Thai berry pickers in Sweden | DW Documentary
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2020
- Every summer thousands of Thai workers comb Sweden’s forests searching for berries - a job Swedes won’t do. What drives these people halfway round the globe to harvest berries in less than ideal conditions?
Chang is one of about six thousand Thai migrant workers who come to Sweden to work the summer harvest every year. Rather than toiling in a rice paddy at home, he spends up to twelve hours a day gathering blueberries and lingonberries. It’s Chang’s first time in Sweden, but he sees it as a great chance to earn good money. But even though an agency hired him and got him his visa and air ticket, Chang had to borrow money to finance his living expenses and will have to pay that back before he sees a cent of the guaranteed minimum wage of nearly two thousand Euros a month.
Investigative journalist Mats Wingborg has been following the fruit pickers from Thailand for a long time. He says, "The system is wide-open to fraud. The Thais also have to work at least a month to pay their debts. If the harvest is bad, some of them may even still be in debt when they go back home.”
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I teared up when the married couple said that their money would be enough to pay for their daughter’s school. Some people in this world sacrifice so much just to get their kids to school 😢😢😢 God bless them 🌼🌼🌼
Yes, many countries have to pay to get some good education for their children! it does not come free and some countries who have a free education they criticise they don't know how to appreciate I'm afraid .
to get the kids ripped off also...
# modern education is a rip off.
@@vr9421 education is free in thailand
In the less fortunate Asian countries, the more industrious parents finance their child's education with the forethought that their child will take care of them in their senior years. The less industrious parents who do little for their children often expect the same thing....
lets face it picking berries pays more than whatever their kids can hope to make,education or not,even white collar workers in thailand make less than $700 USD a month.....they should be saving all the money they make so they can send their kids to pick berries next time>>
In the end, Chang's group divided the earnings for the berries evenly among each other. What a selfless group of people.
So true!
If only we all had that mindset
My family worked in camps in the United States. I started working when I was 7years old. The conditions were horrible. My family stayed in the States because I was born in the US. When I was a child I saw so much pride in my parents eyes when I would say I was going to work in Mcdonalds when I grew up. As I teenager I asked why he was so proud? He said because he would finally have a child that would work inside a building. Not suffering from the heat or snow. Unfortunately, my parents never saw me graduate from college. The many years of hardwork took them both away from me. 😞💔
Im so sorry for you loss, your story made me cry, i hope everything is going better now for you ❤
I’m Thai and I have heard about this job before but I never know about the details and I’m quite sad for them after watching this documentary by the way life is tough sometimes . Cheer you up guys! And thanks to DW to open my world about this kind of job, well done!
this comment shows how important free documentaries like that are to people around the world, I live in Norway and I was not aware that this was going on.
I know we import a lot of polish berry pickers in Norway, but I would have never though Thai people were being flow over there at their cost... it's absolutely sickening.
And yet there's nothing us regular people can do about it because our politicians and authorities are inn on it.
Do you know why they pray to a stags head 2:50. Is that a usual practice
@@aesyamazeli8804 it’s a souvenir they brought back from Sweden 🇸🇪 but it’s not part of any particular practice just they want to pray for good luck in the berry picking and the journey. Perhaps they believe the stag head will grant them success.
@@carissacortazzo oh ok. I just thought maybe there's some obscure practice because I would have thought they will pray to Buddha
@@aesyamazeli8804 Animist beliefs are common in Thailand especially in rural communities. It was the original belief system of Thais. When Buddhism arrived the Buddhists never tried to stamp out other faiths and overtime some aspects became intertwined to become Thai Buddhism. Other more pure Animist practises also remain and is accepted as part of the culture. The stag's head probably represents some guardian spirit revered by the village, if not the ghost of the stag itself.
Wow, the Thai people interviewed were so positive and friendly. I'm so glad in the end they did not end up in debt, that would have broke my heart.
They were still exploited though
@@easyroc75 its better than 6000 baht a month
@@testicool6522 so even though they were exploited and make more than 6000 baht a month, it’s ok? How about marking a fair wage without being exploited? That would make more sense
@@easyroc75 my point is why don't they get a fair wage in their own country.
@@testicool6522 because in their country the wage is lower, so they have to work in another country for higher wage. My point is that just because they are willing to work in another country for a higher wage, it doesn’t mean one should take advantage of them. There is no excuse. Just because they are poor it’s ok to exploit them?
I used to work as a blueberry picker in Australia in 2019. I worked from September 2019 to April 2020. I came to Australia to study masters but for part time I worked as a berry picker. Even in the peak summer time they used to pay us 2 dollars a kilo and sometimes a 2.2 a kilo at most. I used to pick 60 kilos an average a day to get a minimum amount of money for rent and expenses. It's frickin expensive here in Australia and this money could only cover minimum basic needs but I still didn't give up the job bcs that's the only thing that I had that could help me cover my ass at night I could sleep peacefully. So I totally understood how absolutely shitty the situation is they are going through and yet they stick to it bcs they got no choice.
Watching this video gave me a flashback of the times I was a picker and it made me cry. I just wish people didn't take advantage of people who are in need.
ทุกวันนี้ยังทำอยู่มั้ยครับ😁
And your point is lol
taking advantage? these people are given economic opportunity to finance their daughter's school fees etc. We must give people more opportunities, liberate regulations for a free world in which every person has the right to work where they can. These people are grateful, because their own country cannot provide them economic improvement. Its a prime example how the economic situation of a people can improve from generation to generation when people are given opportunities. And to you, you have my deepest respect, you are a prime example of that.
Am sorry to hear that. This whole video bothered me and made me terribly sad. It's very unfortunate how people treat others sometimes.
Hope you're in a better place now.
There is always a choice. But everybody wants to get out of poverty. So they give it a shot.
I am a swede and I had no idea. This is so embarrassing. I pray their working conditions will improve. They seem like such sweet people😢
Yeah send prayers, that will surely help.
@@beaudenoiryes omg so sorry for thinking kindly about people that are in an unfair situation, why don’t you do something yourself?
