Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
People of Bangkok
Bangkok accommodates every rung of the economic ladder, from the aristocrat to the slum
dweller. It is the new start for the economic hopefuls and the last chance for the economic
refugees. The lucky ones from the bottom rung form the working-class backbone of the
city - taxi drivers, food vendors, maids, nannies and even prostitutes. Many hail from the
northeastern provinces and send hard-earned baht back to their families in small rural vil-
lages. At the very bottom are the dispossessed, who live in squatter communities on mar-
ginal, often polluted land. While the Thai economy has surged, a truly comprehensive so-
cial net has yet to be constructed. Meanwhile, Bangkok is also the great incubator for Thai-
land's new generation of young creatives, from designers to architects, and has long nur-
tured the archetype of the country's middle class.
The city has also represented economic opportunity for foreign immigrants. Approxim-
ately half of its population claims some Chinese ancestry, be it Cantonese, Hainanese,
Hokkien or Teochew. Although the first Chinese labourers faced discrimination from the
Thais, their descendants' success in business, finance and public affairs helped to elevate
the status of Chinese and Thai-Chinese families.
Immigrants from South Asia also migrated to Bangkok and comprise the second-largest
Asian minority. Sikhs from northern India typically make their living in tailoring, while
Sinhalese, Bangladeshis, Nepalis and Pakistanis can be found in the import-export or retail
trade.
