In the bustling port of Pattani in Thailand's deep south region, where the salty scent of the sea mingled with the toil of countless fishing boats, a harsh reality lies behind the milky tea coloured waters. It was a reality of exploitation and harsh working conditions endured by the fishing workers who labour tirelessly to bring seafood to the tables of people around the world.
The Pattani fishing port sits at the mouth of the Pattani river and the Gulf of Thailand in Thailand’s deeps south. It is the largest port in southern Thailand. At it's busiest times it employs hundreds of workers, many of them migrant workers from Burma and Cambodia, although all of the ships calling into the port are Thai owned. The fish stock from the vessels supplies markets as far away as Bangkok. The fishing industry in southern Thailand has suffered in recent years due to economic factors, environmental issues, and indeed the ongoing conflict in the deep south as well as the COVID 19 pandemic.
Many fishing workers face exploitative conditions, trapped in a cycle of debt bondage. Lured by promises of better opportunities, they have taken loans from unscrupulous middlemen to secure their jobs. These loans came with exorbitant interest rates, chaining the workers to a life of indentured labour. Their wages are meagre, barely enough to cover their basic needs, let alone repay their debts. They toil for long hours, enduring fatigue and exhaustion, yet their labor remains undervalued and under compensated. They are caught in a system that seems designed to keep them trapped in a cycle of poverty.
At the end of each gruelling day, the fishing workers return to cramped and squalid living quarters, their bodies aching and their spirits dampened. They huddled together, seeking solace and strength in the shared experiences of their fellow workers.