YouTuber Labels Phuket Myanmar Community 'Slum,' Faces Backlash - video

[snoop1130]

 

A recent YouTube video labelling a Myanmar migrant community in Phuket as a "slum" has stirred controversy, drawing responses from local leaders and charities. The video, posted on the channel Ride with Gabi, portrayed the community as impoverished, highlighting cramped living conditions for workers who sustain themselves with unstable incomes from the fishery industry.

 

In response, Sister Lakana Sukhsuchit, the director of the Good Shepherd Sisters Thailand's centre in Phuket, decried the term "slum," suggesting it misrepresented the community, which she identifies simply as a fishing village by the sea. The centre has supported the community for over a decade, offering education and essential services to the children of these workers.

 

 

 

Last year, 395 students, predominantly Burmese but also from the Mon and Karen ethnic groups, attended the centre's school. They receive lessons in Thai to ease their integration into local schools, with additional teachings in Burmese and English.

 

 

Officials are reportedly assessing security concerns raised by the video, with local authorities visiting the community since its release. Sister Lakana assured that her charity's educational efforts aim to empower these children to make positive societal contributions, countering fears they might become burdens on the area. This incident underscores the delicate balance between representation and reality in media portrayals of vulnerable communities, reported The Thaiger.

 

 

-- 2025-03-18

 

 

[snoop1130]

YouTuber's Phuket Exposé Ignites Debate Over Poverty and Neglect

 

Pictures courtesy of The Phuket News

 

Renowned YouTuber Ride with Gabi has stirred significant online discussion with his latest video, The Other Side of Phuket. The video reveals stark contrasts between Phuket’s famed tourist attractions and the impoverished conditions in its largest slum. Gabi's journey into the Soi Kingkaew area uncovers the dire circumstances facing many residents, largely comprised of non-Thai individuals lacking official recognition by the Thai government. This lack of status severely limits their access to essential services such as education.

 

Gabi sheds light on the vital efforts of the Good Shepherd Phuket Town charity, which supports slum children by providing free education and meals. Despite legal guarantees for universal free education in Thailand, real barriers persist, leaving many children in limbo. Viewers, moved by Gabi’s insightful presentation, expressed their frustrations online, slamming perceived government inaction and demanding accountability, with some urging legal action for dereliction of duty.

 

 

 

In response to the viral exposure, the Phuket Provincial Office announced an upcoming press conference to address the concerns raised. The impact of Ride with Gabi’s work is evident, fuelling fresh discourse around the obligations towards Phuket's marginalized communities and pressing for tangible reforms.

 

 

As a relatively private figure, Gabi lets his impactful content speak for itself. His growing audience of 234,000 subscribers benefits from his blend of travel diaries and candid explorations of social issues. While his exposé resonates with a broad audience, it also emphasises the ongoing challenge Phuket faces in aligning its glittering image with the harsh realities of its overburdened slum communities, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-18

 

 

[Airalee]

Watching the video now.

 

If that’s not a slum, what is?

[TedG]

3 minutes ago, Airalee said:

Watching the video now.

 

If that’s not a slum, what is?

It’s a slum.