Kids work

[fra107]

Hi everybody, i hope this is the right section for this topic.... 

 

I have been traveling in Thailand for 2 months, i saw a lot of kids, about 8 or 9 years old, working with their parents in shops or street food, i would like to know what the Thai law say about it, is it permitted? 

 

I talked about it with a Thai friend, and she said it's absolutely normal and an honor for a kid to work and help his or her parents in the family business. 

I would like to know more about it. 

 

Thanks in advance for the replies 

[AlexRich]

Why?

[fra107]

2 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Why?

Because I'm curious about Thai laws, habits and culture 

And because i had an argument with my Thai friend about it, I'm from Europe and for me is so strange and sad seeing kids working 

Edited March 10, 2019 by fra107

[SteveK]

I would suggest that Thai children get a better and more rounded education from working with their parents, and learning how to make money, than from a Thai state school education. I'm not sure why you think it is sad seeing young children learning how to make a living!

 

I was forced to study French, German and Latin at school - absolutely zero use to me whatsoever! Had I been able to learn how to support myself working at a restaurant, market or some other business, that would have been infinitely more useful to me.

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[fra107]

16 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

I'm not sure why you think it is sad seeing young children learning how to make a living!

Because from my point of view kids should just study and play at that age, but i come from a totally different culture.

 

Of course it's nice if they learn how to live, but is it not too soon? 

I'm just asking and respecting all point of view and cultures. 

And what the Thai law says about it? 

Edited March 10, 2019 by fra107

[SteveK]

How long have you been here? 2 months?

 

Why would you travel halfway around the world and expect things to be the same as in your home country?

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[fra107]

4 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

How long have you been here? 2 months?

Yes sir, this is my third vacation in Thailand, this time i decided to stay more than 2 weeks because i love this country and people and i would like to know more about this culture. 

Edited March 10, 2019 by fra107

[SteveK]

4 minutes ago, fra107 said:

Yes sir, this is my third vacation in Thailand, this time i decided to stay more because i love this country and people and i would like to know more about this culture. 

Highly commendable.

 

By now you should probably realise that even though Thailand has a lot of laws and regulations, it's the enforcement which is spotty, so many people are able to do their own thing for years without anyone giving them grief. Even in many European countries, you can see kids helping out with the family business from time to time. Good for them to learn some real world values.

 

I doubt the Thai police would even bother creating an issue with a young child helping out the family business, even in the UK, I think the police would also turn a blind eye unless the child was missing school or being abused.

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[fra107]

10 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Even in many European countries, you can see kids helping out with the family business from time to time. Good for them to learn some real world values.

It happens sometimes in Europe also, and sometimes parents loose their children because it's not allowed by the law. 

It's so funny because knowing a different culture sometimes makes me doubt about what I've been teached since birth! ????

Edited March 10, 2019 by fra107

[SteveK]

You've been to Thailand several times, and this time for two months. Of all the things to concern you, I'm a bit surprised that you picked up on children helping out with the family business!

 

Maybe you are more thoughtful and considerate than most people, or maybe you haven't been to the right parts of Bangkok yet!

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[fra107]

11 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

You've been to Thailand several times, and this time for two months. Of all the things to concern you, I'm a bit surprised that you picked up on children helping out with the family business!

I've had an argument with my friends after we've seen a young boy selling flowers in Chiang Mai, from my point of view maybe the boy was being exploited by some gangster or by lazy parents (like it happens sometimes in gipsy families in Europe),but my friend explained to me that probably it was a different case. 

So i got curious about this subject. 

 

Thank you so much for the replies 

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by fra107

[473geo]

From the age of 7 in England I was hand milking a cow, morning and night, before and after school, (Two brothers doing the same) helping my father build drystone walls, helping with the harvest, spreading manure, mucking out loose boxes, feeding calves and cows.

At 14 I negotiated and undertook a gardening contract I worked Saturdays and Sundays when not on the farm or helping farming friends. At the age of 11 I was driving tractors, by 13 I was driving tractors with fully loaded trailers.

 

Just because people have not come across youngsters helping out their parents in Europe does mean it has not happened and is probably still happening.

 

I don't think it carried too much adverse effect

Edited March 10, 2019 by 473geo

[SteveK]

7 minutes ago, 473geo said:

 

I don't think it carried too much adverse effect

Quite the opposite - schools in Europe give a scatter-gun type of education where you learn loads of useless stuff to aid you in getting employment after you graduate. If your family already has a role for you in the family business, then spending years learning about chemistry, foreign languages, and calculus is almost certainly a waste of time - I know it was for me because I never use any of these things!

 

Hands-on experience running a business and earning money are far more useful.

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[473geo]

5 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Quite the opposite - schools in Europe give a scatter-gun type of education where you learn loads of useless stuff to aid you in getting employment after you graduate. If your family already has a role for you in the family business, then spending years learning about chemistry, foreign languages, and calculus is almost certainly a waste of time - I know it was for me because I never use any of these things!

 

Hands-on experience running a business and earning money are far more useful.

Good point, as later, for a couple of years, I actually made money taking and working drystone wall contracts

However now working in an office ????so education did come in handy in the end

Edited March 10, 2019 by 473geo

[fra107]

I understand and agree about the utility to learn a work from young age, i started working at 14 also, but starting at 7.... I don't know, isn't it too soon? 

Again, it's just my farang point of view, maybe right, maybe wrong, I'm asking just to know what other people think about it. 

[SteveK]

You think too mutt.

