A Lao woman using a broom to clean the streets of Vientiane for 500,000 kips per month (US$60). You have to feel for her.

Roads are not thoroughly cleaned using this technique, but it does help remove some of the dirt and litter before water trucks are used to wash the roads.


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so how exactly would this little old lady make $60 last. i mean what do you think she buys with 500 kp, opium? LMAO jk ok is 500 kip enough to feed her self so i mean how much food can she buy with that? for $60 bucks i can buy some egg, bacon, shrimp, chicken, bread, milk, fruit roll ups lol which will probably last me one day or two.

500 kips doesn't have much value these days, it can get you a lolly at best.

The cost of living is cheaper in Laos than in the USA, so $60 US should last her for a while. Maybe some of her family members are also working so they may help each other with the expenses.

i'm curious where the lady would sweep all the dust/dirt to?

Not a bad idea as long as people have a jobs. LPDR how about give the worker a raise $100 a month and hire more people. It'll make Laos look good and clean. People will have jobs.

In the U.S you make money, but you spend more. Cost of living is higher. Payment for a nice house is around $1800 a month + water, phone, electric, gas, cable. So around $2500. If you make $2800 a month. That not much left. You also got car insurance, gas and so on.

USA Joe, She is sweeping everything to the side to make it easier for herself to collect afterwards with her cart (located in the background). She may only keep the rubbish in her cart, while dust and dirt is swept off the road onto a dustpan then disposed on a ground.

Lan Xang, I agree that street cleaners should receive abit more than what they are currently earning. Yes there tends to be more expenses in the United States than in Laos.

I'll clean the street in Laos for $100 a month as a side jobs. If don't has lot of choice. The lady might only make $60 but she probably has no house payment or new car payment, and less bills to pay.  

If the lady make $60 a month. How much does regular offices worker or manufacturing worker get? Here in the US we get pay by hour 40 hrs a week the lowest is $7.25 per hrs. I think for minimum wage. 40 x $7.25= $290 a week.

llX wrote on 4^th Aug, 2010 at 6:51pm:

I'll clean the street in Laos for $100 a month as a side jobs. If don't has lot of choice. The lady might only make $60 but she probably has no house payment or new car payment, and less bills to pay.

Sorry I dont understand your logic. How will you get pay $100/month to clean laos street when they will only willing pay you $60/month.

Lan Xang, It depends on your position and where you work. There are bosses who will pay more or less than elsewhere.

An office worker in Laos wouldn't be too disappointed if they earned between 800,000 ($96 US) to 2 million kips ($240 US) per month. Payments at the end of every month is the standard for most jobs in Laos.

There are less opportunity in Laos compare to America USA Joe. If I was living in Laos. I myself grow up poor. Something is better then nothing. You has to do what you have to do to survive.

$96-$240 I think kind of low but better then nothing. Cost of living is cheaper. Here in US sometime I spend at least $100 a day going out and have fun restaurant and bar. I should save my money now and spend less.

llX wrote on 5^th Aug, 2010 at 12:39am:

There are less opportunity in Laos compare to America USA Joe. If I was living in Laos. I myself grow up poor. Something is better then nothing. You has to do what you have to do to survive.

hold on, you are missing my question, in your original post, which I quoted


Quote:

I'll clean the street in Laos for $100 a month as a side jobs. If don't has lot of choice. The lady might only make $60 but she probably has no house payment or new car payment, and less bills to pay.

you say you would clean streets for $100/month. But it is established that the job pays $60/month. How are you going to force them to pay you $40 more? using your example I don't understand your logic to get a higher pay.

you understand now?

Lan Xang, You spend $100 a day? My goodness.

The salary in Laos may seem low to you given that you live in America, but anyone in Laos who earns $240 a month is considered a high salary earner.

You make more you spend more. I'm cutting down on going out, but it added up when you do food, beer, bowling, casino and so on .

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this is the USA version.. u can tell because although they booth use brooms... the USA girl is fat :D

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That looks like a mop. She's fat, but then again most women in their twilight years will gain some fat.

Probably good to be fat in this field of work since they need to have energy.

I think she has an easy job, those poor young girls work in the salt factory outskirt of Vientien for $50 a month and has to work much faster like a machine.

$50 not enough, but better then nothing. Government should have minimum wage, require company to pay worker no less then $100 a month. Most factory worker in China make about $250, they went on strike and got about 50%-75% raise. That mean more company might come to Laos for cheaper labors. $50 a month is too low. In the US this worker would get help from govenment with cheap housing, food, health care and education.

Lao Lan Xang, If people in Laos feel that they are not making enough money they usually do other things to earn extra, so when they total their income for the month, it may be about $200.

I'm sure in your country, there are casual workers who are doing 2 or 3 jobs. People in Laos are no different, they are smart in finding different ways to boost their income.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 10^th Aug, 2010 at 11:51pm:

Lao Lan Xang, If people in Laos feel that they are not making enough money they usually do other things to earn extra, so when they total their income for the month, it may be about $200. I'm sure in your country, there are casual workers who are doing 2 or 3 jobs. People in Laos are no different, they are smart in finding different ways to boost their income.

I agree. There are rich and poor in e every country. Lao people is a survivor. If you can make it in Laos you can make it anywhere. Lao people in US or in Laos
know how to make money. Most are doing well in the US. You have to do side jobs for extra cash. Some people two jobs here and put in lot of working hrs.