The number of homeless people in the capital increased by 10% last year and the government should provide more comprehensive welfare to ease the problem, the Issarachon Foundation said yesterday.
Sophon Pornchokchai, president of the non-governmental organisation which campaigns for better quality of life for the homeless, said that a survey by the foundation showed that there are now 3,993 homeless people in Bangkok, a 10% increase from 2017.
Even though Mr Sophon claimed this is only a slight increase, he said it reflects badly on the government's handling of the problem. While a government policy to regulate the city has made the problem less visible in inner areas, it has led to the homeless being scattered over a wider area, Mr Sophon added.
Mr Sophon explained that private organisations have worked with state agencies to keep homeless people in certain locations such as Phahurat, Sanam Luang and Klong Lot.
However, such a policy has forced them to drift off to other areas, such as BTS stations, and public parks, or to surrounding provinces such as Samut Sakhon and Pathum Thani, he said.
"Homeless people are the most marginalised group in Thai society and they receive less attention and donations than cats and dogs," Mr Sophon said.
He said several people had been made homeless as a result of economic problems and they had no choice but to live in public areas.
He said that the foundation wanted to borrow or lease empty low-rent buildings or spaces from private owners to provide homeless people with places to sleep at night from 7pm to 7am.
Atchara Sonwari, the foundation's secretary-general, said the government should relax the rules on identity card applications to allow homeless people to regain access to state services. Many of the homeless people the foundation meet lack ID cards even though they were born to Thai parents and raised in the country.
Without these cards, the homeless are unable to receive medical welfare and other essential services to get them back on their feet, she said.
