OUT: One of the homeless people at Sanam Luang. PHOTO: PORNPROM SARTTARBHAYA
The plastic sheet will be his bed tonight as it has been for the past six months since he left his home in Chai Nat province with one bag of clothing and an uncertain future.

Like other homeless people in Bangkok, Mr Banjob may soon be forced to move on as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has come up with a new plan to relocate them.

In the latest effort by the BMA to look after the homeless, a new shelter is to be built. The BMA is now in negotiations with some agencies over use of the land where the shelter will be built. The BMA is hoping to start with at least two shelters in Bangkok.

Theerachon Manomaipibul, the deputy governor of the BMA who is in charge of the project, said the new shelter would follow the model successfully developed by the Housing Development Foundation at Bangkok Noi.

About 100 homeless people, mostly from Sanam Luang, were persuaded to start a new life at the shelter, but they are required to abide by certain conditions, which include no bad behaviour, and they must demonstrate a determination to improve themselves.

The BMA expects to complete the project in the next few months as it also has a plan to re-landscape Sanam Luang. About 100 million baht would be taken from its budget under the Thai Khem Khaeng programme.

The planned relocation is the latest attempt by the BMA to resolve the issue of homeless people, whose numbers have increased in the past year.

According to the BMA's records, there are now at least 300 homeless people at Sanam Luang. They come from different backgrounds, some make a living from begging, some turn to prostitution, while others are drunk all the time.

They are seen as a problem by state authorities, one they have tried to resolve for more than 10 years.

Mr Theerachon conceded the problem will not go away permanently as most big cities in the world have similar situations with homeless people.

He hopes the new shelter project will at least help make the problem manageable. The BMA has tried to differentiate the homeless people and group them so they can come up with better solutions. He said some may have just failed temporarily and need some help to re-establish themselves. The shelter will at least provide them with a place to rest before they move on with their lives, he said.

"The problem has continued for more than 10 years. I think it is still better than doing nothing," he said.

The new approach to resolve the problem by the BMA has been praised by a group of non-governmental organisations which have been working on the issue.

However Nathee Sornwaree, of the Voluntary Activity Creation Association, known among the homeless at Sanam Luang as Issarachon (Free Man), said what should be taken into account is an intensive rehabilitation programme.

Mr Nathee, who has helped homeless people at Sanam Luang for many years, said the people there actually have homes to go back to, but there are various reasons for them not being able to live or go home. He said providing them with shelter is not enough. The state should look into their problems and tackle them at the root causes.

He said conditions at the model Bangkok Noi shelter are quite strict, given the fact that homeless people are those who have failed in life and need rehabilitation first.

If the BMA shelter goes ahead as planned, several homeless people may fail to meet the criteria and may not be accepted in the new shelter.

"They should be staying in their homes and with their families. The question is how we can help them go back happily to the places they left behind," said Mr Nathee.

At Sanam Luang, where Mr Banjob was taking a rest, some other homeless people were also finding some space to spread out their plastic sheets.

Mr Banjob said he may not move to a new shelter as this would not help him much. Mr Banjob, who was a cassava farmer, said he has a house at Chai Nat but he cannot live there as he feels hollow inside.

About four years ago, his wife left him for another man while he was away working in Bangkok as a security guard. Ever since he has wandered around Bangkok. During the day, he goes to temples to receive donations, and at night, he heads back to Sanam Luang to rest.

There he finds some peace with a nice breeze and activities happening around him. And as time goes by, he has retreated into his small space. "We feel embarrassed and don't want to associate with anyone," he said. "Give me time and I will move on."

InFO FOR Donations : Bank info
Saving account : Voluntary Activity Creation Association ,Krung thai bank,Central Pinkloa branch,account number 031-0-03432-9 or Bangkok bank ,Minburi branch,account number 145-5-24762-5

Bangkokpost:17 January 2010

[ธรรมหรรษา]

Dear Mr. Nathee,

• "They should be staying in their homes and with their families. The question is how we can help them go back happily to the places they left behind," said Mr Nathee.
• Of course, I do agree with your suggestion. But, there are many reasons why they have to stay at Sanam Luang for one week or one year. If they have a choice, I think that they do not like to stay there.
• From my perspective, sometime, home as material is not important to them anymore, but mind. Whereever they stay and they have happiness. 
• They all would love to be there.
• If we would like to solve these problems, I think that we have to consider both physical problems and their mind.
• Your in the dhamma