dddave Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 Seven or eight years ago, before the crash when the Thai economy was skyrocketing and China hadn't yet emerged as the manufacturing powerhouse that it is today, Thai factory workers were getting more per hour than they are now, with large amounts of (enforced) overtime; eight to ten thousand baht p/m was not unusual for semi-skilled labor. Now, even with O/T, which is scarce, a semi skilled worker is lucky to earn five to six thousand, and that is for alternate 6/7 day weeks. Since most of the factories are not in Isarn, workers have to pay rent and living expenses. It doesn't leave them much to send home or to have any kind of life. A current GF of mine worked in sewing factories for 15 years. She tells of crying herself to sleep most nights after wages plummeted because she was so tired and it was so hopelessly impossible to ever get ahead. Finally, after failing to pay her or her co-workers for six weeks, the factory moved the machinery out at midnight, somehow forgetting to leave a forwarding address. She came to Bangkok where she could stay with a relative and got a job in one of the countless little sweatshops in Bangkok Noi; seven days a week, twelve hours a day, 4000 Baht P/m Think of what it is to live that kind of a life, then tell me what the fuck is moral, and what is not. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 there are choices. they may not be great, but there is the choice. factory work is available, and OT as well, but the conditions are rarely what we would consider fair. the problem of choices starts already in the village. if you look at the village economy unfortunately a lot of the farming is wasteful and economically not sound, bringing people into the debt trap. opportunities that require some initial effort are not used. people do often live along the principle of dreams of maximum gain with minimal effort, short term gain is preferred to long term subsistence. that may work for well connected businessmen and politicians, but not your average somsak. people dream of riches without doing the groundwork such as available education and using the available land wisely. and going into prostitution unfortunately has become in many villages a tradition. it's a devil's circle that is very hard to interrupt, especially as every government so far (including this one) has so far used the terrible situation to their own advantage without doing anything more than paying lipservice to improvements, and hatching one bound to fail sceme after the other. but yes, the choices are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 Hi, "Think of what it is to live that kind of a life, then tell me what the fuck is moral, and what is not." Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 The issues are not as simple as to choose between a bar and a factory. We do not have authority to decide in this matter. Good matter for philosophy but nothing else. We come (probably all of us) from countries in where everything is granted, education, wellfare, health, leasure, unemployment benefit, social security, etc etc. We do not understand the struggles of these people and the way the understand their options, becuase on our experiences(??) and struggles (if we have any) there is nothing that can be near close to theirs. Some of us may intend to patronize as if we would understand. But we don't. In spite of these, this people are not screwed up as we are in the western countries. They are remarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AF16 Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 PSBG said: In spite of these, this people are not screwed up as we are in the western countries. They are remarkable. How so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 >>>>We do not understand the struggles of these people<<< but we can make an effort in trying so. and after some time doing that we can get a rather good picture. >>>In spite of these, this people are not screwed up as we are in the western countries. They are remarkable.<<< can you please elaborate on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 PSBG , what is remarkable about deciding to wurk bah ? Sacrificing for the family , I do not believe it any more . In Burma they do not even have sweatshops and I fail to see thousands of prostitues along the roadside. I am talking about "real" Burma not Northern hilltribes where things are different due to rotten familiy tradition. BuBi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 flyonzewall, <<going into prostitution unfortunately has become in many villages a tradition.>> GOING into prostitution , not being sent ; I subscribe that. BuBi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 Hi Isn't it a case of easy/more money per month ...than to work long hours for little reward and food? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 tboy, it is all easy if you say being fucked by a thousand farangs per year does not add much weight on the liability side of the balance sheet. If that does not matter, what are we talking about anyway , then it is just another job. And I start to believe that this exactly what "they" think it is, providing free choice by madame. BuBi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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