‘Beggars not torture victims’

SIX Chinese nationals with severe deformities caught begging on the streets of Bangkok were not victims of torture, physical abuse or coercion by human traffickers as believed earlier, Thailand said.

Seven Chinese men and women have been arrested for begging for money in Bangkok since Nov 10, after posts on social media suggested that human traffickers may be exploiting Thailand’s visa waiver to bring in victims to beg on the streets.