Pattaya Removes 13 Homeless People From Public Areas and Tightens Checks on Flower-Selling Children After Social Media Complaints
PATTAYA – Pattaya City has launched an integrated operation to regulate homeless people and vagrants while closely inspecting children selling flowers and begging from tourists along Walking Street, following complaints on social media about impacts on tourism.
On August 4th, 2026, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya Damrongkiat Phinitkan led a multi-agency team, including officers from the Chonburi Provincial Center for Protection and Enhancement of Quality of Life under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, along with related agencies. They conducted operations along Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya Second Road, and surrounding areas.
Participants included Suriwat Roemkitkan, assistant secretary to the mayor; Pattaya City Council members; the assistant secretary to the council president; a deputy permanent secretary of Pattaya City; social welfare officers from the Social Welfare Bureau; public order officers from the Office of the Permanent Secretary; and cleaning control officers from the Natural Resources and Environment Bureau.
The operation located 13 homeless people and vagrants with no fixed residence, six men and seven women. Authorities took appropriate action: five were advised and directed to leave the area, five were transferred to the Chonburi Provincial Center for Protection and Enhancement of Quality of Life, and three individuals showing signs of mental illness were sent for treatment at Pattaya Pathumakhun Hospital.
After completing the homeless regulation effort, the Pattaya City executives inspected Walking Street following social media reports of groups of Cambodian children begging for money from tourists, selling flowers, and complaints of possible theft.
Local business operators reported that the groups, consisting of both children and adults, typically appear in the early evening to sell flowers and persistently approach tourists. In some cases, they allegedly take advantage of tourists’ distraction to commit theft, creating problems and damaging the tourism atmosphere.
Pattaya City executives have ordered relevant agencies to strictly enforce their duties and applicable laws to address the issue systematically. The goal is to build public and tourist confidence in safety while preserving Pattaya’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination.
