Worker Exploitation In Asia

[Odysseus221]

It saddens me to say that my girl friend went to find a job today. She found one in the Pattaya Mall, working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6,000 bhat.

While I know her experience level is hardly worth mentioning, working people these hours for seven days a week is about as close to slavery as it could be. Thailand, and in particular, areas populated by foreigners, should legislate a five day work week for 8 hours a day. The pay is difficult enough to

think about, but they should be paid by the hour and get time and a half (overtime) after 8 hours. It's only fair that foreigners support this suggestion. The prices they charge for every item don't differ that much from the West anyway.

[endure]

If it's sanuk she'll stay. If it's not she'll leave. She doesn't need any legislation.

[Jingthing]

That sounds like a horrid offer and no doubt the best many can get, but I find it absurd to suggest that just because there are lot of expat residents and tourists here that relates in any way to what Thai labor law should be. They are completely unrelated matters. The cost of living in this region (or any) should of course be a factor in local labor rates but remember we're all competing globally these days.

[Maestro]

Not related to visa or work permit. Moving topic to "Jobs, economy, banking, business, investments"

[Odysseus221]

Yes, and how do you pay to live and eat on 7 dollars a day anyway? If you buy a cup of coffee and food three times you spend half your pay on that, and possibly another dollar on transportation. The idea that you find this acceptable proves you are happy to ignore such realities.

Seeing no relationship between tourism with a town composed almost entirely of foreigners, and denigrating the call for the creation of fair and reasonable working conditions for everyone in such a place, calling it unrelated, strikes me as a creepy remark. Working people 12 hours a day is unreasonable in tourist areas, where the goods they sell are comparable to the prices in the West. What should give here are other costs, if need be, like the price of land or stalls or other business fixed costs. Won't make the landlords happy, but have it your way--we're in a global environment.

There is no relationship between global competition and working 85 hours a week to sell items to foreigners, the price differential is minimal by the month--these are two shift jobs at a pay of 200 dollars doesn't strike me as unreasonable. The issue is not global competition or economic, but political and social. Fair trade coffee proves this concept.

Maybe the profits would be slightly less for human rights, yes, they always are. But the end result of profit reduction would be commercial land price reduction to offset higher costs of doing business. Profit margins have a certain threshhold you see, after which, there is no point in being in business. That's my theory.

Regardless, the worker deserves better than this, at least in foreign dominated area where so many societies meet and prices for everything are far greater than in the rest of Thailand, creating an impossible situation for both the worker as consumers and the worker as a human being. They don't know the difference between an 8 hour day and a 12 hour day in terms of human rights. We do.

[necronx99]

^ Why don't you have the UN mandate a 35 hour week and a $20 per hour minimum rate.

After all a coal miner in china is digging the coal that was used to make your washing machine, and all those people in Africa and india who live on virtually no dollars a week and work 20 hours a day just to avoid starvation, well they deserve something too.

There is a minimal relationship to the price charged and the working conditions and it is already met in this case. marginally or unskilled workers in tourist areas do earn more and have better conditions for the same work as they would in Nahkon Nowhere. That's why they move to these areas.

Are you suggesting that a worker in a shop who sells a Rolex should be paid a thousand times more than one in a stall who sells a casio?

[endure]

Yes, and how do you pay to live and eat on 7 dollars a day anyway? If you buy a cup of coffee and food three times you spend half your pay on that, and possibly another dollar on transportation. The idea that you find this acceptable proves you are happy to ignore such realities.

Eating 3 times a day = 90bt (3 dollars?)

Thais don't ordinarily drink coffee. That's a western thing.

[John 1]

Yes, and how do you pay to live and eat on 7 dollars a day anyway? If you buy a cup of coffee and food three times you spend half your pay on that, and possibly another dollar on transportation. The idea that you find this acceptable proves you are happy to ignore such realities.

Seeing no relationship between tourism with a town composed almost entirely of foreigners, and denigrating the call for the creation of fair and reasonable working conditions for everyone in such a place, calling it unrelated, strikes me as a creepy remark. Working people 12 hours a day is unreasonable in tourist areas, where the goods they sell are comparable to the prices in the West. What should give here are other costs, if need be, like the price of land or stalls or other business fixed costs. Won't make the landlords happy, but have it your way--we're in a global environment.

There is no relationship between global competition and working 85 hours a week to sell items to foreigners, the price differential is minimal by the month--these are two shift jobs at a pay of 200 dollars doesn't strike me as unreasonable. The issue is not global competition or economic, but political and social. Fair trade coffee proves this concept.

Maybe the profits would be slightly less for human rights, yes, they always are. But the end result of profit reduction would be commercial land price reduction to offset higher costs of doing business. Profit margins have a certain threshhold you see, after which, there is no point in being in business. That's my theory.

Regardless, the worker deserves better than this, at least in foreign dominated area where so many societies meet and prices for everything are far greater than in the rest of Thailand, creating an impossible situation for both the worker as consumers and the worker as a human being. They don't know the difference between an 8 hour day and a 12 hour day in terms of human rights. We do.

Let us know where she work's also google Thai labour law and you will see there are set hours and condition's.

