Sole Man
Sole Man
September 11th, 2007
On chaotic Silom Road, you can find almost everything, from taco stands to ping pong shows. No less significant is the presence of Worawut Uadnork. Rain or shine, the 38-year-old has been fixing shoes for people on Soi Saladaeng for nearly a decade.
What did you do before this?
I worked in a hotel as a sous chef. It wasn’t enough to support my family, though. So I decided to quit and become a shoe repairman. Now, I’m satisfi ed with what I’m doing because I’m my own boss, even though the money isn’t that much better.
Where did you learn your skills?
The hotel where I worked had a shoe repair stall in the front, so whenever I had free time, I went there to learn from the shoe repairman. Fixing shoes does take some skill: you just can’t patch them without knowing how.
What if the shoes are in really bad shape?
I just tell them to buy a new pair because they’re not worth fi xing. Like if you bought them for B100 but it will cost B120 to fi x. This is one of the reasons I need to let customers know the price in advance.
Do people ever forget to pick up their shoes?
I collect half of the money up front so I won’t be wasting my time if they don’t pick them up. If the owner doesn’t come to get them within one or two months, I’ll throw them out or give them away. I don’t have enough space
to keep all the shoes.
How long is your lunch break?
I don’t have time to eat. I only get to eat one meal a day—dinner—after I get home. And if I have to use the toilet, I only leave for five minutes.
Do you ever have to deal with angry customers?
I’ve experienced both good and bad ones. People are all different, so this is normal. But if I happen to be in a bad mood and the customer is too demanding, I’ll tell them to fix it themselves or have someone else fix it for them.
Do you charge Thais and farang differently?
Yes, I charge farang double what I charge Thais. But farang these days know to ask for the price in advance and
then they bargain. But some are also generous; they’ll give me B100 when it only costs B20.
.jpg "Escape Routes: Nov14, 2008")