@@tindrakarpe5106 That's a terrific summary of the people of today's will to act. You "send prayers", and when you get questioned about whether "sending prayers" is an effective way to inflict change or not. You answer it with "Why don't you do something yourself?".
Sure, writing a positive comment or praying for someone might feel very comfortable and soothing to yourself. But sadly, you yourself is the only person that get to enjoy any comfort such a prayer may give.
Världen är till stor del en mycket orättvis plats. Och det är fint att du bryr dig, så du behöver inte tolka ovannämnda kritik som ett personangrepp. Utan bara en välmenad upplysning; Att be för något eller utbasunera orimligt hoppfulla budskap om i realiteten ganska hopplösa situationer lätt kan tolkas som att man är ganska obrydd och bara tar en emotionell "easy way out", snarare än att det skulle vara grundat i en genuin välvilja..
Thai people are the best in the world. So different to our culture in a good way
yeah keep praying, that´s gonna help a lot
I love that both of the guys admitted that during the bad days they ask themselves what they're doing here. Makes you realize that hardworking people are not immune from such existential questions. But they persist in their work to the very end. Persistence is the key.
You be dead in the end anyway
@@MitsukiHashiba Yes, and it's called sacrifice (whether it's the optimal way or not).
I have personally been involved with helping a group of Bulgarians that got stuck here a year when there where no berries. The dude who brings them here knew there where no berries, and he kept bringing people. Well, actually, the top dude was in prison, but his henchmen kept bringing people. People who went into debt to come here and had no way to get home. It wasn’t that far away from where these Thais where.
The berry picking business is extremely shady and I feel bad for everyone who comes here because the conditions are far from okey.
The very same thing happens, decade after decade, in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, Canada.
Those who choose to purchase Canadian Ice Wine, fruit or vegetables are complicit in the myriad crimes against of the humanity of the impoverished labourers (including the regular rapes of many of the young womxn pickers) who suffer for wealthy Caucasoids in a very (quietly, subtly) covert racist, sexist, classist, ableist, nationalist, ultra-colonialist, no-longer welcoming or diversity accepting society.
@@OakleyANDSittingBull Where those workers are coming from ?
@@masterofreality926 Canadian First People perhaps ? They have been opressed for years, and rape accusations ? Definitely rings a bell - sadly, it's pretty much a habit of rich WASPs with colored workers. This is disgusting.
@@OakleyANDSittingBull holy shit get a life, WAY too many adjectives!
Agreed. The workers are being exploited this isn't the only industry it's the global economic structure that dehumanizes that's the issue consumers outnumber a few driving it.
My heart hurt to see them in the rain I partly wanted to punch the guy at that factory location. I've never punched anyone and I certainly wouldn't start the urge was there. I can't stand the deplorable conditions of workers here in the US in the fields to meat packing. I'm over the excuses enabling this shit and justifications. Given everything they still value their kindness in the one group splitting evenly.
Appreciate these insights. And I have way more respect for these hardworking people than I do the Millionaires billionaires exploiting have no respect for them at all. None. Zero. The system is upside down been that way for centuries.
13:24 “sometimes the Thais are in the forest for 10 hours, but maybe they’re shopping or doing something in between” - shopping for truffles in the middle of the forest?
Visiting the nearest Michelin starred restaurant, I am sure.
yeah lame excuses... he just want to earn more by ripping off the thai people
Them forest Elves need to make money too somehow
It's horsecr*p beyond intelligence.
As someone from Sweden I can personally testify that if you're industrially berry-picking here then you are minimum 6 hours to and fro from nearest store, period.
@@hontiveros1445 Ripping them off?? If he pays them 2,25 euros per kilo, they can easily make a lot more than the average Swedish wage just by working 5 days a week. Professional berry pickers regularly pick 80-100 kg a day, that's 180-225 euros a day, or 1863-2329 SEK, if they work 20 days a month, that comes down to 37-47 000 SEK, far more than the average Swedish salary at just above 30 000. They don't need to work much at all to make average wage, but you think they rather get paid less than 20 000 a month, which is what they would get with a set salary?? Those people make more in a month than what the average Thai makes in a year, A LOT more.
That lady is so cheerful, she's smiling all the time. They work very hard and are paid minimum but still manage to put up the cheerful face. ❤ Feeling 😢.
I don’t know what countries would do without these incredible people who are willing to work so hard for money to support their families. Canada gets a lot of workers to pick fruit, flowers and to work in the hospitality industry. I am always grateful to any foreign workers, they come here to work to support their families who are back at home and they are hardworking and very proud people.
we'd not be eating as cheap berries and we'd have nurses paid well enough to not compete on who can MAID the most old people?
What a shame to have the chance to live in such an idyllic-looking country but not be able to enjoy it. The couple at 20:55s is absolutely lovely, smiling through the hardship. That is very Thai.
nobody wants to live in another country what shame they cannot stay home where they love thats the thing you should say.
Slavery by any other name is still wage time SLAVERY!
This is what the mid-eastern immigrants should have done to show some gratitude and prove their independence. Instead they roam and ra8e our women and children, and get free money, housing and iPhones, and are rarely convicted.
RIP Ebba
RIP Tommie Lindh
RIP the rest
@@msv7116 Many people want to live in another country.
Atlease they got Tent , while others didnt
DW obviously had a very productive lockdown because they're killing it with the documentaries over the past few weeks! All of them have been excellent.
So true every night since Wednesday I'm staying up watching..(its Saturday night now)
U notice
Maybe adsense not algorithm
@@derrickmcadoo3804 Not enough Germans understand this fact or the lockdowns and social distancing nonsense would be history. Thais are by and large too trusting of government to know better. HOWEVER, Thailand's lockdown was never as harsh as that of Germany.
Sad part is, Due to Covid The Cherry Pickers probably didn't go to Sweden last year. And I'm pretty sure, very few are going this year.
I love my country, but this is making me feel sick. I pray for these people ❤️
blind eye lol
Honestly, Swedish companies should pay for the trip. It would be worth it getting such good workers. Picking all those berrier would not be possible using only local empoyees.
