Once in a while, you find someone who is lost and they change you. This happened to me when, after following an artistic whim, I got off at a hectic bus terminal in Nakhorn Ratchasima, Thailand and asked a motorcycle taxi to help me locate someone who collects trash for a living. I wanted to follow them for a while and get a sense of what their life was like.
I jumped on the back of the motorcycle taxi and we drove through town, trying to spot the familiar site of a person with a cart. We didn’t quite know where we were going and I had absolutely no idea where to direct the driver. Finally, a bit defeated, we stopped in front of a market to make a plan and get some direction. As we were sitting in a huddle discussing where to go, a man stopped by on a motorcycle and cart and, after a brief conversation, invited me to hop on.
I’m still trying to understand the world Chaan introduced me to. He and his family live in a slum along the train tracks that snake through northeast Thailand, with no running water, no address, and no official representation or assistance. Living off the grid, he supports his children and adopted family, seven in total, by collecting recyclables from public trash bins each day. His children attend school for free at the local Buddhist temple and help their dad sort trash when they return home. Even though the slum is near a large city center, the slum and the people in it, are invisible to the broader community.
Despite his hardships, Chaan is still optimistic and dedicated. He told me that he believes that he could find a lump of gold in a trash bin. He dreams of a day where he will own a truck so that he can collect trash from greater distances, or maybe even own a shop. He is wise and insightful and is able to break through the inevitable judgments he faces each day with remarkable resilience. Shot from his side cart, I hope this film reflects what I found in Chaan — I hope it reveals his quiet courage and wisdom.
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