Is Living with Migrants Consequential? An Analysis of Household Wealth in Ethnically Diverse Communities in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Aree Jampaklay, Mahidol University

As the wealthiest country in the Mekong region, Thailand has attracted many migrants from neighboring countries. While many studies have documented the exploitative living conditions of migrants in urban settings, little is known about the general socio-economic status of migrants in rural contexts. Even less is known about the social and economic impacts of these labor movements for the Thai people. This paper Kanchanaburi (KDSS) dataset to explore household wealth (measured by an asset index) in ethnically diverse communities in Kanchanaburi, one of Thailand’s provinces bordering Myanmar. The findings not only show the significant, adverse effects of being a non-Thai ethnic, but also show the significance of birthplace, length of stay, and village context. More importantly, results show that living in a village where the majority of the population is non-Thai dampens the economic status of all households.