@We are failing Humanity vad försöker du ens säga?
@We are failing Humanity 👈🥴🥴🥴🤫
yes pay air travel, accommodation, visa fees etc. this is so heart breaking
Where are Syrians, Iraqis?
It would be possible if they paid fair wage. But they don't. Instead they employ foregin workers and pay them close to nothing. That's why they won't pay for plane tickets.
"To earn minimum wage they have to pick 36kg of berries a day, today there are only 33kg".
This is 4kg of berries an hour, about 900 berries, up and down the rough terrain, bending over. For 9 hours of work a day, 10 hours if you want lunch and a couple of breaks.
Exactly my thoughts. That contract they sign is a joke. Shame on those people taking advantage of these hard-working souls.
@@waytothewill And shame on consumers who aren't willing to pay the true price of food.
@@PG-3462
just playing the devils advocate, not the consumers fault they sell it cheap. if this shit is good, people who want it would still buy it. mcdonalds raised their prices in my area and i still buy their shit.
@@PG-3462 If it costs three times as much, the producers would still try to pay their workers as little as possible. Take an iPhone for an example: the profit margins are huge - that doesn't mean the Chinese workers assembling them will get rich.
@@stefanmuc2k Using Apple as an example is not representative at all. Only a very few companies manage to sell cheaply made products at a super expensive price. Those companies can only do this because of the "prestige" of their brand, and 99.9% of companies that exist in the world do not have such prestige.
She would make 10 times more money if she sells those Thai chicken skewers in Sweden rather than picking berries!
555555 sad but true ... our pork skewers are more popular and our papaya salad is our national dish
It would have been less tragic, if they just really wang to travel. Well They probably do! The environment looks so great. I would do it for free for at least 3 hours.
now where would she get enough money to get a permit, food, employees, a kitchen and a restraint?
@@josephcheung6127 I was waiting for this comment, thanks for enlightening me as if I had no idea you need these things in order to sell food.
Clapping slowly!!!!!
True.
Been picking berries in Sweden for few months for years before. It was good money, could earn from 3000-5000 euros per season. But then Thais came and prices reached rock bottom. At that point, it was not worth it. Greetings from Lithuania!
Too bad the employers decided to pay the Thais slave wages.
3000-5000 for 2 month work? All day? You would’ve made more back home if you just found 2 jobs. I can make 6k euros on a single month if I find 2 jobs
@@xondeez757 not that easy finding 2 jobs... especially if dont have enough education or work experience
@vawies yes and even in a less time. Those bosses are scamming everyone, there is a reason why no native people are working there
Wages between different countries cant be compared lol... just because a rich country monthly wage can be into the thousands, there are way more countries that know a 'slave wage', as you call it.
Such a statement is arrogant and ignorant to how most people live in this world. For them, a thousand euros is worth way more than for you...
This was filmed in 2019 and everyone is saying how they hope that the next year will be better. If only they knew what 2020 had in store for everyone, especially for things like international travel.
they got rekt
well and 2021... here in Finland many Thai workers and now covid spreading among them. Quarantine and can't pick up anything so I don't know but doesn't sound they are gonna do good either this year.
@@TeeDee87 Increased government oversight for the companies, banning of collecting extra 'fees' from the pickers, increased covid tests when coming (three)... I would say they'll do fine, they will have safer time but with more taxes. Less chance of getting ripped by the companies.
If anyone is interested, Russia has no laws regarding the workers rights. So they are free to pick what they can and if they can't, they'll get nothing. There is no pity given there...
oh no :(
@@karozagorus well schweden had no restrictions
Am I the only one who feels that they're abusing the kindness and work-ethic of the Thais? They're very hard working and amicable people.
Of course they are. It's just a way of cutting labour costs so that boss keeps more of the profits. It's disgusting. And sadly the same thing happens in my country just with Romanian workers.
@@greenknitter If I'm not being too intrusive, what country are we talking about?
@@drygon9324 Ireland. Fruit harvesters come here every year from your country and Bulgaria to work on the big farms who hire charter flights to bring them in. Even this year they came. But it's the same in Germany, Netherlands and many other countries.
@@greenknitter Ohh, I heard about the fruit picking situation in Italy and Spain. Guess it is the same everywhere. Desperate people have always been exploited, now because of capitalism it just is more obvious.
Just like the Mexicans in America.
The Swedish guy who they interviewed about the workers said "There isn't anyone in Sweden willing to pick berries that are CHEAP", but the translation skipped the cheap part? Like, I'm sure there are a bunch of people willing to pick berries, but at least get minimum wage for it and with the taxes I guess swedish workers would be so much more expensive to hire. He sounded real sketchy in my opinion.
Yes, it is true. I am looking for job one full year and I have legal papers and ID
Agree 100%
Even Poles or Romanians won't do this job.
@@stekon9112 why should they? Are Sweds above everyone else?
@@ZenTauren Yes I know, I was just commenting on what the guy (Bo Axelsson or whatever his name was) said, I know this is still a lot higher than minimum wage in Thailand.
nice logic: cannot force them to work less. I just pay them lower than minimum wage for them working longer than allowed...
I believe his point was: the contract was minimum wage with working hours of 7.5 each day. With sundays free.
This is based on laws to avoid exploitation, his point is that this is not the goals of the pickers, they stay in the woods far longer, which he feels he cant really deny them from doing. And that their goal is not the 7,5×min wage x 6days a week*8. Which probably barely pays down the loan. They aim for the bonuses based on the amount of berries being plucked, which is the real income for the pickers.
@@cmLMolde textbook exploitation :)
@@yuliangeorgiev Dont disagree, however when i saw that experienced picker show his deformed hand which was injured while working in a factory in Thailand. And knowing he had no chance to have proper support after such a lifechanging injury, i cant really say the swedes are at fault, compared to the conditions in the pickers homeland. They have given this man and his wife a steady and comparatively large income, despite his handicap. It is helping them getting their daughter a education, and they seem to know the pro and cons of the job, still they feel it is worth the risk.
