Tet for the livelihood of Nghe people in Thailand

Mr. Tran Van Nam, from Nghi Thiet commune, Nghi Loc, has been doing small business in Pathum Thani, Thailand for 4 years now. Previously, in his hometown, his job was related to seafaring, but because he did not have the conditions to build "big boats, big engines", he only exploited near the shore.

Life was difficult, so he found his way to Thailand to make a living. Every day, on the streets of Pathum Thani, many people were familiar with the image of a dark-skinned man selling grilled food on the sidewalk.

Mr. Tran Van Nam, from Nghi Thiet commune, Nghi Loc, sells grilled food in Pathum Thani, a suburb of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Hung Tran

The work is hard but the income is not much, so in a foreign country, he has to spend frugally to save money to send back home to his family. In his hometown, he has elderly parents and a child in second grade. "My wife in the countryside runs a small business and takes care of her parents and children, so the economy is tight" - Nam shared. "We have to try hard. The whole family's economy mainly depends on this street stall."

Tet comes, Spring comes, like many other Vietnamese people far from home, his heart is also excited to return home to his family. But then thinking again, because the road is far, the cost is expensive, this is also a favorable time for business, so for another Tet, the man from the coastal Nghi Thiet has to put aside his nostalgia to continue with the cycle of making a living in a foreign land.

“Tet is the time when I miss my home and hometown the most, but it has been 4 years since I have celebrated Tet with my family. Every year, on the afternoon of the 30th of Tet, I call home to ask about my parents' health and encourage my wife and children,” said Mr. Nam.

Putting aside his longing for his family and hometown to make a living during Tet is also the story of Le Huu Thanh, from Dien Ky commune, Dien Chau district. Due to difficult economic circumstances, Thanh had to go to Bangkok to work in a store. In the countryside, his wife worked hard to support her father-in-law and take care of their two children.

“It’s hard all year round, and I want to go home during Tet, but there’s a lot of work this time, and my boss doesn’t give me time off,” Thanh said. “My father is sick all the time, and my two children are still in school, so we have to work hard to support the family. If I go home, I’ll lose my job, and my family’s life will be even more difficult.”

Mr. Luong Van Hoang, from Cam Xuyen, Ha Tinh, works as a parking attendant in Bangkok. Photo: Hung Tran

The only joy during Tet holidays for Mr. Thanh as well as many Vietnamese compatriots in Thailand are phone calls to encourage and visit their families. All worries of life are temporarily put aside to fill with longing. Vietnamese people far from home also organize small meals together to have a little taste of the traditional Tet.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, from Thach Ha, Ha Tinh, is working as a housekeeper in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. This year is also the third Tet away from her family. In her hometown, she works in agriculture and her family is in difficult circumstances, so when someone introduced her, she had to suppress her feelings, leave her child with her parents and go to Thailand to work, hoping for a better life for the whole family.

Every year, on New Year's Eve, she only calls home to wish her children, parents and relatives a happy new year and ask about their health, then continues her work. "I really miss the Tet atmosphere," she shared. "I just hope to save up some money so that I can soon have the conditions to return home to be with my children and parents."

The Vietnamese people have been present in Thailand since very early times through trading, fleeing war, joining the revolution... Currently, there are more than 100,000 Vietnamese people living in all provinces and cities of Thailand. These people are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation, and have been granted legal documents and procedures by the Thai Government. The Vietnamese community in Thailand has made many contributions to the cause of national liberation as well as in the process of building the homeland today.

In the provinces where Vietnamese people live, the people have established the Thai-Vietnamese Friendship Association, under the Thai-Vietnamese Friendship Association. Vietnam has also established an Embassy in Bangkok and a Consulate in Khonken province. On Tet holidays, the Embassy, ​​Consulate and the Thai-Vietnamese Friendship Association organize for the people to celebrate Tet and welcome Spring according to the traditional customs of the Vietnamese people.

Not only Mr. Nam, Mr. Thanh, Ms. Tam, but currently, thousands of workers from Nghe An and Ha Tinh in Thailand are also busy making a living even though Tet has come back home. Workers from Nghe An and Ha Tinh are currently present in many provinces and cities in Thailand, the most populous being the Bangkok capital and the Northeastern provinces. These are areas where tens of thousands of Thais of Vietnamese origin have been living stably for a long time. These Thais of Vietnamese origin have been granted papers and Thai nationality but still have close ties with their homeland Vietnam. Workers from Nghe An and Ha Tinh who go to Thailand are helped by the Vietnamese community here, creating conditions to work in garment factories, sausage factories, and restaurants owned by Vietnamese people.

After learning the language and familiarizing themselves with the area, many Vietnamese people boldly go to the market to trade and make a living. Although they earn more than working in the fields in their home country, Vietnamese workers in Thailand are facing many difficulties because they have to periodically go to the border gate to complete immigration procedures.

Tet is approaching, but Vietnamese people in Thailand are still busy, rushing to make a living, with only one wish: their family's life will be less difficult, and more prosperous. Perhaps that is why many Vietnamese workers in Thailand have told themselves to suppress their longing for their family and homeland for work.

Hung Tran