In rural Isaan, for many, the only way to earn any money is from manual labor cutting sugarcane by hand.
The sugarcane season runs from December to April.
This is the only time during the year the locals are able to earn any money at all.
Sugarcane labor pays ridiculously low, on the average of only 300 thb per day.
I see lots of interesting people cutting sugarcane, but what amazes me most is all of the elder grandmothers that are up early every morning and out into the fields to work.
At their age, this is quite a testament to intestinal fortitude and never giving up.
The women and everyone else understand the extreme difficulties of earning money in rural Isaan.
The money they earn during these 4 months has to stretch out and last them the entire year.
It is extremely hard work.
At the end of the day I can see the tired look and slow movement as they have worked the entire day cutting sugarcane by hand.
What 99% of the tourists to Thailand will ever understand, is the real Thai people of rural Isaan.
You will never hear one complaint.
You will always be greeted with a smile, no matter how tired they are.
This is the way things are here and they are accepted.