Farm Labour Crisis

[customcurb]

The dynamics all smell soooo familiar; banks making a lot of money available, govt promoting pushing spend borrow spend, people buying on credit what they should have saved and waited until tomorrow to buy. If it goes on the debt slaves will be just that, at least they may be 'motivated' to work more, but at worst, the devil may care lender may get stiffed when too many cannot or will not pay back. I've always believed that those 'with' the money need to dish it out wisely with caution as to whether it can be paid back fairly.

sit it out and watch if possible.

[jamescollister]

This is a re enactment of last year for me, last year short of tappers and got a local family, wife husband and brother who were working rubber in Surithani. This year another local family coming up from Rayony to have a look. Trouble for me is I have to supply housing, but in the long term it ties them to the plantation and factory. Short term loss but long term gain. They have had to work in the south or out the door. Seems they are happy to be near family rather then work for black hearts from the south. As it stands I will only have one local tapper, all the rest will be locals who have moved south for work. Jim

[Smithson]

I often wonder if the 'communal spirit' that once existed here is a village myth. Thais often talk about the way things used to be as if it was a rural utopia. In the 18 years I've been here there's always been envy and distrust of neighbours. Poisining dogs and only mentioning land that's for sale if there's a % for them are are two examples.

Regaring the labor crisis, mechanized farming or migrant workers are the only solution. Young Thais do not want to work the land.

This article in the NY Times touches on many of the points raised in this thread http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/world/asia/thai-youth-seek-a-fortune-off-the-farm.html?_r=2

[slapout]

Thailand is going thru what the US farm sector went thru as the baby boomers reachrd 18 years or so of age. During highschool they would work on the farm as there was no other work for them and putting up hay (piece work pay) or paid for a days work (10 hrs+_) When they finished high school, it was off to college or the cities to make their fortune.

At this same time, we saw the farm size start expanding and bigger/better machinery was brought in. This along with the Mexican labor who did not mind the long hours/hard work made for a rapid change.

I have found that the Burmese will stay the course, if they can live on the property, have a little plot for a garden, and are paid on a existense pay scale. The locals do not seem real accepting of this arragement, but seem more bark than bite.I have noticed several of the older Thai land owners are going this way, when they reach the age that the just wear out and no family want to follow in their place. The real back breaker for land owners will come when the potential labor force demand a pay scale equal to the factory/city workers. Its being bandied around at present,.

At least the Mexicans understood that pay was determined by the bottom line at the end of season. Not sure this enters into the thinking nor planning, in many cases, in Thailand today.

[Gary A]

It is a fact that it is difficult to hire farm workers. We live out in the boonies of Loei province and when she can find workers, they WON'T work for less than 300 baht per day.

My wife and about five of her friends have a sort of co-op. They avoid hiring anyone and help each other. And yes, it's all women. It is below the local Thai men to work in the fields. Her lazy 15 year old nephew is treated like a King and wouldn't consider helping his family with any sort of work.

The men do the tillage work and operate the thresher but it is up to the women to do the grunt work.

[Smithson]

Thailand is going thru what the US farm sector went thru as the baby boomers reachrd 18 years or so of age. During highschool they would work on the farm as there was no other work for them and putting up hay (piece work pay) or paid for a days work (10 hrs+_).

I think the difference here that the young aren't encouraged to do any work at all. I see lots of teenage boys who leave school and spend all day sleeping or playing video games while their parents slog it out in the feilds. I'm sure this didn't happen in the past.

[tingtong]

Thailand is going thru what the US farm sector went thru as the baby boomers reachrd 18 years or so of age. During highschool they would work on the farm as there was no other work for them and putting up hay (piece work pay) or paid for a days work (10 hrs+_).

I think the difference here that the young aren't encouraged to do any work at all. I see lots of teenage boys who leave school and spend all day sleeping or playing video games while their parents slog it out in the feilds. I'm sure this didn't happen in the past.

may suggest that you check again the US?

you will find there is no difference in fact.

as for a farmer wanting to make a living just as well as anyone...i dont see what is wrong with there.

let the produce have a free flow market price, take out the middle men on especially the subsidized produce like rice, to ensure the money goes where it is intended, or open up more competition to these middle men to naturally lead to a fairer price.

anyway, it is BS that none want to be farmer. i dont see why anyone would like to be rather a garbage truck driver, a dishwasher, or such...but there is ppl do those work too. if there is a decent way to farm, there will be farmers too.

just as there are farmers in the US as well.

[IsaanAussie]

Perhaps we all should take a breathe and have a look at the combination of things that have changed here and those that havent. Firstly, the farming communities are becoming more materialistic and require higher incomes. First it was fridges and TV's, then mobile phones and now tractors and pickup trucks. Ten years ago the same hard working farmer could get pass on a few thousand baht a month by selling a few bags of rice and living on the land. Now he has repayments to meet and needs more than pocket money each day. 300 baht is after all only $10.

The bit that hasnt changed is the need to establish and maintain face. The young Thai guys have always been given the period of grace where nothing is expected of them. If was explained to me years ago that up until 26 they could do whatever they liked. After that they were expected to be thinking family and housing of their own. To me it is the Peter Pans from this group that are causing the labour gap. With brothers and sisters away working they simply do not need to ever grow up.

So you have the aging population of farmers being subsidised by elder children working in the cities and returning less often to help on the farm. A lazy bunch of youngsters who have everything they want without lifting a finger. Net result, fewer people working the land and the seasonal nature of monocrop farming means everyone needs extra labour at the same time. Those without land or very small holdings become the only choice, why shouldn't they seize the chance to ask for more money?