Athikhom Saengchai

Photographer

athikhom.visura.co

Little Myanmar

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Location: Bangkok

Nationality: Thai

Biography: Athikhom Saengchai is a Thai documentary photographer and writer based in Bangkok, Thailand. His works focus on endangered culture and marginalized ethnic minorities. He is committed to promoting cultural diversity and a deeper understanding of... MORE

Aung Myo Thun, a migrant worker...nd, hoping for a better future.

Aung Myo Thun, a migrant worker from a village near Naypyitaw, Myanmar, praying in his apartment in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown. Under the Buddha’s portrait is a photo of his old mother, who still lives in his hometown. He is one of 1.5 million workers from Myanmar who came to work in Thailand, hoping for a better future.

A Myanmar worker is on the terr...hment in the late 17th century.

A Myanmar worker is on the terrace of a commercial building where he works and lives in Yaowarat, with the skyline of Bangkok in the background. Hundreds of Myanmar workers live in Bangkok’s Chinatown. They are an integral part of the workforce that drives the business of Yaowarat, living up to its original spirit as a melting pot of foreign immigrants since its establishment in the late 17th century.

On the top floor of an apartmen...l rooms as high as 1.20 meters.

On the top floor of an apartment building in Yaowarat. All tenants in this building are Myanmar workers. The rooftop is converted and partitioned into small rooms as high as 1.20 meters.

A Myanmar migrant worker settin...n Yaowarat work in this market.

A Myanmar migrant worker setting up a stall at Ratchawong Intersection, which marks one of many entrances to Sampheng Market, a wholesale night market for fashion accessories that spreads over backstreets and alleys of Yaowarat. Most of the Myanmar workers living in Yaowarat work in this market.

Myanmar workers at Sampheng Mar...ir home country (3.50 USD/day).

Myanmar workers at Sampheng Market. Due to limited educational background and language barriers, they are hired for low-skilled labor jobs and receive minimum daily wages (10.50 USD/day), higher than they earn in their home country (3.50 USD/day).

A Myanmar worker plays with his... popular among Myanmar workers.

A Myanmar worker plays with his pet rabbit after work in the Old Market of Yaowarat. As they live in cramped apartments, small pets, such as rabbits, hamsters, and goldfish, are popular among Myanmar workers.

A Myanmar worker carrying toile... showering in shared bathrooms.

A Myanmar worker carrying toiletries in a plastic basket walks back to his apartment after showering in shared bathrooms.

Most Myanmar workers in Yaowara...ds, which is common in Myanmar.

Most Myanmar workers in Yaowarat prepare meals and eat at home, primarily Burmese food. Special ingredients from Myanmar can be found easily in Myanmar grocery shops in the neighborhood. They usually eat by using their hands, which is common in Myanmar.

A betel shop run by a family of...n the urban society of Bangkok.

A betel shop run by a family of Myanmar workers in the Old Market. It also serves as the meeting point for Myanmar workers in Yaowarat. Many Myanmar men still maintain the habit of betel chewing, even when it is no longer common in the urban society of Bangkok.

At a party to celebrate and wel...nmar worker family in Yaowarat.

At a party to celebrate and welcome a newborn of a Myanmar worker family in Yaowarat.

A poster of a Myanmar actress i...rs as a reminder of their home.

A poster of a Myanmar actress inside a shared apartment of Myanmar workers as a reminder of their home.

Zaw Min and his wife check the ...ving in Thailand for two years.

Zaw Min and his wife check the Thai lottery results. They allocate a budget from their wages to play the lottery every month. They have won prizes a few times after living in Thailand for two years.

Aung Myat exercises with a barb...st jobs require physical labor.

Aung Myat exercises with a barbell he made himself by filling plastic water bottles with sand. Keeping fit is essential for Myanmar workers, as most jobs require physical labor.

Aung Myo Thun crosses Yaowarat ...art a business in his hometown.

Aung Myo Thun crosses Yaowarat Road, the artery of Bangkok’s Chinatown. He has been working in Thailand for seven years. However, he is considering moving back to Myanmar after saving enough money to start a business in his hometown.

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Thumbnail of Aung Myo Thun, a migrant worker _and, hoping for a better future.

Thumbnail of A Myanmar worker is on the terra_shment in the late 17th century.

Thumbnail of On the top floor of an apartment_ll rooms as high as 1.20 meters.

Thumbnail of A Myanmar migrant worker setting_in Yaowarat work in this market.

Thumbnail of Myanmar workers at Sampheng Mark_eir home country (3.50 USD/day).

Thumbnail of A Myanmar worker plays with his _e popular among Myanmar workers.

Thumbnail of A Myanmar worker carrying toilet_r showering in shared bathrooms.

Thumbnail of Most Myanmar workers in Yaowarat_nds, which is common in Myanmar.

Thumbnail of A betel shop run by a family of _in the urban society of Bangkok.

Thumbnail of At a party to celebrate and welc_anmar worker family in Yaowarat.

Thumbnail of A poster of a Myanmar actress in_ers as a reminder of their home.

Thumbnail of Zaw Min and his wife check the T_iving in Thailand for two years.

Thumbnail of Aung Myat exercises with a barbe_ost jobs require physical labor.

Thumbnail of Aung Myo Thun crosses Yaowarat R_tart a business in his hometown.

Public Story

Little Myanmar

Date of Work Sep 2018 - Ongoing

Updated Jun 2020

Location Bangkok

Topics Bangkok, Burmese, Chinatown, Documentary, Essays, Hope, Immigration, Migrant workers, Migration, Minority, Photography, Photojournalism, Poverty, Thailand, workers, Yaowarat

Despite being an integral part of the workforce in Thailand for decades, Myanmar migrant workers are still discriminated against by the ethnocentric Thai society because of their ethnicity, poor backgrounds, and language barrier. This project documents Myanmar workers in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, who are the anonymous driving force of this commercial quarter and live together as a sub-community inside this Chinese community. Like all of us, they would endure hardship, hoping for a better future for themselves and their families.

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