Officials in Pattaya have done a terrific job of establishing agreements to address the city’s homelessness issue but a terrible job of enacting those accords.
Later this month, yet another “memorandum of understanding” will be inked to create a “protection system” for homeless individuals. One was signed prior to it in August of last year.
The new paperwork includes signatures from the Chonburi Home for Children and Family, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Burapha University, Institute of Asian Studies Chulalongkorn University, Banglamung Hospital, as well as the tourist and immigration police, in contrast to last year’s agreement with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and Chonburi Protection Center for the Destitute.
The agreement aims to establish standards for how to treat homeless persons once they are picked up by law enforcement or city officials.
The ministry launched joint initiatives with 29 municipalities last year to enhance social-welfare administration in the provision of care and rehabilitation. However, the MOU that was subsequently signed had no impact on the homeless population of Pattaya.
The new government paper reiterates the previous pledge to remove homeless individuals from the streets, pay for their care and social services, and help them find employment and housing.People living on the streets in Pattaya cannot be arrested, according to Deputy Mayor Wuthisak Rermkijakarn. Instead, they are just asked where they would prefer to be relocated, such as with family or a shelter. However, people might also decline assistance and are merely requested to walk on.
He claimed that the only people over whom public officials have legal authority are vagrants who are living in the country illegally or who are publicly exhibiting indicators of mental illness.
