Been a long time since I was stationed in Thailand, but it was amazing to see coolie labor building a runway at Don Muang near Bangkok. Each morning about 150 folks showed up with picks, shovels, and wicker baskets. They dug the trenches, hand layed rock about 4 ft thick as level as a pool table, and then equipment came in to pour the the cement. Not fast, but it was most certainly very fine work.
Bamboo scaffolding well up into the heavens was amazing to see too.