[473geo]

3 minutes ago, fra107 said:

I understand and agree about the utility to learn a work from young age, i started working at 14 also, but starting at 7.... I don't know, isn't it too soon? 

Again, it's just my farang point of view, maybe right, maybe wrong, I'm asking just to know what other people think about it. 

Can't say it was a truly enjoyable experience at the time, but most of my friends were in the same position. We often had to chip in help one of our friends to finish their work before we all went out to play together. Our summers were spent helping people harvest. But at least we ate well at the end of a days work and had pocket money to go to the seaside for a week.

 

It's wasn't about exploitation was about 'making ends meet' family of five children to bring up and educate, one low wage earner at that time.

I try not to judge too quickly how people of limited opportunity and income get by, probably a result of my own upbringing.

 

[SteveK]

When I go to my favourite Chinese take-away in the UK, I am often served by the owner's children, not sure how old they are but 9-13 years would be a good guess. They know every dish on the menu, inside out and upside down, can speak fluent English, plus whatever dialect of Chinese the family uses. They're good with numbers, too.

 

It's quite impressive, to be honest. I have never once been concerned about their schooling - the knowledge which they are accruing will allow them to support their families as they get older. 

 

The European method of forcing kids to learn things that they will never use in their lives is potentially a waste of time. I agree that children should have a basic level of education, however, I am fairly sure than the young Chinese girl in the takeaway will have a more reliable source of income going forward than what I have gotten with a first-class masters degree.

Edited March 10, 2019 by pr9spk

[ballpoint]

I grew up on a farm and 'helped' my parents with the chores from the day I could walk upright carrying a bucket.  Besides which, given the fact that both parents are usually engaged in the business, what else would you have these kids do?  Hang out at the mall until it closes?  Sit at home watching TV / Playing games on a phone / Chatting to strangers on a social networking site?  Obviously, there are some instances where it is wrong for young children to work, but helping out in the family business isn't one of them.

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, fra107 said:

1. Because I'm curious about Thai laws, habits and culture.

2. working but starting at 7.... I don't know, isn't it too soon?

3. farang point of view, maybe right, maybe wrong, 

1. Good so read up on culture, many things same, some not.

 

2. Working poor Thai women work up until the baby drops and back to work soon after, sometimes they can't get family to take care so they keep the kids with them even younger than 7.

 

3. Always wrong in Thailand. ???? 

 

[fra107]

5 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Working poor Thai women work up until the baby drops and back to work soon after, sometimes they can't get family to take care so they keep the kids with them even younger than 7.

Thanks for the explanation, and shame on who should help those women but doesn't do it! 

Edited March 11, 2019 by fra107

[Kwasaki]

9 minutes ago, fra107 said:

Thanks for the explanation, and shame on who should help those women but doesn't do it! 

Again you show you have a lot to learn about Thailand, poor in other countries have to do much the same.

There's always a reason for it, nothing to do with shame.

[fra107]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

Again you show you have a lot to learn about Thailand, poor in other countries have to do much the same.

There's always a reason for it, nothing to do with shame.

I know, in many other countries is the same, and nobody helps poor mothers. This is wrong because kids should be protected and helped in every case, of course this would happen in a perfect world and our world is so far from being perfect! ????

[Vacuum]

9 hours ago, fra107 said:

I talked about it with a Thai friend, and she said it's absolutely normal and an honor for a kid to work and help his or her parents in the family business.

I wouldn't call it "an honor", but it'll keep the kid busy and keep him/her away from glue sniffing or yabaa smoking friends.

[Youlike]

8 hours ago, fra107 said:

I understand and agree about the utility to learn a work from young age, i started working at 14 also, but starting at 7.... I don't know, isn't it too soon? 

Again, it's just my farang point of view, maybe right, maybe wrong, I'm asking just to know what other people think about it. 

I think it's good to make children work in the family business.

 

Western children from parents who work for the government miss a lot....and probably are only good to work for the government themselves later in life.

[Lacessit]

The OP will learn the family bonds in Thailand are some of the strongest around. Everyone pitches in to help out, kids included. It's expected of them. I agree with other posters that say they probably acquire better life skills.

Legality is irrelevant. In Thailand, there are many laws which are breached without followup on a daily basis. Example: prostitution.

[Vacuum]

51 minutes ago, Youlike said:

I think it's good to make children work in the family business.

The Chinese do this a lot in Thailand and they seem to make good money (if that's the point in living).

[scorecard]

11 hours ago, fra107 said:

Because I'm curious about Thai laws, habits and culture 

And because i had an argument with my Thai friend about it, I'm from Europe and for me is so strange and sad seeing kids working 

In some cases it's for survival of the family.  

[bkkgriz]

I grew up on a farm in the US. Was working and driving as soon as my feet could touch the pedals. That's the way it was for kids in my area. Thailand, unlike Europe, is not some nanny state that regulates every bit of people's lives. Believe it or not, kids may actually learn something of value through work. 

[connda]

13 hours ago, fra107 said:

Because I'm curious about Thai laws, habits and culture 

You've just experience first-hand the fact that Thai laws, habits and culture are different than Western laws, habits and culture.  What else do you need to know? 

By the way, do you know the historical laws, habits and culture regarding children working in your own country.  This whole issue about children being sacrosanct from working is rather new.  I started working at 12 years old - my own choice to do so and supported by my parents.  Continued through my teens.  Did I have a childhood?  I had a great childhood...and I worked and made money that I kept. 

Edited March 11, 2019 by connda