Reports
Discussion Papers
No.257 Myanmar Migrant Laborers in Ranong, Thailand
by FUJITA Koichi, ENDO Tamaki, OKAMOTO Ikuko, NAKANISHI Yoshihiro , YAMADA Miwa
September 2010
ABSTRACT
Thailand is the major destination for migrants in mainland Southeast Asia, and Myanmar (Burmese) migrants account for the dominant share. This paper sheds light on the actual working conditions and the life of Myanmar migrants in Thailand, based on our intensive survey in Ranong in southern Thailand in 2009. We found a wide range of serious problems that Myanmar migrants face in everyday life: very harsh working conditions, low income, heavy indebtedness, risk of being human-trafficking victims, harassment by the police and military (especially of sex workers), high risk of illness including malaria and HIV/AIDS and limited access to affordable medical facilities, and a poor educational environment for their children.
Keywords: Migration, Household, Myanmar, Thailand
JEL classification: E26, E22, J61, R23
Please note that discussion papers are works in various stages of progress and most have not been edited and proofread and may contain errors of fact or judgment. Revised versions of these papers may subsequently appear in more formal publication series. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s). The IDE does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included and accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from its use.