Thai berry-pickers in Europe earned Bt800 million in three months

By THE NATION

 

Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin

 

Thai labourers who had been working as berry-pickers in Sweden and Finland in the past three months have earned almost Bt800 million, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said on Thursday.

 

“Today, 895 Thai labourers returned home via Suvarnabhumi Airport, 365 of them from Finland and 530 from Sweden. They had been working there since July during the berry-picking season,” he said. “Since October 1, 3,270 Thai labourers have returned from these countries [689 from Finland and 2,581 from Sweden] where they got paid around Bt80,000 per month, or total earnings of almost Bt800 million.

 

“Sending Thai labour to work overseas is one of the ministry’s missions following the policy of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to promote the skills of Thai labourers in international markets and assure the world of Thailand’s efficiency in Covid-19 prevention,” he added.

 

After the berry-picking season ended, Thai labourers have gradually returned home since October 1 and will continue until October 23. The ministry reported that nearly 5,300 Thais had been working in Sweden and Finland.

 

“On reaching Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Thai labourers would be screened by public health officials wearing protective suits to prevent the spread of Covid-19, after which they would be transported to either alternative state quarantine or organisation quarantine and stay there for 14 days,” added Suchart.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395893

 

 

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Promoting the skills of Thai labourers....Berry picking???

"they got paid around Bt80,000 per month".  Nice work...how much goes to the "agents" and how much goes into the pockets of the fieldworkers?

Ahh, berry picking.

 

Takes me back over 50 years to picking raspberries near Blairgowrie in Scotland. This was an annual Summer event for me when in early to mid teens. The rewards then were rather less than £2k per month, closer to a couple of pounds a day. Many laughs but tiring and, very occasionally, hot work.

There was an interesting documentary about this on youtube: 

 

 

 

It sounds nice in the article above, but the reality is a bit different.

 

 

if it was true that they get paid so well, why is the place not flooded by east europeans, as that is an extremely good pay for picking berries in the EU. Furthermore how did they get WP?

25 minutes ago, mickyr55 said:

Promoting the skills of Thai labourers....Berry picking???

Because Caucasians are just too damn tall.
 

 

they want rid of people so they don't have to support them or provide them with manual jobs in Thailand, they use cheap imported labour from neighbouring countries for that

36 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

"they got paid around Bt80,000 per month".  Nice work...how much goes to the "agents" and how much goes into the pockets of the fieldworkers?

Indeed.

 

Also need to factor in the costs of airfares, visas, accommodation, food, etc.

17 minutes ago, Eibot said:

I'm not a math genius. But if 895 people earn 80k per month for 3 months. How do we end up on 800k? Plus if it was true that they get paid so we'll, why is the place not flooded by east europeans, as that is an extremely good pay for picking berries in the EU. Furthermore how did they get WP?

it's B S

7 minutes ago, law ling said:

Indeed.

 

Also need to factor in the costs of airfares, visas, accommodation, food, etc.

And what they are going to earn for the remaining nine months of the year.

14 minutes ago, AbeNormal said:

it's B S

Berry Scam ??

..... and the berries were this big!

 

Total nonsense numbers. The berry pickers get paid of course,but not even close to the salary in the article. The companies they work for, both thai and swedish/finnish take a big chunk of the profit. Many Thai berry pickers take loans in Thailand to be able to go to Sweden or Finland. After they have paid the money back, they "might" have maybe 50% left of the money they earned. In some cases,less. 

  2 hours ago, Eibot said:

I'm not a math genius. But if 895 people earn 80k per month for 3 months. How do we end up on 800k? Plus if it was true that they get paid so we'll, why is the place not flooded by east europeans, as that is an extremely good pay for picking berries in the EU. Furthermore how did they get WP?

1 hour ago, AbeNormal said:

it's B S

Worthwhile checking the numbers yourself if quoting, as Eibot did later. It doesn't help your opinion.

 

3,270 * Bt80,000 per month * 3 = 784,800,000

 

 

 

4 hours ago, mickyr55 said:

Promoting the skills of Thai labourers....Berry picking???