[Kalbo]

Why doesn't she find work at one of the factories that abound in Chonburi ? They are all now paying minimum wage of B272 /day (about B8,190 /month) plus bonuses, overtime (1.5x , 2x and 3x), insurance,heavily subsidized meals, and usually free travel to and from work. If she worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week at one of places,especially a Japanese or European firm, then realistically, she would be taking home about B15,000 / month with food expenses being considerably cheaper than working in a shopping mall

[CaptHaddock]

It's a little ironic to hear a foreign expat complain about the low wages in Thailand. The poverty and consequent low wages here are part of what makes it a cheap place for us to live. If Thailand manages to grow its economy in the future as successfully as Singapore or Korea has, living here will be too expensive for many expats. Irony aside, the working life of the average Thai certainly sucks big time. Even doctors. In the US you aren't going to see your doctor or dentist for a routine visit on the weekend, but the Thai docs do it.

Here's the worst employment story I have heard among my Thai acquaintances, so far: wife's friend worked as an editor in a publishing house here. Age about 30. Gets breast cancer. So, the company just fires her. In the US the lawyers would be lined up to take that case. Here, zilch.

Edited April 24, 2012 by CaptHaddock

[Soutpeel]

Yes, and how do you pay to live and eat on 7 dollars a day anyway?

I am sure if the person was from Sudan or Ethiopia they would bite your hand off for $7/day, the vast majority of the world population survives on around $1/day....therefore in terms of this comparison the person being paid $7/day would be considered wealthy

[Kananga]

Yes, and how do you pay to live and eat on 7 dollars a day anyway?

I am sure if the person was from Sudan or Ethiopia they would bite your hand off for $7/day, the vast majority of the world population survives on around $1/day....therefore in terms of this comparison the person being paid $7/day would be considered wealthy

If one lived in Sudan...

[MikeThaison]

Surprised no one has said it yet so i'll do it. . . Tell your GF to go back to working in the bars.

[Gary A]

Of course the Thai workers are exploited. I worked for two different Thai companies for over five years total. These companies were very profitable both paid minimum wage, I earned at least ten times more than skilled Thai workers. Companies like that are the first to complain about raising the minimum wage.

On the other hand, I had a girlfriend who worked for Seagate and she made probably more than double the minimum wage. Companies who are unable to pay 300 baht per day are in the wrong business and need to make some changes of fold up their tents and leave.

Of course there are some mom and pop businesses, especially retail businesses that simply cannot pay the 300 baht per day. They should be exempt and likely are. I'm talking about manufactures who are profitable and actually manufacture products.

[Time Traveller]

Odesseus229 it's Asia, get over it. You want want to help, then give you girlfriend 6000 baht to sit at home and read all about Karl Marx. But maybe you girlfriend wants to work and sees it as a chance to do something to better herself instead of wining about how hard life is.

[Kananga]

Odesseus229 it's Asia, get over it. You want want to help, then give you girlfriend 6000 baht to sit at home and read all about Karl Marx. But maybe you girlfriend wants to work and sees it as a chance to do something to better herself instead of wining about how hard life is.

Do you talk to everyone like that?

[Time Traveller]

Odesseus229 it's Asia, get over it. You want want to help, then give you girlfriend 6000 baht to sit at home and read all about Karl Marx. But maybe you girlfriend wants to work and sees it as a chance to do something to better herself instead of wining about how hard life is.

Do you talk to everyone like that?

Ok I sympathize with the low pay, but there really are worse situations then what he is complaining about. Many workers from Myanmar get half that amount in thailand (and probably half that again in Myanmar) and find it quite difficult to even change jobs safely. If the Girlfriend is Thai then at least she can move to higher paying jobs easy. It's difficult to do when one doesn't have any experience. Deal with it

Edited April 24, 2012 by Time Traveller

[Berkshire]

Most Thai workers work 6 days a week, so 7 days is a bit odd. I can't believe any establishment would make their employees work every single day. Very unusual. But I wouldn't call working in a plush, air-con facility exploitation. Three months straight on a fishing boat, that would be arduous.

[55Jay]

This post is so ironic as I just stumbled across what I consider a naive Stacey Dooley on YT last night, watched at least 2 of her movies. I can't believe she's that naive and the more I watched, the more the over-the-top and silly it got. Not that I disagree with the unpinning message, not at all, but one has to approach each country/situation/economy with some learned perspective. Stacey (and the OP) clearly lack that but perhaps Stacey only has a selfish reason to play it up while the OP, presumably, didn't step right off the jet?

I found the barmaid in Phuket the most interesting, as she's on double the chambermaid salary where Stacey stayed. The more said barmaid went on, after riding her brand new motorcy, mentioned getting a Starbucks or other "famous brand" once a month, providing for her father's life insurance, providing for her mother and family, pays 60 quid for her one room tin roof where she lives alone by choice for her pesonal freedom, and still manages to save money "once or twice a month"..... All this was said by the barmaid who was speaking through teeth on which there were braces......... Stacey Dooley cried on her pillow for her (after scared shitless by a rat in the room's rooftop 55555) but to me, and my Thai wife, we thought the lady was doing very well - I personally thought there was a farang (or more than one?) in the background somewhere sending money every month but hey, that's fair play.

I presume OP wants, or GF wants, to work for some other reason. If it is so objectionable, OP can have a direct impact on the life improvement of at least 1 Thai citizen, saving her from a life of exploitation working in a farang-centric mall shop (I presume). Pony up and give the lady 6k/mo from your pocket. You'll feel good about thinking globally and acting locally, and you'll have 7 full days a week with your lady by your side. If that's objectionable, I'm sorry, but no need to suggest changing the entire economic structure of Thailand because you just became aware of how things work in the real world.

Edited April 24, 2012 by 55Jay