The media in Thailand still calls him "The most hated German in Thailand". Benjamin Holst is currently begging for a living in the Canary Islands, and vows never to return to Asia. "The media never left me alone", he tells Thailands Tidende.
Benjamin Holst (32) is still a topic of strong interest in the Thai media. Up until three years ago, he lived as a beggar in Thailand—with a huge swollen leg due to elephantiasis as en easily identifiable mark.
"Now that I live in Gambia, I realize that I was never really happy in Asia, mostly because the media never left me alone. They tracked me, reported on my whereabouts and whether I still made a living begging. After the last deportation, I decided never to return to Asia.
"Based on rumors"
There have been many stories about the Flensburg man, and they keep coming. They all have one thing in common, according to Mr. Holst: Nobody interviews him. The stories are based on rumors and tidbits lifted from his Facebook page.
Media that have covered the German include The Daily Mail, Bangkok Post, The Nation, Der Spiegel, Samui Times and websites like Thaivisa, Pattaya One and Coconuts. Even Reddit has written about him.
We have been in touch with him, and will let him tell his story about the days as a beggar, the rumors and untruths from his time in Thailand, and his new relationship with Gambia—the new homeland that has quenched his thirst for Asia.
Begging in the Canary Islands
Mr. Holst has just landed in Gambia, after a stint at his job as a beggar in the Canary Islands.
"How are you doing?"
"Life is good when I am here in Banjul, Gambia. I am having a very nice time with my Gambian wife Yima and her family. Begging is forbidden here, so I take frequent trips to the Canary Islands—which I call my Second Home. The spirit of giving is great here.
RECOGNIZED: Many people recognize Mr. Holst and want to take pictures with him or touch his leg. (Photo: Private)
Pattaya trip "very much exaggerated"
Mr. Holst received much criticism in Thailand, notably because of one incident: The media reported that Thais in Bangkok—mostly underprivileged people—had collected 50,000 baht for his flight back home, but that he instead went to Pattaya and used the money to party and pay for prostitutes.
"The media have written many false stories about me, based on rumors. My motto is, let people say what they want, since there is no way for me to rectify what they say. The stories about me were based on pictures I posted on Facebook, and they were very much exaggerated. The stories led to problems for me in other Asian countries, after I was deported from Thailand."
"You live only once"
"How did a German man like yourself, with this particular illness, end up in Thailand?"
"I married a woman I met through a computer game. We had much in common. We both had a 'handicap', she weighed 40 kilos too much, I had my leg... We had a good life together, then she lost her extra 40 kilos, found a new man, and the divorce happened soon after."
After the divorce, Mr. Holst moved back to live with his parents. He describes this as a depressing time, without a job or a girlfriend, and with a problematic leg to boot. He laid his plans:
"I thought, one lives only once, so why spend the time living with ones parents in a miserable existence? I had lost belief in true love with German women, they only want successful men with money, and with two working legs."
Epiphany in Bangkok
Mr. Holst sold all his furniture from his last marriage, and bought a plane ticket to Thailand. The money didn't last long:
"The money lasted only one week, then it was all spent. So I got an idea, sort of an epiphany. I found a cup in the garbage bin outside a McDonald's, and sat down to beg. The first day I made 2,000 baht, enough for a hotel room, food and a trip to a bar.
Deported
Mr. Holst's plan was to find a wife, so he continued his lucrative begging. After a while he ran into problems:
"I had a 30-day visa, and on the 31st day I was arrested by the police, since I had appeared quite a bit in the media. They deported me to Germany. It was impossible to make sufficient money begging in Germany, so I spent what little I had on travel to the Canary Islands."
No less than eleven countries have deported, blacklisted or declared Mr. Holst persona non grata.
Tricks of the trade
"How is it to make a living begging for money? We assume you have become somewhat of an expert. Can you reveal a few tricks?"
"It is exhausting, because I live as a homeless person. But that is also an advantage, because I receive more empathy, seeing that I live on the streets. It is possible to make about 200–300 euros per day in Las Palmas, if one knows the right places to beg. Outside an Apple store is a good example of a great place, where people are generous. Germans give the least, while Japanese give the most. I also meet people who want to touch my leg, and I don't mind that at all", Holst tells us.
"The Canary Islands is a good place to beg, because of the many kind tourists there. It is also to my advantage that they believe I am stranded there. Areas with expensive shops are the best places to beg."
Always recognized
"Are you always recognized, and how do people react when they see you, after all the negative media coverage you have endured?"
"Yes, people frequently recognize me. They tell me they have read about me in the papers, seen me on TV, or recognize me from Facebook. But people are kind, and now that I have a family, many people like to support me for that reason alone."
Holst opens up about his illness:
"There is no cure for my illness, but it can be kept under control by using massages and certain hoses. Now my leg contains 14 liters of fluids, and the amount has increase substantially the last few years. I am making the best of it, I have no other alternative. Begging is my only income."
No social security
Mr. Holst don't want anything to do with his native country, Germany. He has converted to Islam and taken the name Benjamin Mohamed Drammeh, even though officially he still uses his given name. Here is his answer to the question of why he doesn't apply for social security in his home country:
"I understand your question, because you are from Norway. You are known for decent welfare programs, Germany is a whole different story. But on day I hope I can get monetary support so I can live in Gambia, without having to travel to Europe to beg on the streets. If I don't get such support, I will try to come up with something we can live off here.
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FACTS: Elephantiasis
Mr. Holst caught the disease known as elephantiasis as a child in a swimming pool. He hurt one of his legs during play and got an infection. Mr. Holst doesn't know the reason why his leg swelled. You can, according to medical sources, be born with elephantiasis, or it can be caused by mosquito bites or cancer. It will cause parasitic worms to move around inside your affected body part.
(© Thailands Tidende March 1, 2018)