This reminds me of working on a farm in Australia.
A tomato farmer asked us whether we wanted to pick his tomatoes and get paid Aus.$17..00 per hour or work on contract and get paid by kilos.We chose getting paid by kilos and sometimes, depending on the availability of tomatoes, we would either make Aus.$50 or $60 .00 an hour or 5 dollars an hour..if we had chosen getting paid $17.00 per hour then it would take us 10 hours to make $170.00 but with getting paid by kilos (contract) we would easily make $170.00 in just 4 or 5 hours if we picked faster and also if there were lots of ripe tomatoes available. That is the beauty of getting paid by kilos like what these Thailand workers are doing in Sweden.May God bless them,and may he bless me too.
As a Swede this is something so shameful. How these "employers" keep taking advantage of non-Swedish people knowing they will work twice as hard than a local for half the pay. Hopefully our Government will do something about this problem but I doubt a change will happen anytime soon, money always comes first unfortunately...
I agree 100 % , but most people are happy to take advantage of others and they have 100 reasons why they are doing them the favor.
@dr zoidberg LOL another uneducated person with facts based on nothing. I can provide you with any number of studies showing that immigrants are recruited out of necessity, because the farmers/employers can not find regional workers , not because they are losing out to immigrants " being shoved in to those jobs...LMAO" But I am sure you would be more than happy to pay the difference in taxes that employers would need to pay extra and you should certainly let your local Gov't know that you want to make that happen.
Good for you to want to give up some of your money for others, because I guarantee you that the employers will be paying a lot more money if native Swedes do the work!
@dr zoidberg Well that is really great information. Listen , in all seriousness I am a researcher by trade and really enjoy dissecting data that paints a stark contrast to what people are claiming in these Documentaries.
It sounds like you know what you are talking about and I have a couple of hours to look at the sources you have refuting the above documentary, which falsely makes the system look like the migrants are hard working victims.
I would really appreciate you sending me the sources you have which are in contrast to what clearly must be a very bias documentary. Really looking forward to those links !!
It's up to YOU to do something, make a petition, even if you're not Thai they're still humans.
I mean at least someone gotta pay their tickets.
“They don’t want to be paid minimum wage”. He can’t really believe that. I guess that’s what you tell yourself to justify cheating hard working people.
He mean, they want to earn more then minimum wage...
There is no minimum wage in Sweden
@@Xamufam Yeah there is
@@jdkghadofgaofg no the government doesn't set a minimum wage
What he really means is that they won't bargain, so he can pay them whatever he wants.
Wow, DW, what a spot-on piece. You are doing an amazing job with your documentaries, keep up the great work! 👍
Hi @waytothewill, we are glad you like our content, stay tuned :)
Thank you for supporting us
Even when things doesn’t go as plan they didn’t lost the ability to smile! Incredible!
"Next year when I come back, everything will be better", I really love his positive way of thinking, at the end of the video.
This year is Coraonvirus and most of the workers weren't allowed to get there.
except next year was 2020 and he probably coudn't come.
Buddhist at it best ^_^
@@franzpeters3824 it's for the best that he won't have the job. He may have made the choice but it's up to us to make sure he doesn't get exploited further
they only let in 50% of the workers this year and the berries are growing like never before, so they are probably going to earn more then anyone ever has while picking berries. Their Village Chief bought a tractor, farmland, car. Now imagen the profit when it's only 50% workers and more berries then normal.
What amazed me was their perseverance, simplicity and always smiled and grateful, even when harvested less than expected.
Huge admiration for these people 🙏
Thailand is called the land of smiles and I was very fortunate to go there 31 yrs ago first before tourism had started to spoil the beautiful country.
They smile because they have no choices in life, it's not a common smile we often see from happy people, it's a smile of despairs
@@pozk-tf6ey I am Thai and I can say that this is not a smile of despair. Thai people usually say "getting something is better than getting nothing". Traditionally, Thais are very optimistic. The smiles that you saw actually mean "It's OK" or "It's not bad". Obviously, they do not regret the time during their berry picking in Sweden, and some even enjoy the experiences.
There better workers than african immigrants
If they actually wanted to make the pay better they could pay them a base wage, and add bonuses if they pick more than 36 kg in a day
Yep, wanted to say just that. This is basically just forcing them to work brutal hours and the risks that come with natural products (wildfires etc.) are transferred to the poorest in the chain, the workers.
I don’t see the problem. The Swedish offer them good money if they work hard for a couple weeks and when they come home. They end up with more money then what they would be able to earn in years. They said it themselves
@@truth674 then they can work in cofee shops, or stay in Thailand? Fucking hell you need to know your limits
@@truth674 still earn alot more then they would in Thailand. People like you think wages are the same everywhere, fun fact it's not...
@@H8M0ndays shame on you.
They're so optimistic. Bless their good hearts.
Your documentaries are beautiful. The music, the scenes, the content, the narrating, Wonderfully produced and put together.
I like these documentaries cause they translate for you and not subtitles
The German quality engneering
Because they are Germans
"they work in a way we Europeans can't." correction, in a way you WON'T.
Er, no, its practice to work in the forestry for the youth of north Sweden, at least it used to be. Planting coniferous trees and picking berries during the summer break.
Nowadays I guess being an entitled commie snowflake is the going rate.
🤣👍
@@roger_isaksson Your comment is utter gibberish.
@@mgadrim96 How is it gibberish? Are you illiterate?
If anything he's correct.
Okay let's break it down. The man in the video states cleary that Europeans cannot do this type of work. That is why he outsources to the Philippines. Mr. Roger here states that the youth do in fact partake in the industry of berry picking but then follows up with "or they used to" which is a conflicting statement. Because for it to have any relevance it'd have to be the former of his statements, and then that'd prove the gentleman in the video to be wrong. But again, he provided no clarification between the two conflicting accounts, and then followed it up with meaningless words like commie snowflake. Because he presumes that if he just throws out adjectives with negative connotations it'll frame me in a particular way. So again, it's FUCKING GIBBERISH. And hold no bearing on anything to fucking do with the original statement. The dude is claiming Europeans can't do the work, so he can use cheap labor and profit off them.
