Little boy works as Bangkok bus conductor (VIDEO)

[webfact]

Sadly cute: Little boy works as bus conductor (VIDEO)
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- The video of a student who looks about 10 working as a bus conductor has been shared and admired by the social network over the weekend for his hardworking spirit.

It’s speculated the boy was helping out his father, who was driving Bus No. 182, after finishing school.

Given the shrug-and-forget-it familiarity with children working in the streets selling flower garlands, none seemed concerned with the issue as illegal child labor.

Only an inspirational quote was posted by the video uploader. "What were you doing when you were his age?" he questions.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/09/15/sadly-cute-little-boy-works-bus-conductor-video


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-09-16

[siampolee]

Perhaps we should remember that the greater majority of we foreigners were brought up within a society that was a darn sight fairer and there was a welfare system in place to assist the less fortunate formally or informally either as state entity a family entity or a neighborhood entity, people had a social conscience .

Consider that this boy could have been pushed into the sex industry, a fishing boat crew etc. the alternatives are horrific.

Now here he is presumably working with his father which means there is some form of security and parental care for him, one presumes the economic pressures upon the family have made this action a necessary one or in fact that the boy may want to do something to help either himself or his family.

certainly at the age of 10 I worked on our farm collecting the eggs and thistle cutting for which I was paid I learnt the value of money and the value of work.

Sad to see ?

Yes, however the alternatives as I have already quoted are indeed frightening.

Edited September 16, 2014 by siampolee

[jacky54]

child abuse in any civilised country that upholds child protection

[chooka]

When I was growing up I had a couple of jobs as a 12 yr old. I delivered newspapers and did part time work as a jockey on a softdrink truck. I did this freely to earn my own money and it taught me the value of money. Now kids aren't allowed to have a paper round because of the politically correct brigade

[BSJ]

What's the problem? I had to work before and after school when I was his age. I didn't get paid but I got feed and clothed and a warm bed to sleep in.

Edited September 16, 2014 by BSJ

[phosphorescent]

How many of you had after school jobs when you were younger? I had after school jobs, before school jobs and weekend jobs. Everything depends on the circumstances. Not every kid you see making a few quid is being abused.

Edited September 16, 2014 by phosphorescent

[jacky54]

I had a job but had to wait for the legal age in my country. This kids father should be ashamed of himself, have seen this many times on buses, working on a bus is not exactly safe, but then at least he's not driving it!

[eeeya]

Paper round 5.30am. 10 yrs old and did it rain, hail or shine. $7 plus a free chocolate. My parents still talk about it. Made them proud

[daveAustin]

And now you get all the old boys remarking on back-in-the-day blah blah, yawn. I also did a paper round in early teens but was not obliged to do it. Do you think this little nipper and the other poor unfortunate flower kids have a choice! It's wrong on so many levels and if you can't see it... well never mind, go back to sleep, have another beer etc.

[bangkokheat]

And now you get all the old boys remarking on back-in-the-day blah blah, yawn. I also did a paper round in early teens but was not obliged to do it. Do you think this little nipper and the other poor unfortunate flower kids have a choice! It's wrong on so many levels and if you can't see it... well never mind, go back to sleep, have another beer etc.

WILLINGLY working as a youngster is a good character builder, i admire kids wanting to earn a few dollars rather than the lazy little $&^%&( that sit behind the computer and waiting for hand outs, society and political correctness is breeding a welfare society

[NongKhaiKid]

When I was growing up I had a couple of jobs as a 12 yr old. I delivered newspapers and did part time work as a jockey on a softdrink truck. I did this freely to earn my own money and it taught me the value of money. Now kids aren't allowed to have a paper round because of the politically correct brigade

Nice one Chooka. I too had a paper round then as a grocery deliver boy which helped my pocket money and set me up for work as an adult.

Decades ago on my first ever trip to Phuket I bought a newspaper from a deliver boy who came to the open air restaurant where i had breakfast and through a waitress told him I would be there for the next X number of days. Some days this always smiling lad was there sometimes waiting for me and of course I gave him extra. On the day before I left I had it explained ' not tomorrow ' and gave him an extra tip and it was as if I'd just given him a fortune.

In naivety I never thought he was probably helping his family not doing it for pocket money as i had done.

[paddyjenkins]

I had part time jobs from the age of 13 or so. There is nothing wrong with it as long as the kids aren't doing anything that endangers their health or well being and they are happy to do the work. I see absolutely nothing wrong with this boy working as a bus conductor. The trouble is with the narrow minded judgements handed down by politically correct morons, especially Westerners. They are brainwashed into thinking a certain way, they think they are right and have a right to lecture and educate, but are usually too dim witted to see the reality and work through the real facts. And whereas there are certainly plenty of victims in the world who do deserve our help and sympathy, these politically correct morons on their high horses are usually too cowardly to give help where it is actually needed, because that would require real effort and maybe a little spine.

[pookiki]

For one, it's illegal under Thai law. It's clearly unlawful child labor. The boy should be in school. For those of you who want to romanticize about you jobs in your youth, I suggest that you look at your country's laws on permissible child labor. It's not cute at all.

