This reminds me of Mexico. There's a lot of kids selling stuff like these photos, but this is not so bad --- it can be much worse.
Let explain. In Mexico, the poverty is not as severe as these (with few exceptions). In Thailand, it is worse because kids are not selling "stuff" but their bodies.
People who have never been in these situation always assume "education" will "fix everything". They couldn't be more WRONG. Reality is life is tough. If these kids didn't sell this stuff, their parents (or handlers) would have nothing to eat, they would get stressed out and BEAT their kids!!! Also, do you really think going to daycare (that's really what Kindergarten to grade 9 is) while
worrying your arse off about food, rent, timber, clothing, etc....
I know of this one girl who HAD an "english" education ---> she like millions of others was promised this education would provide for her future. Do you know what use this english education was??? It turned out to be a
CURSE for her, as she became a prostitute for Foreign English speaking men. It's not just her, but millions like her. That's what having English education provides.
And to be honest, what do we really learn in School??? In America, not much. K-9 is really just grown-up daycare. Intelligent and diligent people are self-learners. Truth is most elementary and jr high teachers have only
basic rudimentary knowledge. I can teach you K-12 in 2 years easily!
That is not to say K-9 is valuable, it is in that you interact with other kids. But real-life lessons are much more valuable, and most learning is done in self-learning (like here at
) augmented by University and High-school.
So while it is sad to see these kids, keep in mind either this or 1) starvation, 2) physical abuse, 3) child labour or 4) sexual slavery.