@@svang1013 How am I stupid when your statement implies a defense of the business owner outsourcing labor because he's set wages so low that the local populace cannot live off it. The same labor that he then claims wants to be paid a low minimum wage, and then further discredits the local popular by saying they cannot work the way his Philippine employees do, in reference to their teamwork capabilities. So again, its not that you cant, its that you WONT. Because if you wanted to do this labor you'd fight for the appropriate payment of his employees, and your ability to make a livable wage from such work. But here you are, saying the wage that the business owner has full control over is the reason you can't do xyz.
The fat white dude with a gold chain saying "I can't stop them from working extra and making less" seems like a totally legitimate businessman and not a malfactor at all...
As as swede I can confirm. Anyone can pick berries without a permit.
Here in Australia we're finding out about the exploitation of agricultural workers. There might be a Royal Commission investigation.
Siap
All my respect for these poor people, traveling far away from their home, working long hours for `pocket money`, sleeping outside, and still having a big smile and optimism. Not demanding nor begging for social help. Great video!
For us in the developed world its "pocket money" but for them it a large sum of money that can kick start a better future for them in their own country
Pocket money?
not a pocket money! they are happy to do it you idiot! they buying cars and renovating their houses, how is that pocket money??
Every time I learn something new, it makes me more depressed. Now, I can't enjoy berries anymore.
It is a shame that the truth and the information makes us better voters with our dollars
@@WubiWatkins,
Where's the "shame"?
It's excellent to know who we wish to do business with, where we're open to living, etc. : )
Something else to add to your “do not research if you want to eat berries” list: don’t look up how the Driscoll’s fruit company treats their workers 😕
Me too. Also avocados and almonds are on my list.
Don't make this a sad story, these are poor yes, but proud people who take pride in this hard work.
Don't make them victims
These seasonal workers are street smart and I give props to them, 2 months in a year to pick berries and use that money as a means to better their life by investing it(minus the loan they took). I am just glad this documentary shed some light on this kind of work and the worker's lives as well.
I'm from Norway, but I lived in Thailand for neaarly 2 years. What struck me then and strikes me now is how these beautiful people always....ALWAYS, carry a large smile on their faces, despite working 10 times harder than Europeans and Americans, and having so little. I love and admire the Thai people so much for that, and seeing them here persevering and staying optimistic through these hellish conditions really brings a tear to my eye. I wish I was half of what they are.
People from rich countries will never understand how life can be hard for some of us. When I see some people there depressed or addicted to drugs, I wish I could just bring them to some of our places. After visiting some of the slums in India now I'm gratefull everytime I can use my own toilet.
You do realize that it is the problem caused by the government and corruption?
I mean, do You think there is not enough food or shelter or clothes in India? There is plenty.
Governmental structure and greed of top politicians cause poverty.
Any country, literally, can provide food shelter and cloth to every citizen of it.
Sim, adaptação do lema: América para os Americanos. Aí é Suécia de Welfare State para os suecos. No fim, os problemas ainda existem em países desenvolvidos, só muda um pouco da qual são esses problemas.
You are right people in rich countries will never understand the plight of people living in poor countries. But then the people in rich countries don't have the right to impose the way we live in poor countries. That is why communism was used in underdeveloped Asia at the time of cold War to bring an alternative to the western capitalism which has be come rich at the expense of these countries.
@Darkhorse I sympathize with you. You might be right. I am poorer than those people in India. In spite of having everything people in rich countries don't have plenty. If that is the logic you work upon why don't you go preach this values in the rich countries and try to see whether people there appreciate the values or not? Those people might be happy living in the slums but without a dignity and a standard which they and people like you might not care. Then, whole world should become undeveloped societies in order to be happy????? You have a strange idea. What I am trying to say here is along with being humble or from a humble background one should also have a decent lifestyle of living. Having said that it might be you who thinks like being poor like people from undeveloped countries is better than being in the rich nations.
Darkhorse definitely true. The typical American doesn’t have nearly the strength of social/community bonds that people in those countries have. They even kick their children out of the house after college.
The agents earn the most.
I love the Thai. they are just such a happy people ... I have never met an angry or grumpy Thai person and I have had many as good friends throughout my life. my closest thai friend was also incredibly organized and dedicated to what she wanted out of a career (I think most asian parents are incredibly concerned first and foremost with their children's education and her parents were no exception!), and she has done very well since high school times! they are just really kind people. I always worry about the potential for abuse when that happens, whether on an individual or a collective level. I was so relieved when I heard they had all made money at the end!!!
Just remember, the hardworking ones that take low paying jobs overseas and do them well are not the same as the ones who stay at home. Industrious people leave the depressed areas even if they have to walk. Others are not willing to make the big sacrifices, so they make many small sacrifices and become discontent.
DW Team thank you so much for such a well documented film. Thank you.
I'm amazed they shared their earnings equally at the end. Very nice of them. He would've earned about 50-60% of that amount working in Thailand for same duration if he earned average wage. 30% of that if he earned minimum wage. I feel fortunate for what I have.
Ben Ghazi ? Uh
Isn’t average in Thailand €300/month and they earned €1200 (in a ‘bad year’) after all debts (so they worked 2 months in Sweden to get the same as 4 months work in Thailand) ? That’s good if you ask me
@@monkmodemalik8225 they dont earn anywhere near average in thailand, thats why they are happy to go to europe.
Don't forget that so called job agencies in Thailand also extort awesome sums from these Thai workers as a fee for "brokering" this opportunity...
Exactly!!!! Like paying for work visas...!!?? They are free of charge in Sweden. You DON'T have to pay for a work visa.
Yeah that's quite a vital part that should be featured on this channel for sure!
The whole system is for the exploitation of the workers
Few people in business have clean hands.
Thank you for showing me that I have NOTHING to complain about.
That was not about you. It's about poor people being taken advantage of. You sound so self absorbed.