Yes. This is what the peasants at the bottom of the Sakdina pyramide are made and born for, says the general of the establishment at the top.

4 hours ago, CanuckThai said:

"they got paid around Bt80,000 per month".  Nice work...how much goes to the "agents" and how much goes into the pockets of the fieldworkers?

Presumably they paid Swedish income tax on earnings?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

After the berry-picking season ended, Thai labourers

got the blues .. 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

“Sending Thai labour to work overseas is one of the ministry’s missions following the policy of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to promote the skills of Thai labourers in international

Berry picking ..

 

are the senior pickers known as Elderberries .. 

 

4 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

got the blues .. 

 

Berry picking ..

 

are the senior pickers known as Elderberries ..

The ones picking near a courting couple are gooseberries.

51 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

The ones picking near a courting couple are gooseberries.

and if they make rude noises at each other are they raspberries??

we import pickers in Canada also due to the fact that folks would rather have a hand out than work for a living, I suspect no difference here..

4 hours ago, w94005m said:

  2 hours ago, Eibot said:

I'm not a math genius. But if 895 people earn 80k per month for 3 months. How do we end up on 800k? Plus if it was true that they get paid so we'll, why is the place not flooded by east europeans, as that is an extremely good pay for picking berries in the EU. Furthermore how did they get WP?

Worthwhile checking the numbers yourself if quoting, as Eibot did later. It doesn't help your opinion.

 

3,270 * Bt80,000 per month * 3 = 784,800,000

 

 

 

Yeah didn't read it properly. Still seems like a very ambitious monthly salary though. Something the avarage seasonal worker in Europe is more than happy to move for.

6 hours ago, mickyr55 said:

Promoting the skills of Thai labourers....Berry picking???

They learn Swedish for 'wake up', 'no alcohol when working'

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai labourers who had been working as berry-pickers in Sweden and Finland in the past three months have earned almost Bt800 million, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said on Thursday.

 

6 hours ago, law ling said:

Indeed.

 

Also need to factor in the costs of airfares, visas, accommodation, food, etc.

In such cases, food, accommodation, shower facilities  and a few other things are provided for by the employer (all basic stuff albeit). So, no cost to the employee. 

 

A woman down the road from us did this a few years back. Apparently "have to work too hard, too long time". She's been sitting in the village ever since then doing nothing. 

2 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Presumably they paid Swedish income tax on earnings?

not for just three months

46 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

we import pickers in Canada also due to the fact that folks would rather have a hand out than work for a living, I suspect no difference here..

If you talk about UK then yes. I have never claimed any handouts in uk. I always managed to find something to do that brought in something. Ok sometimes working cash in hand or 'on the lump' as it was termed ( no tax etc ) keep that quiet though ????. I admit it was well pre covid and obviously a lot of people are hurting now and things are different.

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

If you talk about UK then yes. I have never claimed any handouts in uk. I always managed to find something to do that brought in something. Ok sometimes working cash in hand or 'on the lump' as it was termed ( no tax etc ) keep that quiet though ????. I admit it was well pre covid and obviously a lot of people are hurting now and things are different.

I imagine in Canada with unemployment at record highs they'll still have to import pickers..

 

6 hours ago, Eibot said:

if it was true that they get paid so well, why is the place not flooded by east europeans, as that is an extremely good pay for picking berries in the EU. Furthermore how did they get WP?

It's not really good money. I'm assuming it's a 6 days a week job, 48 hours, so before tax that's about 10.5 Euro per hour, maybe before tax. That's not enough to get Europeans off their a**ses in what is very tough work.

 

I tried picking strawberries when I was a teenager, and the Asians could pick 3 baskets to my 1. I only lasted a day.

6 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

I imagine in Canada with unemployment at record highs they'll still have to import pickers..

One of the big uk brexit worries was reference the fruit and veg etc harvest time as a big % of it was done by EU migrant workers. Locals wouldn't do it because they would lose their gov' allowances. More money for no work.