Bumpen Srithongchai is used to waiting in long lines these days. It’s how she eats.
A former construction worker, Bumpen lost her job during the second coronavirus shutdown and turned to scavenging for recyclables. With the plunge in tourists and the disappearance of many residents, she has found the picking slim.
To supplement what little she makes from scrap, the Udon Thani native, who lives on Soi Yailao in South Pattaya’s Soi Khopai Community, travels around town, waiting each day at free-food giveaways.
She waited again Sunday with 1,000 others at a handout at Nong Aor Temple organized by Singaporean and Hong Kong businesses and clubs.
Pattaya officials estimate that more than 300,000 residents have left town since the pandemic began, meaning a lot fewer people are littering the streets and filling trash cans with bottles and other recyclables.
That means even whose occupation is now “scavenger” are having a tough time in Pattaya.
