Thai Smiles, Part 44: Assorted Working Folks

Selling slightly racist trinkets on a BTS walkway in Bangkok

Spot welding in Jomtien Complex
- without safety goggles

Today's offering is an assortment of workers I've encountered in Thailand, doing their usual jobs.  The Thai are often a contented bunch overall, regardless of what it is they do to earn enough to hold body and soul together for another day.  That attitude is a gift many of us could benefit from, and some of it is a choice we're capable of making.

There have been more than a few mentions in the past here about finding contentment in what you do, and I've usually put most of those into the file folder labeled sanuk (enjoyable or fun).  Pardon the oversimplification but I'll say again that if it isn't sanuk, the Thai don't care to do it.  The specific post about it is here.

A tarot card reader wanted to predict my future on the beach.

The nice thing about it that by in large you can find some joy (or at least satisfaction) in the most menial or unpleasant jobs.  If you go back and look through the Smiles series you'll see many examples of that, including sewer workers and others doing what must be back-breaking labor.

This traffic officer was taking a break when I walked by

This last picture today is of a woman I met while out distributing food packages to slum families with a charity group.  The woman lives with the family members and children she cares for in the shelter behind her, and collects items from the dump to recycle or sell.  I try to think about that when I'm tempted to bitch about my own obligations in life. You'll hear more about these folks again soon.