Homeless won’t suffer from shift in care centre, pledges department head
The homeless won’t be negatively affected by the Crown Property Bureau’s move on October 1 to reclaim the Ban Imm Jaai screening and helping centre for the disadvantaged in Soi Mansri of Bangkok’s Pom Prab (Sattru Phai) district, pledged the city’s director-general of the Social Development Department, Chalermpon Chotinuchit on Monday.
As part of the reclaiming, tasks performed by the Ban Imm Jaai centre have been transferred to the Service Centre for the Elderly in Ding Daeng district.
Though clients are no longer able to stay overnight, the new location will continue to aid the homeless and street involved by giving advice, monitoring their lives and collaborating with many organisations to help them, claimed Chalermpon.
Meanwhile, the Service Center for the Elderly in Din Daeng district is now under the reconstruction in order to support the additional activities.
Questions have been raised about the ability of the Service Centre for the Elderly to adequately service the needs of the homeless.
In the past, collaboration was seen as well organised between private organisations and the public sector, such as the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security Social Development Department and the homeless network in Bangkok.
Five centres for protection of the homeless in Din Daeng, Sai Mai, Huai Khwang, Thonburi and Prawet districts were able to support 50 people a day.