No Expectations

Photo of the Day - October 18, 2008

by Kip Cole on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 23:41 UTC

Child Begging at Asok Station

Photographs tell the truth. But not necessarily the whole truth. As anyone who has spent time in Bangkok will know, it’s not uncommon to find people begging. Often they adopt a prostrate position for long periods of time, presumably trying to invoke greater compassion in those passing by. It’s distressing and confronting to most visitors. But it’s not the whole story.

First of all, it is most common - almost always in my experience - to find this kind of begging in only the most touristed areas of Bangkok. And what you can’t see in this image is that just around the corner of the stairs is the child’s mother and siblings for whom begging is a family business. One that is said to be well-organised (with definite territories and the hint of payoffs to authorities) and lucrative enough to sustain a standard of living on par with many working Thai families.

The image is intended to be evocative. Black-and-white for mood. An image of the poor boy begging as two business men not only walk by, but walk over; no compassion at all.

That may well be the truth. But like many images, not necessarily the whole truth.

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