BANGKOK (BIV) — A massive new mural dedicated to recognizing the vital contributions of millions of Myanmar and Cambodian migrant workers is set to officially open this Saturday in one of Bangkok’s most affluent neighborhoods, aiming to bring visibility to a community that often remains hidden in Thai society.
The 10-meter-high by 12-meter-wide artwork is tucked into an alleyway between Thonglor Soi 9 and 11. Despite more than two million Myanmar migrants and at least 500,000 Cambodian migrants living in Thailand, their presence is frequently overlooked due to shared regional features and a lack of public acknowledgment of their role in driving the host nation’s economy.
“When talking about Myanmar migrant workers, Thailand is the definitive choice. I want Thais and migrants to feel closer. Many people will walk past this wall and see it,” Chaw Ei, the Paris-based Myanmar lead artist behind the project, told reporters on Tuesday evening as the painting reached 99% completion.
Public Art Over Profit
The mural features 13 migrant workers (12 from Myanmar and one from Cambodia), two children, and a dog. Every character is based on real-world individuals interviewed by the artistic team, capturing their authentic struggles and aspirations.
Chaw Ei, who has previously painted large-scale murals in European cities like Zurich, Toulouse, and Marseille, as well as in India, faced significant hurdles in securing a location. Many property owners initially demanded hefty commercial fees for their walls.
“I had to explain that this is not a commercial painting; it’s public art,” Chaw Ei recalled, admitting she nearly gave up out of frustration. The breakthrough came when she secured the exterior wall of Thonglor House, a music bar and restaurant owned by a local proprietor known as ‘Khun Jeab,’ who has pledged to preserve the artwork for the next two years.
The project was spearheaded by the Bangkok-based regional organization SEA Junction. It received financial backing from the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Ship to Shore Rights program—funded by the European Union (EU)—alongside Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and other civil society partners.
Artistic Voices from Exile
Collaborating on the piece were two Bangkok-based Myanmar artists, Sai Chit Min and Khant Win (YG). For 28-year-old Sai Chit Min, the project holds deep personal resonance. He fled to Thailand three years ago to escape the political instability gripping Myanmar.
Once an art teacher at an international school in Yangon, Sai Chit Min now survives in Bangkok by selling watercolors and teaching art to expatriates. He described the physical toll and danger of executing the piece on a shaking scaffold 10 meters above the ground.
“The higher you go, the more it shakes,” Sai Chit Min said. Yet, he emphasized that despite the harsh working environments faced by migrants, many still view Thailand as a sanctuary. “It’s still better than back home in Myanmar.”
“Together We Build”
The collective effort took over 10 days to complete, involving the three primary artists and approximately 40 volunteers who took turns painting. Passersby frequently stopped to ask about the mural’s meaning, to which Sai Chit Min would proudly share the project’s title: “Together We Build.”
Rosalia Scortino, the founder and executive director of SEA Junction, highlighted the grim realities embedded within the vibrant colors of the mural. Pointing to a figure of a woman in a purple outfit holding a prawn, Scortino explained that the character represents a real worker in Mahachai (Samut Sakhon province), a major seafood processing hub south of Bangkok. Following recent factory downsizings, that worker now bears the workload of two people alone.
Despite the heavy subject matter, Chaw Ei noted that the team intentionally avoided making the mural depressing, opting instead to project dignity, hope, and positive energy.
“They have so many difficulties, and they just want people to put themselves in their shoes,” Chaw Ei said. “They didn’t come here to do harm, and they don’t want to be looked down upon. Elevating their dignity and hope right in the heart of upscale Bangkok is truly refreshing.”
