Ordinarily, a healthy person can walk 4-5 km/hr. What takes just 30 minutes by motorbike becomes a 4-hour journey on foot. In this area, a round-trip motorbike hire costs 100 THB (U$3) for a 30-minute motorbike ride, too expensive for Daw Mu, a migrant agricultural day labourer on the Thai-Myanmar border.
“We wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning, cook, eat, and then start walking,” she shared. “We must arrive at the clinic by 8:30-9am. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, a passing truck lets us ride along, if it’s not too crowded.”
For many migrant families in the region, Thailand’s M-Fund health insurance scheme is a lifeline, helping cover medical costs, especially for pregnant women who may need costly referrals to Thai hospitals.
Daw Mu, however, cannot afford even the M-Fund’s low monthly cost of 130 THB (U$4) per person (base plan).
“I haven’t been able to join the M-Fund yet,” she says. “Every day is a struggle just to eat. My husband earns 200 THB (U$6) on days when he finds work, but it’s not steady. Prices are high, I can’t afford nutritious food or the occasional treat for my child. I really admire those who can afford the M-Fund.”
For over six years, Daw Mu has worked as a daily wage agricultural labourer in Thailand. She hopes to give birth at the SMRU Mawkerthai clinic, which offers free care to upwards of 1,500 patients per month. As her due date approaches, though, she worries about the difficulties of traveling and the uncertainty of having support during delivery.
Despite these hardships, Daw Mu continues her journey with resilience, hoping for a safe delivery and wishing for the support that could ease her burdens during this critical time. Her story reflects the challenges faced by many families along the Thai-Myanmar border and the importance of accessible healthcare for vulnerable communities.
- Text by Saw Law Doo. Photo: SMRU/BHF.