Giving God thanks he is my provider
@@lolaadesina5362 So come back home to Thailand and start a bussines and buy a car. yu call that "advantage "
@@ArneRagnarsson wtf are you smoking dude? These people get exploited "legally" because of capitalism. Only a spoiled brat can argue like you.
Beautiful documents from DW I'm impressed.
Thai are amazing people, organized, cooperating and hard working!
… but dirt poor. Yeah … great.
this simply looks like exploitation to me.
Welcome to capitalism.
@@Niclas-ui1fh but there are nothing in Communism, sadly.
is called mothern slavery,Sweden getting grant from EU,but pay peanuts for cheap labourers from ASIA...
if it wasn't worth it, they wouldn't be doing it. blame corruption in Thailand which keeps them poor and looking abroad to work for more then they could possibly earn at home.
100 %.
DW does it again. These documentaries are always original, informative and transformative. Thank you!
This documentary should be watched twice, next time it will be in the near future. Thank you DW!
Thank you DW for producing such documentaries.
Same as here in New Zealand - we all rely on the absolutely impoverished workers or tourists to do our picking and pay them as little as we can get away with and charge them for everything from 'camp sites' for their cars or vans to sleep in, food, showers, laundry and toilets, etc...you are virtually doing it for a bed and food and enough petrol to get back home or on your next stage of your holiday. It is an experience alright (hard back breaking sun burnt work) but it is not a job for sure! Strange actions from NZ and Sweden who like to think of themselves as socialist eggetarian countries but they are really just importing slave labor and turning blind eye to their own labor laws.
This practice isn't unique to NZ or Europe its standard practice around the world, finding the cheapest labour, but how many consumers in those countries are willing to pay more for the goods they buy, its not like people don't complain about the cost of basic food items from bread and milk to fresh produce its the consumer that drives the engine.
@@rotties-rules Yeah but Sweden and NZ act like they're better than that...
@@MK_ULTRA420 not only them it's our entire developed society , all those jobs people think are below them or are back breaking need to be filled somehow, what once school kids did or people wanting to pick up a little extra cash doing seasonal work doesn't happen now because they don't pay enough to be worth it, hence why cheap over seas labor is very common, but until we stop buying into the Myth of perpetual growth is a good thing it won't change, we can bitch about how the world works but if your eating avocado or banana's in winter or any food out of season you're on the same treadmill playing the game eating food mass produced to fed people on the other side of the world. One point I'd also like to make if you think NZ or Sweden is lording it over everyone else that's your own perception of where your own country is failing not them tooting their own horn.
Interesting Chris. I wonder how high a real salary for the lingonberry pickers would have to be for it to be viable choice for Swedes to take. And how much would the price for my lingonberry jam rice? Would I still buy it? I dont think its lingonberrys in NZ but you could surely do this calculation with "your" product Chris...
PS. They are acting within the law...
@@rotties-rules There it is, there's more of that elitism I was talking about.
Such hardworking people deserve better irrespective of their nationality
Morals are no category of capitalism
@DW Documentary Channel - THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS DOCUMENTARY TO US!! love your work - keep it coming!
Courageous people with strong soul.Thanks for sharing.
I hear that due to Covid there will be fewer pickers arriving here in Sweden this year but the ones that do may hit jackpot. Everyone I've spoken with says that the forests are loaded with berries this year and I even picked some myself (as a lazy Swede).
The weather in Europe was much better this year and we have noticed in the Netherlands that many plants in nature are thriving.
Yep just read about it, only half the people that usually pick and it's a great year for berries so the people that managed to get a ticket here this year for sure hit the jackpot atleast if you compare it the last two years.
True. This is the best year for blue berries I've seen so far in my life here in Sweden.
It was so much I had to pick some, so I just went out into a park in Stockholm, and picked like 3L on a 3x4m spot. It took me like 20min. (Just picking by hand) Insane!
@array s We never had lockdown in Sweden.
@array s Yea Sweden never restricted movement so that isn't a reason for the good berry year. In Finland the berry year has been just as awesome at the berry pickers are ecstatic atm, cloudberries, blueberries and mushrooms plenty this year. Only the red and blackcurrants are doing poorly. But that's nature, one year it's good and the next it might not be.
Plot twist: The village chief made most of his money not from picking berries but by receiving a commission from the Swedish companies for every Thai worker that he convinced to fly over. This becomes a self perpetuating cycle. The village chief made so much more money from labor hire commissions and so he looks successful which then easily convince more of his gullible village folks for recruitment.
Possibly
Thats a spot-on comment (Stephen: former The Nation (Thailand) journalist
That's about what I'd expect. Is it me or are the greedy getting more brazen and widespread? Do you think it's due to more people saying something or just getting busted more often?
This is the same in every single multi-level marketing scam.
As a former Thailand newspaper journalist, one major issue that wasnt brought up in the vid belongs to the controversy on the Thai side. Local govt officials in these poor farming areas have continually been implicated in scams, loan deals etc... connected directly with berry pickers in Sweden. This is major Thailand news
Hey DW...i am a person who loves to watch good documentaries. Yours is really good👍 Good voice, amazing shots, really good sentences. Keep up the good job
Watching this after it was launched 3 years ago! One of the best documentaries i have seen. It’s genuine and respectful. ❤
Thank you for watching and for your positive feedback!😊
@@DWDocumentary it's been three years any updates on the berry pickers ? are there any legislation or policies passed?
“shopping during that time ..?”. look at his face
Shopping at Louis Vuitton, probably...
A F 🤣🤣🤣
when
Are you being racist or not??
13:20
‘They’re not interested in minimum wage’ is that coming from the pickers or from the stingy bosses ? Lol
If there are enough berries, sure, it's true. But if there are not enough berries and too much pickers, it won't be a good idea.
Sweden does not have a minimum wage, but their visas say they should earn atleast a certain amount. So the Thai workers want to make as much as possible
There have been problems with minimum wages and seasonal work...
If the minimum wage is payed based on time, then there have been times where people work half of the time or less (Eastern Europeans...). And when you are expected the pick a certain amount of berries to get the minimum wage and it's a bad berry year, then you as a picker is f-ed as you might be forced to work 12-14 hours to get the weight that you need to pick.
