On May Day last week, hundreds of demonstrators marched from Ratchaprasong intersection to the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre (BACC) to push for improvements to labour rights. People from all walks of life took part in the rally, held by the Workers' Union. Among them were delivery riders with their precarious employment status.
In recent years, the growth of online commerce has increased the demand for delivery riders. According to a survey by the Bangkok-based data centre Rocket Media Lab among 1,136 food delivery riders across the country last year, most delivery riders are male aged between 23-30.
While some possess bachelor degrees, over half graduated from high school, the survey found. It also that some 60% work full-time, of whom 37.13% work over eight hours a day.
