Last Saturday (26) I went to Chonburi province with HITAP members to test an effectiveness of our questionnaire. The questionnaire has developed for 'Social cost of alcohol consumption' project which particularly focuses on the cost of productivity loss and costs that are derived from violence. By the way, my point of rising up this issue is not to explain the project, but the stories from 2 women I met during my survey. I went to households in countryside area of Chonburi where most of the people grow sugarcane and fruits.

 

It was a very hot day when 12 of us, HITAP team were assigned to collect information in different households. I felt like I was going to burnt regarding the extremely hot weather. After looking at those houses, one small wooden house was chosen as my target. Walking closer to the house, one old lady came to us. She said it was fine for us to ask her questions, but she wasn't sure whether she would understand the questions clearly because she was not smart. On of the question we asked was her educational background. She told us that she didn't have any education at all. She lived with her brother and work in his field. She didn't have any income at all. Meals and shelter are only reciprocity. If this is not sad enough, during the whole questionnaire process, she kept saying she was stupid and uneducated. This is so sad. I really don't understand how come one's life can be like this? She's 63! This is the age that people should be retired not working hard in sugarcane field like this!

 

The other case was another old lady who lived with her grand-daughter. When I asked about her education and work. She smiled and told me about her story when she was young. She deadly wanted to study, but once she picked up the book to read, her father shouted that 'Do you want to study or to have something to eat?' She was laughed while telling me this, but for me it was not fun at all. This reflected so many things. When the questionnaire process was about to fininsh, she prepared to go out and work in the field. I teased her ' are you sure you want to go out?, this is extremely hot!' She laughed and replied that 'this is what poor people have to do, no matter how hot'....

 

What do you think?