So instead these people are paid strictly on the weight of the berries they picked... good berry years there have been people earning equal to working a year or more in Thailand. I have a Thai friend who has been seasonal worker in Norway, working in a hotel 3-4 months a year, making equal to 3-4 years work back in Thailand. And I know of Thais' going to Norway and Denmark to work on farms, and when working on minimum wages for a year, they have come back home to Thailand with up to 10 times what they would have earned working on a farm in Thailand!
I'm Swedish, sadly we don't have a law that set a minimum wage but "normal" minimum wage in Sweden is around 1800 Euro / Month. So claiming they don't want to be paid atleast that regardless how much they can pick is a strait out lie, we have this issue every year in the news about some arse "abuse" some poor worker from outside Sweden. 2020 it was from EU this time, and this one house them in a building that is condemned too. EU needs to push for the law they working on so these poor ppl get decent pay for the berries we pay and eat. They are are times like these one is ashamed to be a Swedish person.
Patricia M exactly, and with what money?!!! The audacity!
i wonder how much the boss earns from their hard work... In sweden these working conditions and salaries are illegal, but he seems to get away with it...
When there's big money, there's always corruption to support exploitation... And the 'law' turn a blind eye.
I am from southern Ontario and we have issues here with farmers sometimes taking advantage of foreign workers. There are some great farmers who treat their workers well but there are some that abuse them. This pandemic year has cast more light on them and the workers are being heard more. I do believe that many do fund a better life for themselves which can improve their home country.
Bless their hearts. It’s sobering to hear their bright outlook on their situation. They are happy to be paid more than they would be at home. Not once did one complain. I know if my big azz was walking 10km a day in the woods, bent over picking berries for 1200 euro a month, I’d never stop complaining and prob go home after a few days saying it’s not worth it lol. That said I respect their outlook a lot.
I was working at Norway , Straberry farm- humiliate, bad money condition, farmers treat you like rubbish ..
Sad
For the Thai people in this video, It is more than they will earn in Thailand for the same work. The attitude of the Swedish farmers and the work condition are no worse than if they seek employment in Thailand. They are being provided the living space. They are also going through official channel to come to work in Sweden, so there is less exploitation compared to illegal immigrants. Honestly, these people got a better deal than most foreign workers from Asia coming to work in the West.
@ནིགྒ་པེ་ནིས། Oh racism, that is very nice from your side
@@kieditech guess you're polish
Are you polish ?
I must admire such hardworking people.
1:42 That hammock was sweet as hell.
You would think the people they pick berries for would have to charter a plane for them to go back and forth and provide them with free housing so they don't have to start off in debt. Then when they get to Sweden, they are not picking berries cultivated on a farm, they have to scour the countryside for miles around. It doesn't surprise me that they can't find pickers in Sweden.
That's what the big fruit farms do here in Ireland. They charter planes to bring hundreds of Romanians and Bulgarians here every Summer, but the price of the ticket is deducted from their salaries. Irish people won't do this back breaking work for minimum wage of €1537 per month after tax, which is probably what most of the migrant workers get.
@@greenknitter you're talking about EU citizens, it's not the same thing, romanians and bulgarians do not need visas and you can't screw them over because they know the law, but when the workers are non-EU it's a whole different story
It doesn't surprise me either that they don't find pickers in Sweden, but NOT because they can't, but rather because they don't even try. It is very difficult to find any sort of low skill labour job in Sweden and considering the high unemployment among the young and uneducated there should be demand for it. It is absurd to assume no Swedish people wouldn't consider picking berries if it was advertised and if the conditions were decent.
@@TheGlassgubben I'm not sure about that Isak but for the sake of discussion, I'll assume you are correct. I've often wondered why it is that the most menial and dirty jobs that most people won't do are paid the least? If society as a whole does not want to do these jobs but expects others to do it for them (picking up trash, changing bedpans, picking berries, as examples), then shouldn't society be willing to pay people higher wages to do them? When workers are in short supply in a particular occupation, pay goes up to attract more workers to that occupation. Menial jobs that don't require much education or investment on the workers part are not attractive jobs and have little upside. So, if society things it important that these jobs need to be done, then they should face up to the fact that they will have to pay more. Why would someone want to change bedpans for minimum wage for a person who earns 10 times that amount and doesn't want to or can't? What I think we have here is a situation where there are some jobs that pay so little no one is willing to do them.
@@georgepetrin1334, people would obviously only go for low paying and low status jobs if they have no other options, but picking berries is especially infamous in Sweden for being terrible and teenagers without college degrees are probably expected to earn more in a callcenter. My guess is that an entire market has been hijacked by businesses that employs foreign workers who already demand very little, but pay even less and set the prices so low that no competitors can join the market without doing the same. We would still have people picking berries on an industrial scale if these inhumane practices would end, but the he business models would be significantly different and the prices would be slightly higher. I think that the real problem is how to ensure it stops in the first place, since governmental intervention would destroy the Swedish model (were these matters are supposed to be decided between the employers and unions) and the consumers have been aware of this for (a) decade(s?) without changing demands.
Im swedish and i can say that the only reason we can buy frozen blueberries all year around is thanks to these people who pick the berries for grocery stores! and i am grateful for that!
I prefer to pick my own and store them in the freezer for the whole winter, but when you run out sometimes you can go to the store and buy these berries.
The only people that are willing to this labour are the thai people and romanians, because for swedish people this is not alot of money to earn, but for them it is , so i think it is a good chance for them to earn some money!
Wonderful documentary, beautiful people the Thai and lovely country Sweden. Thank you DWD!
She seems like such a lovely lady, so optimistic and smart!🥰
This is such a beautiful documentary! Good luck to these hard working and humble people💖
Same here, I always get inspired by hard working and humble people and they are positive always come with a smile
there's absolutely nothing beautiful as being explored buy rich country as the've got no more option.
