Economic mobility of migrants in Kanchanaburi DSS, Thailand

Aree Jampaklay, Mahidol University
Kim Korinek, University of Utah
Shin Rachasee, Mahidol University

This paper aims to understand the extent of changes or continuity in economic status of migrants in Thailand, an emerging immigration context. The analyses use longitudinal data of Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance System (KDSS) collected annually since 2000 to 2004. Preliminary analyses indicate the foreign-born migrants are in worst economic status compared to the Thai-born and the Thais. Multinomial logistic regression suggest that, controlling for some other household characteristics, households of migrants (both foreign-born and Thai-born) are more likely to stay poor rather than stay moderate or stay rich or change, compared to households of Thais. Among migrants, households of foreign-born are more likely to stay poor rather than to continue moderate or rich statuses or change, no matter for better or worse. The foreign-born migrants, therefore, start off worst, and, over time, their economic status improves relatively very little.