The Alternative and Survival of Food Workers in Food Security Amid Covid–19

Abstract

This article focuses on the food system workers in Bangkok who are working at the frontline during the amid COVID-19 crisis. These workers are working all the time even though the city is locked down. They have higher risk than the other groups because they need to work to support food security for everyone in the city. This study employs quantitative research by collecting the data from 439 food workers who are distributor and Retail service, Wholesalers and transporter.

The study found that most food workers are low-income person, not highly educated, and work as informal workers. These workers lack the opportunity to access the labor rights and have less alternatives than the other. Amid COVID-19 crisis, they need to choose their life between risk of infectious disease or starvation. They lack of COVID-19 protection devices, are not respected as important people, and lack care in terms of human security. These food workers work very hard for food security of the people during the city lockdown, but they are overlooked. This article suggests that amid Covid-19 crisis, the state needs to have measures to protect everyone including
all forms of workers to achieve true human security.