Hello, I am a sophomore studying at International School Bangkok. Before I moved here, to Thailand, I thought that child labor was the main concern of the world in these poor countries, but since I came here, I have seen different kinds of work that children do.
Since Bangkok is one of the most popular touring cities, many children mostly around the age of 5 to 10 sell flowers and Thai style toys to tourists. They have learned to speak Japanese, English, and some French (where most of the tourists speak those languages).
I thought it was amazing how hard they were trying to get money. Their eyes were glittering like if they didn't sell their products, then they won't get food for themselves. Some even walk right in front of cars just to get their attention to sell their product.
Once, when I went to one of Thai's traditional "floating markets," a girl grabbed onto my hand not letting me go. I couldn't get her off my hand, so I just decided to follow my parents who have already started walking towards the parking lot. Their little hands were clinging onto me, I couldn't get free. I knew that I won't give her any money and she'll have to give up, but in her mind, she was probably thinking that she wouldn't give up until I give her money. We were still walking to the parking lot until there was a cop standing by the street, then the girl ran back to the floating market.
Another story I have read in the newspaper was that there are many little juvenile girls in pubs and clubs selling flowers. That means they have easy access to alcohol and can inhale lots of second hand smoke from cigarettes. I think Thai should be more careful about the consequences these kids may get from working in inappropriate ways just to earn some money.
Can there be anything to help these children so they don't have to work in these environments?
Maki Yoshioka (10)
International School Bangkok
Thailand is a land of smile. When foreigners come, they often say Thai people are friendly and benevolent. That's the bright side of Thailand that I also agree. Thailand also has many beautiful cultural performances that induce tourists to come visit.
However, when they drove down the road and get stuck at the conjunction, they also often see little children selling flowers, food, or newspaper. Some of them were cleaning mirrors and beg for money. Moreover, there were cripple kids sitting all day long on the overcrossing to beg for money.
I always think that Thailand is a nice and beautiful country but whenever I walk past those kids, it makes me feel so down. It made me think that those kids should not belong there, they should be in school and have education like a lot of kids. Where does street kids come from? Poverty is the main problem here. Those kids do not have a choice. Their parents do not have enough money to send them to school so they are working to help their family raising money.
Other factors are such as orphan kids, or kids who ran away from home. Some of the solution that has been put forward is orphanage. In the orphanage, kids were taken care by some volunteers, they learn some education, and were taught to be apprenticed. Although there're some helping going on, there were still a lot of street kids remain through out the country.
Tan Daoprakaimongkol (10)
International School Bangkok
Hello. My name is May Pipatanantakurn and right now I am a tenth grader in the International school of Bangkok. My nationality is Thai and have been living here all my life.
Since Thailand is considered as a developing country, poverty is the main issue. I have seen many cases where children can not afford to attend school and educate and instead has to come out in streets and find money so they can survive day by day. Walking into restaurants, kids would come around selling flowers, candies, and to people that enters the door.
Every time I see this happen, I would always feel that these children deserve something better, an opportunity to have fun with their friends and learn things that is necessary for a living. I have also saw children working in inappropriate ways and places to earn money.
After reading what Maki wrote, I do agree that Thais should be more careful about the consequences these kids may get from doing the wrong thing. The question that you brought up about whether or not there would be anything to help these children so they don't have to work in these environment, is a question that the government is trying to solve. In my point of view, if the country's economy is not yet improve there is hardly anything that can be done.
The reason is because the government would not have enough money to support these poor family so the only way out is to pull their kids out of school and tell them to go find work. Some children are more lucky than others. Meeting strangers on streets, some might lead them into the right direction but most of them would lead them in the wrong direction and they would end up working illegally or at inappropriate places.
I am sure that the government is trying their hardest to find a way out to this problem.
May Pipatanantakurn
International School Bangkok