20-8-2023 (BANGKOK) Meet Ms. Pattaramon Thocharoen, affectionately known as “Bow” to her 300,000 TikTok followers. This 27-year-old, with her flawless makeup and camera-ready poses, has become an unexpected sensation on the streets of Bangkok, earning her the title of Thailand’s “most beautiful street sweeper.”
In a profession often associated with grime and grit, Ms. Pattaramon effortlessly challenges stereotypes. Whether she’s perched at the back of a water truck, delicately tending to weeds, or staring down a stray dog, her commitment to glamour never wanes.
“People have criticised me for wearing makeup in my line of work, but why can’t I look pretty while doing hard work? It’s for my own satisfaction,” says the mother of two sons, aged nine and six.
Ms. Pattaramon’s TikTok videos are a delightful blend of lightheartedness and authenticity. They showcase her dancing skills and capture her reactions to the quirky encounters that punctuate her daily street-cleaning routine. From hunting for her misplaced broom to excitedly touching up her makeup upon learning that she’ll be stationed near an army camp for the day, her content resonates with viewers.
Her claim to fame came in the past year through the short video clips she shares on TikTok. One video, in particular, garnered immense attention, where she passionately responds to an older woman who criticized her for dressing up while being “just a street sweeper.”
“So I said, the goal of (my) life is to be beautiful… We have to make ourselves as happy as possible,” Ms. Pattaramon declared in the clip, which has amassed over 3.7 million views.
Proud of her roots, Ms. Pattaramon comes from a family where her mother worked as a street sweeper, and her father drove a garbage truck, both now retired. The stark contrast between her glamorous appearance and her daily tasks has not only grown her following but also boosted her income.
While her job as a street cleaner in Bangkok’s Chom Thong district under the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority earns her about 12,000 baht (S$460) per month, her social media engagements, including brand reviews, product sales, and virtual TikTok Gifts from her followers, bring in an impressive 50,000 baht monthly.
“Now I’m more financially stable. I’m able to spend more on small things like choosing express delivery when shopping online or having nice meals with my family,” says Ms. Pattaramon, who shares her home in Bangkok with 10 family members, including her children and parents.
In a digital era marked by the rise of “working-class” influencers, individuals like Ms. Pattaramon have discovered an avenue to supplement their incomes by offering glimpses of their daily lives on social media.
This emerging group of content creators spans a wide range of professions, including farmers, bus conductors, and electricians navigating Thailand’s labyrinthine network of overhead power lines. They are a far cry from the traditionally wealthy or well-connected individuals typically associated with influencer status.
Several digital marketing agencies, like Platform Group, have recognized the surging trend of “blue-collar” or “ordinary” influencers. The agency currently manages around 500 content creators, comprising housewives, security officers, teachers, and factory workers, spread across Thailand’s urban centers and rural landscapes.
Though official figures on the number of blue-collar influencers are scarce, Platform Group’s CEO, Poiluang Konsongsaen, estimates that their ranks have more than doubled in the past three years.
“Many of them don’t set out to be influencers. Some might be posting mundane content of themselves at work or cooking at home. But it’s the small things like speaking in the local dialect or sharing a similar background that enable their content to resonate with the majority of people,” he explains.
This trend is not unique to Thailand. Globally, increased access to digital devices and the internet, coupled with the social isolation brought about by the pandemic, have fueled a significant surge in social media usage.
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