Child Labour In Thailand Worsens As Economy Struggles

[kaz49]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation - The 7.30 Report

Broadcast: 23/07/2009

Reporter: Karen Percy

Thousands of poor families in Thailand are finding it even more difficult to make ends meet as the global financial crisis takes hold. The use of child labour is already a big problem in the region and even the sport of kings is not immune.

Transcript

ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: While Australia appears to have dodged the worst effects of the global financial meltdown, others in the region haven't been so lucky. The Bank of Thailand is forecasting the Thai economy could contract by more than 3 per cent this year. That means thousands of poor families in the kingdom will find it even more difficult to make ends meet.

The use of child labour is already a big problem in the region and even the sport of kings is not immune.

South East Asian correspondent Karen Percy reports.

KAREN PERCY, REPORTER: The Khon Kaen racetrack in Thailand's north-east is humming. In a country where average earnings are just a few dollars a day, turnover at the club tops $130,000 a month.

It's not so much the racegoers but the riders who are attracting global attention. All but a handful of the jockeys here are under the age of 15. Some are as young as nine.

JARANYA WONGPROM, CHILD LABOUR RESEARCHER: The child's growth is unusual, or not the way development should be.

What they eat is controlled so they don't get too big or put on too much weight.

KAREN PERCY: Many of the children are already undernourished as a result of poverty. In research under taken in 2006 for the International Labour Organisation, Jaranya Wongprom also found that some jockeys were forced to live apart from their families. Because they were expected to work full time at the stables, they couldn't go to school.

JARANYA WONGPROM: More than 60 per cent of them don't stay with their parents but live at the stables because their parents are poor and they do not study. Children that live with their families are more likely to study.

THAING KAOBOON, FATHER: Jockeys help their parents make a living - it's better than the kids just hanging around getting drunk.

I don't like it that they are against us because they should be happy with the kids that they can make a living.

KAREN PERCY: Thaing Kaoboon was a jockey and now his son is taking the reins. Since he was 10, Diaw Kaoboon has been training hard. Most days after school he can be found at the local stables assisting with the horses.

DIAW KAOBOON, JOCKEY: It helps decrease my parent's burden, to earn the money by myself so I can save money in the bank. That means that I'll have money to spend when I stop riding horses.

KAREN PERCY: But he's starting to grow. At 14, he's larger than some of his fellow jockeys and he doesn't have many more years left.

THAING KAOBOON: For the first four years of riding he was quite famous. He would ride seven or eight out of 10 races. He was quite good.

But now, younger kids are more popular.

KAREN PERCY: It's little wonder why they are drawn to the track. Diaw Kaoboon and his fellow jockeys are paid about $9 per ride - several times the daily wage in this impoverished region. On top of that, they get a percentage of the prize money if they place or win.

DIAW KAOBOON: I'm glad that I got second place but not as happy as first place. I got less money. If I had won I would have got more.

KAREN PERCY: Young jockeys can ride up to 10 times or more on a weekend. The clubs operate 45 weeks a year, so a child jockey in demand might race 500 to 700 times a year. An adult Australian jockey by comparison takes part in 300 to 350 rides on average a year.

Groups like the International Labour Organisation are trying to pressure communities to bring an end to child labour, allowing children to go to school and essentially have a childhood. But it's no easy task. Employers and even some government officials have a different interpretation of what child labour is and the reality for many families here is they can't afford not to have their children working.

There are many tales of injuries, with small boys handling large horses.

NITTAYA TOSCHA, MOTHER: I'm worried when my son is on the horse. I'm afraid he'll be in danger. I'm afraid that he'll make a mistake or the horse will be stubborn, making him fall down. I'm worried about that.

KAREN PERCY: While the locals see this as a family event, non-government agencies worry about the impact of children being exposed to adult pastimes.

JARANYA WONGPROM: Children are at risk in a gambling environment. Children see the gambling at the races and think it's normal, and they get used to it and will more easily become gamblers themselves.

KAREN PERCY: Diaw Kaoboon is proud that he's been able to help his family and buy himself a television and other things that other boys just can't afford.

Now he's saving up for a computer and a camera, and he's already planning his life after horse racing.

DIAW KAOBOON: I will focus on studying. I want to go to university to finish at a high level and then find a job. I want to work, what can I say - to be people's boss.

[parryhandy]

My initial thoughts having been to the racetrack in question is, don't back the horse with the really young jockey on as they often lose control of the horse when the stalls open and lose too much ground at the start.