It is always an anxious wait. Many Moken men lose their lives at sea from diving. That explains why so many of the island inhabitants are widows, children and the elderly. The Mokens earn their living by catching and spearing fish and other species of marine animals. Some are experts in deep sea diving to collect molluscs.
Some women work as housekeepers.
Their job is to keep the resorts and the whole small island clean. Able-bodied men work as dive guides for tourists. Some also give fish-spearing shows for tourists. The women and children help out by digging for shells on the beach at low tide. The molluscs provide not only the juicy flesh but also the beautiful shells that are dried, boiled, cleaned and eventually sold to tourists on the islands.