Women Labourers & Construction Workers

I remember I was really surprised the first time I saw women working as labourers and construction workers in Chiangmai. This was because these jobs are only done by men in Singapore and women are usually employed in less physically demanding work. I later learnt that these women labourers are mostly either indigenous tribal people (known as khon doi in Thai) from the mountains in Chiangmai or from Myanmar. Both had come to Thailand in search of better economic opportunities. Many Myanmar workers are currently working illegally in Thailand.

These women labourers basically do the same work as men; pouring cement, plastering walls, laying bricks, installing electrical wiring etc. The work can be dangerous for them as they often receive little training and have little or no safety equipment.

Toiling under the blistering sun from about eight in the morning until six in the evening, seven days a week, their daily wage is about 300 baht (about SGD 7.50). To beat the heat, they will usually cover themselves up fully by wearing long sleeved shirts and pants. Some even go to the extent of covering their faces with a piece of cloth with just holes cut for the eyes.

Their accommodation is usually at the worksite or at small rented rooms. These rooms are cheap (can be as cheap as SGD 60 per month) and typically come in a size of about 4 metres by 3 metres.

This is real hard work for so little pay. At this rate, when are they ever going to be able to fulfil their hopes and dreams?