Veggie vendetta: Foreign workers in hot water for dumpster diversions in Thai market

A group of foreign workers sparked controversy after being accused of selling vegetables picked from dustbins in a local Thai market. The incident prompted calls for the authorities to investigate whether these actions contravene the law.

The issue, widely debated on social media, emerged when a Facebook user exposed the problem by sharing pictures along with a caption that questioned the practices of foreign workers.

“How could these foreign workers pick vegetables from a dustbin and sell them to us?”

Delving deeper into the matter, the Facebook user raised more concerns.

“The issue isn’t necessarily whether we are being deceived, as the vegetables still require washing, right? The crux lies in how these goods are being sold in Thailand—so openly, with the sellers even packaging them into bags for sale.”

The user disclosed that the incident took place in a well-known seaside tourist city.

Mixed response

The post has attracted a myriad of comments from netizens, some of whom sympathise with the workers, understanding their struggle to earn a living. Others questioned the hygiene while some were curious to know how certain the original poster was that these individuals were indeed selling the goods. The poster defended its claim, reported KhaoSod.

“I am a vendor. I go to the market every day and see them selling cooked food and fresh vegetables. They are the same group, the same people. I see them repeatedly. Some of them are wearing bigger gold than my thumb. I wonder why certain officers are indifferent to this issue, even though it is a profession reserved for Thais. I cannot directly identify them. They are in a famous tourist province, a prominent seaside in the Gulf of Thailand.

“In this case, I do not doubt whether the vegetables are clean or not. I just wonder why the officers can ignore this. They were arrested but were released to sell goods again. Nearly 80% are from neighbouring countries.”

According to the Ministry of Labour, there are certain professions that foreigners are prohibited from doing, as per the decree determining occupations and professions prohibited to aliens, B.E. 2522, of which number 35 is vending goods.

The Anti-Fake News Centre Thailand explained that If foreigners wish to run a shop, restaurant, or beverage business in Thailand, they must apply for and obtain permission from the Director-General of the Department of Business Development, with the approval of the Business Operation Committee.

They can then run a shop, restaurant, or drink business. However, if they violate this, they could face imprisonment for up to three years, or fines ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000 baht, or both. In addition, there is a daily fine of 10,000 to 50,000 baht until the violation stops. Amid the controversy, the outcome of this issue remains to be seen.