Life and Community of Cambodian Migrant Workers in Thai Society

Abstract

Thailand is experiencing an increased demand for lower-skilled foreign labor in a range of industries and sectors of the expanding economy. A shortage of Thai workers willing to perform unskilled labor began to emerge in 1993, and foreign migrants were recruited to fill this gap. While the Thai economy has benefited from migrant labor, at the inter-personal level, low-skilled migrants are still marginalized by mainstream Thais, and there has been little cross-cultural integration. This qualitative study investigates the life and community of migrant workers from Cambodia working in Thailand. It documents the various socio-cultural and historical attributes that migrant workers bring with them, and the prospects for greater integration within Thai society. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 20 key informants, comprised of 8 migrant workers and 12 non-migrant workers. This study found that the key motivating force for migration was a long-lasting period of unemployment in Cambodia. Migrant workers attach importance to kinship, networks and community ties, but violence in their recent past greatly affects their interactions and ability to integrate with Thai society. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that employers of Cambodian migrant workers treat them fairly and make a greater effort to understand the context of their lives and culture, and how that carries over to the workplace.