[yellowboat]

If the job keeps this child in school and he becomes educated, the job is a gift. Hope to hear more about him and how he is doing in school.

[kriswillems]

10 year old children are working everywhere in Thailand after school time.

They help their parents in their job or business. It's how things are done here.

I don't think it's all bad.

The boy probably doesn't go to the finest quality school, so the knowledge he gets from working on the bus might be far more useful than what he gets from school.

At least he'll know how to take care of himself when he grows up, which is in the end is a more admirable thing than being highly educated but unemployed (like many Europeans are).

Edited September 16, 2014 by kriswillems

[Triplebank999]

child abuse in any civilised country that upholds child protection

Judgement without knowing any of the facts, well done.

[jacky54]

10years old doing a paper round, does the USA have no child labor laws or is it backward as well?

[worgeordie]

At his age ,my brother and i used to go out selling sticks for

firewood,eggs, and potatoes,off a barrow,making as much as

say a factory worker at the time,we did not have to do it,just

to earn money,started young ,so was able to "retire" at 42.

regards Worgeordie

[jacky54]

If the job keeps this child in school and he becomes educated, the job is a gift. Hope to hear more about him and how he is doing in school.

How can it be keeping him in School,it's not a real job his father is just getting him to help out. No doubt he will end up being a bus conductor doing 12 hour shifts.

[Triplebank999]

For one, it's illegal under Thai law. It's clearly unlawful child labor. The boy should be in school. For those of you who want to romanticize about you jobs in your youth, I suggest that you look at your country's laws on permissible child labor. It's not cute at all.

Schools are open in the evening, are they?

It's not clearly anything but it is highly unlikely that a Bangkok bus company or BMA would be employing child labour in such an obvious fashion.

[Loles]

This boy helps to his father (driver of bus), he is not an exploited kid-worker.

This is not a big deal, when I was 10 I helped to my father to work too. I did it cheerfully and I was proud of myself.

But look around at:

- construction areas where you will find many migrant under-age worker to do a specially hard and dangerous job,

- tourist destinations in BKK, where you will find many poor children to use as beggar under the sun without any protection,

- rose sale children, I guess you have seen already,

- massage, karaoke and other "brothels" where you will find many under-age sex-workers, who are full exploited.

[jacky54]

child abuse in any civilised country that upholds child protection

Judgement without knowing any of the facts, well done.

10 year old working in an adults job with no training and no health and safety. Strange how the same people who think this is no problem howl when kids are found working in factories in India or some other asian country making clothes for primark or mobile phones.

[NongKhaiKid]

For one, it's illegal under Thai law. It's clearly unlawful child labor. The boy should be in school. For those of you who want to romanticize about you jobs in your youth, I suggest that you look at your country's laws on permissible child labor. It's not cute at all.

The report says it is speculated he was helping his dad after school and due to lack of info maybe speculation is all we have.

If he was helping is it any different from children who return home after school and help out in family stalls, restaurants, soi shops etc.?

I wasn't romanticizing about my boyhood jobs and I'm sure Chooka, worgeordie etc were not either.

Without knowing it then I was helping my widowed mother as i didn't take pocket money from her but she was always there if I needed.

i have no idea of laws in my home country these days but am sure they've changed so much and generous welfare payments in some countries probably mean youngsters don't even think about part time jobs.

[jacky54]

This boy helps to his father (driver of bus), he is not an exploited kid-worker.

Yes he is being exploited and his health and education not being given priority. In the evening a child of his age should be at home and after a bit of homework (fat chance) should either be playing with friends or resting and not doing an adults job till all hours. Not cute at all.

[taony]

I was around 11 or 12 when I started working too. Paper routes, working at the church.

[kurnell]

I used to go around selling fake raffle tickets to old aged pensioners as an 11 year old. I guess that is politically incorrect now??

[Johnnie99]

Disgraceful.

[trainman34014]

I showed this to my Thai Mrs and she said 'So what ? '. She went on to say she helped her Mother in her Market shop from the age of about six and continued to do so for many years along with her Sister, just a year older. They had to carry quite heavy things and generally fetch and carry from home to market whilst Mother worked the shop. It's still seen by the majority here as normal behaviour.

Trying to impose Nanny State laws and customs on the locals will never work and things will evolve in there own way over a period of time. Leave it be because you are banging your head against a brick wall if you think you will change anything.

[jacky54]

Of course a Thai will say so what to children being mis treated, but most of them think there is no problem with riding without helmets, drunk driving, having no insurance, chicken fighting, cheating in exams, paying for votes (they say bad until they are offered money) illegal gambling, virtually no health and safety protection when it comes to food, dangerous electrical installations or sub standard education. So what, they just can't be bothered can they!

[ratcatcher]

10years old doing a paper round, does the USA have no child labor laws or is it backward as well?

Yes, the cruel, backwards USA, putting small boys in danger delivering newspapers,...............the horror. Maybe they should be more progressive and get their kids into mainstream jobs like these below. The kid in the original story is probably working part time to help his dad. After all, according to many on TVF, Thailand is a 3rd world country?

Military training................. construction training....................manufacturing experience.

These careers for kids seem so much more fulfilling, no computer games with guns.

Edited September 16, 2014 by ratcatcher