Page 22 - Dignity and justice for all of us our voices are heard in Thailand
P. 22
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
A homeless woman, age 70
Bang Sue district, Bangkok
Voice
“I am very grateful A 70-year-old woman from northern Thailand shares her thoughts on dignity and human
for the support rights as seen through her personal experience. Homeless for 10 years, she currently lives
under a bridge over a canal in the Bang Sue district of Bangkok. Orphaned since she was five
I receive from people” years old, she has never had access to formal education and thus she cannot read nor write.
She has never been taught the concept of ‘rights’ and thus does not understand what rights
she is entitled to herself. Her day starts with a long walk, pushing a small cart through the
streets collecting things that others throw away.
This woman used to work as a street sweeper, cleaning the streets of Bangkok. However,
when she retired, she did not have a pension or any savings, and her husband passed away
three years ago. She does not want to be put in a home for elderly people. “I wouldn’t dare
contact an agency [for social welfare],” she says. She is familiar with life on the streets and
does not believe that the government should be held responsible for her life.
Relying on the charity of people in Bangkok, she manages to earn 30 to 40 Thai baht per day,
allowing her to afford up to three daily meals. “I am very grateful for the support I receive
from people,” she says. She uses the bathroom next to the canal where she lives, which was
originally built by the Water Supply Authority for its workers, and to which she is given
access. She receives free medical services in the private hospitals that provide services to
those eligible under the government’s “30 baht” Universal Health Coverage system. She has
never been denied treatment. “I do not blame anyone for my situation,” she says.
10 Dignity and Justice for All of Us
