The decision to ban them for six months was made because the province is hosting the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 horticultural exhibition this year.

A female activist, who asked not to be named, said the garland sellers, mostly children, were already facing economic difficulties and would have to endure hardship for another six months - three of which are before the exhibition, which begins on November 1 and ends on January 31.

She said money from selling garlands at intersections was a major source of income for more than 80 poor families who had done it for more than 10 years. Most fathers in these families were labourers or construction workers, while the mothers had no other jobs.

The woman, who works for a non-government organisation, said authorities had no solutions to help these poor families in terms of career training or temporary employment to ensure a sum of money they could rely on during the ban.

"Selling garlands is a legal and honest job. There should be some conditions or solutions made available to them while they are barred from the streets and prevented from making money," she added.

She said child immigrants had taken many jobs available in Chiang Mai from Thai children and teenagers, with most gas station attendants now Burmese youths.

Chaiphan Praphasawat, director of the Communities' Rights Foundation, said government agencies had exploited the fact that the floral exhibition was regarded as an event to mark His Majesty the King's 60 years on the throne, making critics reluctant to criticise what had been done to garland sellers.