Nonverbal Languages of the Pitifulness Beggars in Bangkok

Abstract

The research article, Nonverbal Languages of the Pitifulness: Beggars in Bangkok, was conducted with the objectives as (1) to survey and categorize the types of nonverbal communication of the beggars in Bangkok, (2) to survey the behaviors of alms giving of the people in Bangkok, and (3) to survey the effects of the nonverbal communication from the beggars in Bangkok to the levels of pitifulness of the different-age sample groups.

            This research was conducted with the Sequential Mixed Method. The researcher began with the Qualitative Research – Non-Participating Field Observation – to gather and categorize the characteristics of the nonverbal languages of beggars in Bangkok. Then, constructed the survey questionnaire to gather the survey results from 3 different sample groups; aged 10 – 24 years, aged 24.01 – 40 years, and aged 40.01 – 55 years, 406 participants were collected in this Survey Research. The research employed both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics; One – Way ANOVA and T – Test, to evaluate the results.

            The results showed that 25 characteristics of nonverbal communication were found. They could be categorized into 8 types of nonverbal communication which included Appearances, Artifacts, Kinesics, Vocalics, Chronemics, Environment, Haptics, and Proxemics. More than 60% of the samples gave alms less than 4 times a month (less than once a week). Around 36% of participants gave alms THB5.25 – THB10 as their one time average. The major reason of giving alms was the pitifulness, and they would like to uplifting the life quality of the beggars rather than the concept of karma. The statistics revealed that the physical appearances were the most effective to the level of pitifulness for all sample groups, with the significant difference (α = 0.05) from other types of nonverbal communication. Most of the nonverbal communication types affected the pitifulness level of 3 sample groups in the same way. The group with the age 10 – 24 years showed the highest average of the pitifulness level, followed by the age 24.01 – 40 years, and the age 40.01 – 55 years. 5 out of 8 nonverbal communication types; artifacts, kinesics, vocalics, environment, and haptics, caused the significant differences (α = 0.05) in the pitifulness level among 3 sample groups. The group with the age 40.01 – 55 years showed the least average level of pitifulness to other 2 groups with the significant difference level at α = 0.05. Hence, the relevant organizations may provide more knowledge and awareness regarding the beggar problems in Thailand to the people in 10 – 24 years and 24 – 40 years, for stopping the alms giving which is the cause of the human trafficking and the beggar businesses.