While working as a Bangkok Metropolitan Administration waste collector, Nampu Toka often gets injured by sharp sticks, fish bones, needles, broken glass, tiles and other hazardous trash. He also encounters the unpleasant task of handling discarded items that should have been properly bagged or wrapped up in paper such as diapers and waste from patients.
When speaking about his injuries, Nampu, who is now a trash truck driver in Klong Toey district, showed a scar on his finger to a Life reporter. He explained that it resulted from a cut caused by a broken tile while he was separating trash.
“Waste collectors wear rubber gloves and cover them again with fabric gloves,” Nampu explained. “These gloves help to reduce serious injuries. My shift for collecting trash from houses is 7pm to 5am, so my team races against time. Even though we try to be careful, we still get…
