Garbage Workers

I have always been interested in making photographs of the workers who handle the garbage in Bangkok, its a really filthy smelly job but I often see the sanitation workers laughing and joking as they work. Years ago back in 1999 when I was staying at a apartment building in Bangkok I used to get trapped behind the smelly garbage truck and would see the workers doing their jobs, way back then I wanted to photograph them but never got the opportunity, now thou I might have that chance!

Yesterday I was walking the slum near the Klong Toey market and came upon an area where the garbage trucks parked to dump their loads. There was a little sitting area the drivers waited at very near the compacting machinery that accepted the raw smelly garbage. I initially made a few photos there and moved on but later in the day I had walked full circle and came back to that same spot and met some of the same people. This second time around I sat down and talked to the folks, showing them my little photo book (a book I carry about my life in Canada, about my photography etc.) and eventually I did some 35mm shots of the garbage dump workers doing their jobs. I also told some of the workers that I would like to photograph them with a larger camera and they were eager to pose for me.

I also had a proposal of sorts from 2 of the lady workers when they said they would come back to Canada with me (tongue firmly in cheek)! A big scene was made with the women and their male workers joking back and forth about their departure to the snows of Canada, I played along as best as I could telling them of the ice on the roads and the cold weather etc but the ladies just said "No problem when will we go?" Fun people to be around and fun people to joke with. When I left the 2nd time it was lunch break, 3 of the workers (the 2 ladies and a man) took their noodle dishes into the cab of the garbage truck, closed the windows to cut down on the smell at ate their food. I thought back to how spoiled I am in Canada, eating great food after washing my hands,weaing clean clean clothes as I ate in a sterile pleasant environment. The people I met yesterday had no where to wash were covered and surrounded by filth, germs and nauseating smells as they ate. Seeing stuff like this really puts my life into perspective.
I want to go back, I will go back! and make portraits of of all these people, I need to show their humanity.