Harsh life at sea
Brief Description
This series focuses on migrant workers in the Thai seafood and fishing industry. As the photographer, Mahmud Rahman, writes: “I have spent hours during the day in a fishing pier. A vessel arrives, the workers on board unloads the fish, sort the fish, clean the boat, load fresh supply of food, mend nets and the loudspeaker from the captain’s deck urges to leave for fresh catch. It is maximum productivity using undocumented laborers. I haven’t seen any worker leaving the pier for a stroll. It is a $7 billion a year industry and an average pay is below 10$/day with non-stop work.” Photographs were taken in various port locations in Thailand between 2012 and 2014.
Photographer
Mahmud Rahman lives between Dhaka and Bangkok and works as documentary photographer on social issues. His major work includes: Bangladeshi women, children in difficult circumstances, trafficking of women and children in Bangladesh, river gipsy, indigenous people. Mahmud published several books (only available in Dhaka) as the end product of his self-assigned projects.
As a visual advocacy campaigner in Bangladesh, he uses his work to raise awareness through photo exhibitions and participatory workshops with selected groups in rural and urban areas, especially targeting the youths. His blog can be found at: mahmudmaphoto.blogspot.com.
A splash into the sea before leaving
to set nets at deep sea.
Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand (2012)
Entangling the squids.
Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand (2012)
Preparing the nets.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Migrant worker on a boat.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Finding some rest.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Migrant worker on a boat.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Filling the bowel of a mechanized
boat with ice for the 3 week-run.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Child worker filling the bowel
of a mechanized boat with ice.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Filling the bowel of a mechanized
boat with ice for the 3 week-run.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Migrant worker with the catch.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Filling the bucket with half-rotten fish
to be hoisted for the fish paste factory.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Migrant worker on a boat.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Sleeping bunker is also a storage
place inside the mechanized boat.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Sleeping bunker is also a storage
place inside the mechanized boat
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Anchoring of a boat
at Pattani Port, Thailand (2013)
Anchoring of a boat
at Pattani Port, Thailand (2013)
Untangling the net before setting
the engine for a fishing trip.
Pattani, Thailand (2013)
Sorting the catch.
Samut Sakhon. Thailand (2014)
Migrant worker on the boat.
Samut Sakhon. Thailand (2014)
Early morning at the Samut
Sakhon Port, Thailand (2014)
Early morning at the Samut
Sakhon Port, Thailand (2014)