Myanmar Migrants to Thailand and Implications to Myanmar Development

Description: 

"...Given the economic reform in Myanmar, which will flourish within the next five years, the key question related to outbound labour migration to Thailand (and Malaysia and Singapore) will be whether migrant workers, both skilled and less skilled, will remain in destination countries or consider returning home. In the past, average incomes of families were inadequate to meet household consumption expenditures (household income and expenditure survey in 1997). Consequently, people escaped from Myanmar to find higher incomes in Thailand. Now that economic development is in progress and labour demands for economic, social and political development in Myanmar are obvious, migrant workers? decision to return will depend on two major conditions: political stability and democratic freedom on one hand and economic opportunities on the other hand. The political condition is important because some professionals determined to stay and work in Thailand due to a lack of democratic reform in the past. Less-skilled workers were also affected by the authoritarian regime in the form of corruption, forced labour, forced relocation and armed conflict. Both groups will have a serious consideration to return when they are assured of political stability. Myanmar people are highly attached to their homeland and always want to go back..."

Creator/author: 

Supang Chantavanich

Source/publisher: 

IDE-JETRO Policy Review on Myanmar Economy No.7

Date of Publication: 

2012-10-00

Date of entry: 

2012-12-01

Grouping: 

  • Individual Documents

Category: 

Language: 

English

Format: 

Size: