Bang Rak beggar nabbed for using pups to touch kind souls for money
Officers from Bangkok’s Bang Rak Police Station nabbed a so-called beggar after getting a tip-off of possible animal abuse.
Kamphaengphet-native Prasit Saengpanta, 50, was spotted begging for money outside Hualamphong temple on Rama IV road with two sleeping puppies chained together.
Police said they tracked him down after seeing a Tik Tok video clip of a homeless man seeking money to feed puppies had chained in front of the temple.
The clip was widely shared and slammed by netizens, some of whom alerted the police.
Prasit reportedly said he is unemployed and has been begging at this spot for about 20 years.
“Since fewer people have been dipping in their pockets recently, I decided to buy the puppies from Chatuchak market at Bt500 each and use them to attract people’s attention. I feed them regularly and have not abused them,” he said.
He also reportedly admitted to earning close to Bt1,000 daily since he got the dogs and planned to give them away when they grew up and buy new puppies.
The so-called beggar was charged with animal abuse under the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animal Act as well as for violating the Beggar Control Act. The puppies, meanwhile, were adopted by Watchdog Thailand Foundation.