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Thai Rubber Farmers in Crisis

10 images Created 2 Sep 2014

Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). Rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.

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  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - CHUM SAENG, RAYONG, THAILAND: LEK, a laborer on a rubber plantation in Rayong province of Thailand, "taps" a rubber tree to collect rubber. Trees are tapped during the night. Lek and his wife used to work together on the farm but she was laid off when prices plunged and now works in a food stall in town. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis001.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - CHUM SAENG, RAYONG, THAILAND: LEK, a laborer on a rubber plantation in Rayong province of Thailand, "taps" a rubber tree to collect rubber. Trees are tapped during the night. Lek and his wife used to work together on the farm but she was laid off when prices plunged and now works in a food stall in town. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis004.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - CHUM SAENG, RAYONG, THAILAND:  A tapped rubber tree on a plantation in Rayong, Thailand. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.   PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis007.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND: SUNG, a laborer on a rubber plantation in Chonburi province of Thailand, waits to sell rubber from his farm at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand. Sung said that his income has been cut by more than half because of the crisis in the rubber industry and that he hasn't been able to find a supplemental job. He said he buys less food for his family. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis015.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND: Workers at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, unload rubber sheets from a farmer's pickup truck. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis041.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND:  A worker at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, unloads rubber sheets from a farmer's pickup truck. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.   PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis014.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND: A worker at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, wipes his brow while he stacks rubber sheets purchased from area farmers before the sheets were washed. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis021.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND:  A worker at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, washes rubber sheets purchased from area rubber farmers. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.   PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis024.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND: A worker at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, hangs rubber sheets before putting them in a large smoker to dry after the sheets were washed. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis029.jpg
  • 02 SEPTEMBER 2014 - BO THONG, CHONBURI, THAILAND: A worker at Bothong Rubber Fund Cooperative in Bo Thong, Chonburi, Thailand, pulls rubber sheets off hangers after they were dried in a large smoker. Thailand is the leading rubber exporter in the world. In the last two years, the price paid to rubber farmers has plunged from approximately 190 Baht per kilo (about $6.10 US) to 52 Baht per kilo (about $1.60 US). It costs about 65 Baht per kilo to produce rubber ($2.05 US). A rubber farmer in southern Thailand committed suicide over the weekend, allegedly because the low prices meant he couldn't provide for his family. Other rubber farmers have taken jobs in the construction trade or in Bangkok to provide for their families during the slump.    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
    ThaiRubberCrisis037.jpg
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Jack Kurtz, Photojournalist & Travel Photographer

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