The Or Tor Kor Shuttle Boat - เรือข้ามฝาก ตลาด อ.ต.ก.

The tiny boat has been crossing the canal seven days a week for the last 40 years, ferrying workers from the famous upscale fresh food market Or Tor Kor to a small residential area populated by Thais and a Burmese community. The boat has been a family business for generations, and Pi Aoy started rowing when she was 20, alongside her parents and a few relatives. Normally, she would handle the morning shift from 5 am, while her mom and dad shared the afternoon rowing.

The job took a toll on her knees, and it wasn't paying her enough to cover medical expenses for her now-sick mom. Consequently, she now works in a local childcare center after spending 15 years on the boat. To keep the business going, a young Burmese guy has started working for her. He's now the sole rower, earning around 9-10k per month, while Aoy manages the practical aspects.

For years, a wooden boat was used, but it gradually started taking in water and ended up at the bottom of the canal. Aoy loved the charming old vessel but ended up buying a new blue plastic boat since wooden boats are now mainly made in Ayutthaya and cost around 50k.

It has been challenging for the family to keep the service running. The relationship with the neighboring market hasn’t always been smooth sailing. However, a more significant problem has emerged: the local landlord has sold the residential area along the canal, and everyone has to move out within three years. A short distance, yet a journey that mirrors various aspects of modern Thai society.