Problem Statement: Amidst social and economic change and development in Thailand, members of various ethnic groups are being pushed to move along and catch up with the change regardless of their ethnographical background. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) To examine phenomena of modernity circumstances driving the Kui people to becoming of beggary. (2) To investigate the factors affecting the existence of the Kui people's becoming of beggary. Approach: The research data were collected from 30 informants who raised elephants and lived at Ban Krapho, Tambon Krapho, Amphoe Tha Tum, Surin Province. The research theoretical concepts used were modernity and identity. The fieldwork carried out utilized participant observations and structured and unstructured interviews. Results: The results of the study were as follows: (1) Originally, the main occupation of the Kui people were capturing wild elephants and raising them domestic catedly. Since then, the elephants have been part of their culture. They later practiced subsistence economy and had to rely on natural resources. (2) Development led the country to modernity and brought changes to rural communities including the Kui's. Modernity, as seen by the people at Ban Krapho, had driven them to become beggary which indicated by a collapse of elephant raising cultural phenomenon. The transformation of client to patron relationship and the Kui cultural lag were related to a decline of their economic structure. Both had weakened and forced the Kui people to become beggary. Conclusion/Recommendation: Becoming of beggary later became a cultural value locally. Their ethnic poverty-risk taking had been seen as a cultural lag and moved against capitalism symbolizing modernity amidst development of Thailand and the world society. © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2011.