Has Permanent Settlement of Temporary Migrant Workers in Thailand Begun?

Abstract

There are currently one million registered and perhaps as many unregistered low-skilled migrant workers in Thailand. Government policies assume that migrants stay only temporarily, however, and make no provision for accompanying family members. Regulations and administrative hurdles discourage the integration of low-skilled migrant workers in Thai society. In spite of government policies and regulations, there is increasing evidence that a significant proportion of migrant workers stay in the country for an extended period and exhibit some degree of integration, as suggested by migration theories. The paper suggests that Thai government policies should be based on a more realistic understanding of migration to the country.