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The move of poor farmer-daughters to Bangkok
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by Mistifarang | May 19, 2008 at 12:59 am
1029 views | 10 Recommendations | 10 comments
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I stumbled over this pitiful scene which is really not usual here! It is, when
one knows the inside of the live of certain women, indeed pitiful and a vicious
circle.
A young
woman collapsed and laid for dead on the pavement of soi 7. The handicapped
beggar witnessed. The woman appeared after investigation by ambulance-staff to
be "mau lau" (very drunk). A combination of little food, being
over-tired, the heath and the use of alcohol? A bit later she zigzagged over
the pavement asking by-passers for money for a taxi to come home.
As said
before these scenes are big exceptions but are saying something about the
desperate situations of a lot of women in the night-life of Bangkok. Most of the hugh problems for their
surviving are not showed like this but are going around and around in their
heads until sometimes no way out can be found anymore.
Lots of
those women are from the poor north-east of Thailand (Isan), are from
farmers-families and are sometimes widow but lots of times without husband (disappeared/divorced)
or boyfriend but not after producing one or more children. Under financial
pressure of the family they are going to work in big cities like Bangkok.
(Please
keep eventual comments sane even when you might have another opinion or when
you are cheated or frustrated by certain experiences!)
As I am not able to comment or to reply I shall reply in another way than here.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 08:15 on May 19th, 2008
Being a farmer's daughter myself, I thought this was a good story. Maybe suggest you write about it in Farmers Weekly UK Publication
at 10:12 on May 19th, 2008
Thanks Beaulieu for the comment and the hint. I don't know if I am such a good writer and a tribute needs lots more investigation than I have done upto now! I will give it a try and start studying the matter a bit deeper.
at 08:26 on May 19th, 2008
Mistifarang, I like this story. It's a shame that some women find themselves in this situation. Do you also know what life is like back on the farms they left behind?
at 10:07 on May 19th, 2008
Thanks Rachel.
Life stays poor and tough: mostly they are rice-farmers and the crops are frequently suffering under dry weather. The money they are sending helps to survive a bit longer but they have also cost of living in the towns although they share their rooms (generally spoken around 20 m2) with one up to two or even three other women. And, of course, the extra income is lots of times badly used "at home".
This is a very complicated matter with lots of sides of course.
Lately the "force" is growing because of closing various plants where women worked but came into troubles due to bad exports. Bangkok's Samut Prakhan area was badly hurt last year and this year.
at 11:57 on May 19th, 2008
Maybe there are some women's organisations that may have more info on this. A women's labour movement of some sort.
at 11:57 on May 19th, 2008
Maybe there are some women's organisations that may have more info on this. A women's labour movement of some sort.
at 20:15 on May 23rd, 2008
Almost every city in the world has it's share of prostitutes, beggars and drug addicts and Bangkok is no exception.
This is far more complex an issue than a simple exploitation of women story although it does go on. Many of the girls working in bars and on the street in Bangkok (and other cities) are there simply because they can make far more money than would be possible at home and they often use the money to buy land and build houses in which to 'retire' as well as supporting their families.
Quite a few find foreign husbands, in fact there is an ever increasing number of working girls coming back with wealthy husbands and building great big houses in the little villages!
My wife (herself an Issan girl) recently sat next to an elderly lady on a bus who was proudly (and loudly) telling everyone how she'd been in Bangkok visiting her daughter who was making a fortune as a prostitute!
Of course it is sad when anyone dies in a desperate situation but I don't think you know enough of the facts in this case to make the connection you are making - it is quite possible that the girl you saw was simply a victim of drug and or alcohol abuse.
at 20:53 on May 27th, 2008
Hi, do you think this would get more attention if you put it under the "Culture" category? Sad story.
at 09:47 on May 28th, 2008
don't know Pep! It is sad indeed as I am now aware that also ex-laborers of closed manufacturers are joining "the club". The last year some closed due to bad export circumstances and thousands of people were thrown-out.
I will give your suggestion a try. Thanks for your reply!
at 21:54 on May 28th, 2008
In reply to PM from Mistifarang;
I am sorry Mistifarang - I was not saying that you were exploiting
the girl/story/photo - just that painting the situation with 'bar
girls'/prostitutes in Bangkok as exploitation is overly simplistic.
Re-reading your story I am not sure that that is what you were saying so I am sorry if I have mis-interpreted it.
Thailand has a very long and well established sex industry as well the ability to pretend that it doesn't exist.
I have also lived here for a quite a number of years and know a fair
amount about the culture, personally I believe that most families DO
know what there daughters are doing but would never admit to it in
public.
I agree with you that this death is tragic and I also agree with
your point that many people are moving from poor rural areas to work in
the big cities - something that is happening throughout the world.
BTW 'Working girls' is an English euphemism for prostitutes.