Like other early birds, Dao Dul, 35, goes on duty at first light. For her, time is literally money. Her office is not a well-built weather-proof skyscraper. It is a makeshift cart that provides affordable dishes to hundreds of community residents from dawn to dusk.
It is not a long day, but the scorching summer is making her life unbearable. A couple of weeks ago, the city's mercury peaked at 40°C.
"It is too hot to work. Even in the shade, I couldn't breathe. I get itchy when exposed to strong sunlight," she said. "Despite the hot weather, I can't take a day off because I have bills. My son is getting sick but still going to school."
Her husband, a janitor, toils outdoors. When the couple finishes work, they have little respite in their fanned room on the 2nd floor of a shophouse. There is no balcony. A window overlooks a neighbouring block, traffic jams and air pollution. "Sometimes, it is like an oven," she said.
The family moved in three years ago at an affordable price of 2,500 baht a month, including water and electricity. She thought of moving to an air-conditioned room, but the rent would increase to 4,000 baht a month, which is too high for them.
"I already put it out of my mind," she said. "But a landlord kindly lets me in her air-conditioned workplace on the ground floor to have a brief respite from the summer heat."
In the afternoon, Manit Nuchnongnoi, 72, grabbed his familiar spot in an empty park.
The sun eased off, though its lingering heat continued to radiate from the pavement. No breeze at all. He set up an umbrella, rolled out a mat and opened his bag full of paraphernalia.
"It is better here," he said. "At least, there are trees."
He has practised fortune-telling since his early years in the monkhood. Most of his customers are office workers and students. He starts work at noon, but in the summer, he starts at 3pm and reduces his working hours to escape the heat.
"I have lost some income, but provide service via mobile phone to make up," he said.
While older people are more at risk of heat stroke, he said staying inside also puts undue pressure on his wallet. At home, he lives with five children and would have to limit air-conditioning usage to keep electricity bills in check amid inflation.
"A bucket of ice is my only friend in need," he said.
You may think selling flowers is a refreshing job. Not so.
Aoi Kerdkaew, 64, has been a vendor for 30 years, experiencing economic boom and bust, though the downturn seems longer under the military regime. Seven days a week, she gets up early to prepare garlands and sets off for work in the late morning.
"It is hotter than in previous years. Politics is heating up," she laughed. "I can't take a break because of bills and debt."
At home, she turns to fans, but outside, she covers herself in cooling powder, carries a portable fan and seeks relief in the cool air of a shopping mall. The idea of renting a proper space, however, never comes to mind.
"We are very poor," she said. "What can we hope for?"
Workers from low-income backgrounds are struggling to find relief from the heat amid price hikes for basic essentials. While only 30% of households have air conditioners, the hot days are becoming more intense and often deadly. The Thai Meteorological Department reported the temperature in Tak province hit an all-time record of 44.6°C on April 15.
Anond Snidvongs, a climate expert and oceanographer, said factors -- cold, dry air mass and low-pressure trough -- play a major role in determining the level of heat. When this trough stays longer, it will lead to heat accumulation.
"Because of local factors, meteorologists have detected many hotspots this year. Global warming doesn't raise the temperature to 45°C, but affects the movement of air mass and humidity and therefore exacerbates heat accumulation," he said.
As cities are urbanised, they replace natural landscapes with infrastructure that traps heat. He said that the "combination effects are exceeding adaptive capacity". People are coping with heat in their own ways, for example, by using air conditioners and reflective materials.
"But in turn, they release heat into the environment and worsen the urban heat island effect. Those who work outdoors are bearing the brunt of it. If the situation persists, people will dump heat on each other and come into conflict."
What is worse is some are affected by the impact of heat more than other social classes. From 2015-2021, heat stroke -- a medical emergency that occurs when the body's temperature exceeds 40°C -- claimed 234 lives (33 per year) during the summer, according to the Department of Disease Control.
This year, at least 10 people have reportedly died of heat stroke. Two were construction workers in Nonthaburi and a police officer in Samut Prakan. A security guard also in Nonthaburi passed out in his stuffy booth. Meanwhile, a homeless man was found dead in the extreme heat of Yasothon.
"Outdoor workers are facing a higher risk of heat stroke," said Dr Thanat Tangpaisarn, lecturer at Khon Kaen University's Faculty of Medicine. "From my experience, security guards are vulnerable because they work in a stuffy environment."
Prolonged exposure to high temperatures increases the likelihood of the condition. Poorly ventilated environments also prevent the body from evaporating sweat and removing heat. Children and old people, as well as those who take certain medication, are also at risk.
In late March, Caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed concern over the summer heat. Officials issued health and weather advisories every day. Unlike other countries, however, there is no law that prevents outdoor activity when temperatures exceed a certain level.
"It comes down to their personal health. Currently, there is no regulation on this matter," said Kanjana Poolkaew, deputy director-general of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare. "But employers are strongly encouraged to provide necessary support and monitor their health."
What about the workforce who have no employer?
"The government should address heat in terms of occupational health, safety and environment," said Poonsap Suanmuang Tulaphan, director of the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion. "Some live hand to mouth and have no choice but to toil outdoors every day, regardless of the weather."