Seems like there been taken advantage of by unscrupulous bosses. These poor people have to work more than ten hour days because they are so poorly paid.
Thank you DW.
Great eye opener. After seeing this documentary I feel my life is so comfortable and so well in routine. God bless these people who work like warriors for a better life.
When the worst case you get is 2000euro a month you just can't make a claim it's a bad gig.
Big respect for the hardworking people
"Our boss also wants us to make enough money", if he really does, he will paid you more. And how they survive now in 2020? 😟
Why should he be paid more? Berry picking here in sweden is low cost so no one does it not even the youth.
Of course! Therefore Bazos and pharmaindustry becoming 2020 so rich!
There are different kind of Boss, not all are the same.
She was so sweet, really felt for all of the Thai workers. I felt like she was being euphemistic by saying "our boss also wants us to make enough money" -- maybe the boss was telling them they were too slow? :/ 😢😢
The price on berries is derived by how much you can sell the jam for. Cloudberry jam is already super expensive to buy in the store.
This is one of the best documentary on treatment on foreigner I have seen. This is not the fault of the boss. It's the workers that thinks they can make more with their ability. Nobody wants to make minimum wage leaving their home. This is just a bad season.
36kilos of berries a day. That must be back breaking
it is
Kelvin Ireland this year is a good year for berries. The thai people around here pick 100 kg a day.
@@MultiDatura And 100kg = 180-200 euro/dollars.
roxy denc 100kg = 213 - 251 euro/dollar for blue berry
@@MultiDatura yes but i was talking about the lower price i have seen on some berrys
Fascinating documentary. The workers are so admirable! I pray they had good luck in subsequent years. We take so much for granted.
Fantastic documentary. Well done. Thank you.
Hi @Narkel NaRu! Thank you so much, we're glad you liked the documentary!
My girlfriend is Thai , she is a hard-worker and i feel for this people !!!
@Airbus A380 😂😂
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Thai or Asians in gernal are hard working. i must admitt their Thai spirit is quite good . they are very respectful people even when they are poor.
@@Niklez7 only when they are poor
What makes me sick is that there are hard working people in this world and then there are others who just look for hand outs. Most Asians are super nice and hard working. I don't need to tell you who the opposite is, cuz I'm sure you already know.
Ahh the lie that every merchant says: "My workers are working in conditions that suit their own benefit, I'm the good guy".
Very true
This COULD be true, considering that it's a short term contract, and all of them come in in hopes of high earnings. I can imagine someone telling themselves they can endure 10 hours a day for 2 months, when they don't know what the average berry yield is.
After 2 months of backbreaking work: "at least we earned enough to pay the school fees for our daughter." (24:27).
I pray that daughter excells
The business owner shown in this documentary is obviously a fair and honest guy... the not so honest brokers (and even worse, the corrupt middle men) would never agree to be shown on film. and props to these workers, on the grind for a better life.
How come DW manage to find poignant and riveting contents like this time and again is simply beyond me! I try to not miss any documentaries from DW. Keep it up!
this is called real journalism
Commuting 200km to pick berries to earn a living....Thats realy hard work...Respect to them.
Really nice to see they were reasonably happy with the harvest and the money they earned although it involved alot of hardship sleeping overnight in the tent and probably being mostly wet conditions and cold ♥️🙏
The couples smile is so contagious
20 years traveling back and forth to Sweden yet still borrowing 2200€ for each trip?
the lenders are running a prolonged scam. the swedes are in cahoots with them
@@PHlophe Exactly, It is very difficult for a Thai to obtain a work visa for these places without having an agency involved which charges double what it should cost.
Can’t imagine how COVID 19 has affected these programs. Fascinating watch. And these workers are very inspiring
They got the permits and everything to go
In Finland we imported Indian workers during COVID.
In my area, they had to reduce the amount of thai workers in each like job group, from 250 to 50, to maintain a certain distance, they all have basically 0 contact with swedes only with people they came with. And need to wear a mask at all times not in the forest. Not even go to stores but noone really checks that.
what program ! it is modern slavery!!
Thais are very hardworking & honest fellows.. Happy for them to have that kind of opportunity..
Now i want to visit their village, awesome people and beautiful place
They are so nice, humble and hopeful people! Despite difficult conditions, they're able to smile brightly, it makes me really happy. Their perseverance is an example for everyone. Hope their wages will increase and they'll safely return home.
Idk about all the people are talking here people i will tell you what they're more courageous than most of us.
@@Dimythios only intelligent comments here.✌😊👍💚
True indeed
@@MegaArya26 They are the ones who bring food on our tables, they deserve all our respect and they are happy to be a useful part of humanity. So many kids nowadays think food grows in the supermarket and rely on their parents credit card...as a farm worker I seen a lot of abuse towards the workers, close to slavery. I wish all farm workers to join the United farm workers union and have the proper pay an working conditions...✌😊👍💚🎡🌹
@@ordyhorizonrivieredunord712 this I all neo colonialism, the gap between people have grown so much and continues to grow. While other struggle for such meagre amount working so much, others are just in for exploiting.
That's why we all should always try to help our farmers, indeed they are the sons of soil which toil through hard labour so that we can have a full stomach and they need our support 🙏😊❤️
In Thailand working hard but in come very less.
Good honest hard work is just a part of the whole experience... I love this documentary as it shows the human side of a supply chain
Beautiful documentary, I’m happy and at the same time saddened by the strong determination of the Esarn people
I think we can all agree the terms “dream job” and “picker” cant be a part of the same sentence.
Makes you want to think twice about buying those lingonberries from IKEA
Are they ethically sourced or not? I know that once IKEA is aware of wrong doing they change it. It is very expensive to live in Sweden and the Thai people aren't even getting the benefits from Sweden if they were living here. :(
Should not be buying from IKEA. They destroyed forest in Bulgaria and Romania. They are not ethical
@@cashkitty3472 You don't read much do you? Fox news?
They're only talking about blueberries and cranberries... not lingon.
@@cashkitty3472 Read how they stopped and fixed that problem.
Mad respect for what they do
I pay my respect to these diligent people