Gallery: Staying afloat on Bangkok's canals

June 14, 2011

http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/life/gallery-making-living-staying-afloat-bangkoks-canals-259400

Thailand’s floating markets attract thousands of tourists every year. But boat vendors are more than just a novelty.

Many khlong-side residents, living in stilted houses above the water, rely on boat-borne vendors for everything from propane to fruit as these traders conveniently motor -- and in a few cases paddle -- right up to their steps to make transactions.

And then there are those who provide essential services like mail delivery, waste collection and even banking.

But for many, earning a living on the city's khlongs just isn't as viable as it once was, due to rising fuel and food prices.

Despite the challenges, the following people continue to work on the canals of Bangkok Noi off the Chao Phraya River, many saying there isn't a land-based job that could tempt them away from the waters.

Name: Mai

Age: 71

Occupation: Noodle soup vendor in Bangkok Noi canals for more than 50 years

Working hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., daily

Income: Sells an average of 2,000 baht worth of noodles per day. Makes 500 baht in profit.

"My parents used to sell boat noodles, then i took over from them. I love everything about my job except that I can't stand up as the boat moves so much, so I sit all day.

But I love travelling on the canals and selling noodles in this traditional way. I would never trade my boat for a regular noodle shop on the road."

Name: Kumpon

Age: 44

Occupation: Shop owner and dry goods boat vendor

Income: 400-500 baht/day

"My family started selling household goods to people who live along the khlongs 70 years ago. Now I sell things like snacks, mosquito coils and tissue.

"It's getting harder to sell. I don't make as much money as I used to because people are now buying their stuff from shops like 7-Eleven.

"But I keep doing it because I'm too old and it's my family business. I don't want to be an employee, I like the freedom of working for myself. I have a shop in Bang Yai too, so I don't come out on my boat every day."

Name: Wanna

Age: 42

Occupation: Floating fruit vendor

Hours: 10 a.m.-4p.m. daily

"I've been selling fruit with my husband on this boat for 20 years. We buy our fruit from a big market in Rangsit.

"Around 10 years ago we could make 2,000 baht a day. Now, only 300-500 baht because of rising gas and fruit prices and less demand."

Name: Piyawat

Age: 68

Occupation: Ice cream vendor

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. during the week, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekends

Income: 400-500 baht per day

"I have been selling ice cream for 29 years. I used to work with Foremost, then Walls, and now Nestlé.

"I never want to quit this job, I love it. It's so much fun to sell ice cream to kids as they're really happy when I pull up. I get such joy out of seeing their smiling faces."

Name: Manat Taepasert

Age: 72

Occupation: Fishmonger for more than 50 years

Income: 200-300 baht per day

"I sell pla too [mackerel] that I buy from Mahachai around the khlongs of Bang Yai and Bangkok Noi and I have a shop in Bang Yai. I used to make 400-500 baht a day, now only 200-300 because gas is so expensive."

Name: Man

Age: 50

Occupation: Water taxi driver at the Talingchan floating market

Income: 500-700 baht per day

"I have been doing this for 10 years but I only work every second day. Most of the people who hire me want to take tours and day trips with larger groups of people, which cost about 600 baht per hour."

Name: Wanna

Age: 54

Experience: Homemade coconut ice cream vendor for 10 years

Income: 300-400 baht/day

"Some of my clients are regular, they buy from me every day. I now make 300-400 baht per day but I used to make a lot more. Gas is too expensive."

Names: Tawatchai (left) and Sataporn (right)

Age: 38 & 49

Occupation: Waste collectors

Salary: Undisclosed

Hours: Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-2 p.m.

"I've been doing this for 19 years," says Sataporn. "We collect waste on the khlongs from Bangkok Noi to Talingchan and along the Chao Phraya. I like to work for the city as I have a regular salary and good benefits. It allows me to help out my family and parents."

"I love my job as I get to see something different every day," says Tawatchai. "I'm never bored. I know some people look down on us and think we're dirty because we collect garbage but we're not. I feel good about my job and I enjoy it. I'd never give up working on the boat, I love life on the canals."

Name: Sompop, 41

Occpupation: Mail delivery man in canals of Bangkok Noi

Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Salary: Undisclosed

"I work with the Bang Kluay post office in Nonthaburi. Thirty years ago they started delivering by boat. But I'm lucky as back in the old days they used to have to move their boats with a paddle."

Name: Sawat

Age: 56

Occupation: Sells water, ice and propane

Income: 400-500 baht per day

Hours: 6 a.m.-1 p.m.

"I started selling on the khlongs around Bangkok Noi 30 years ago with my brother but it's getting really hard to earn a living. Besides rising gas prices, developers in this area are buying up land and people are moving out so we don't have as many customers."