Includes statistical tables, graphs and chronologies.

The migrant workforce in Thailand, the majority of whom are from Myanmar, is an integral part of the economy. The changing economic and political landscapes in both Myanmar and Thailand demand an assessment of the impact these changes will have on the migration patterns of Myanmar nationals. Over the last two decades, the ineffective and ambiguous registration programmes have produced gaps between policy goals and outcomes. Under the current military regime, Thailand's policy towards migration remains unclear and as a result creates fear and uncertainty among foreign migrants. Myanmar also lacks a comprehensive and holistic migration policy. The new civilian government has begun to work with the Thai government through the process of regularization. Nonetheless, the policy reflects a short-term approach rather than a broader more long-term migrant worker policy. The recent developments in Myanmar raises concerns about the availability of the supply of migrants from Myanmar and the impact these transformations may have on Thailand's economy. The return of a large number of Myanmar migrants could result in labour shortage in Thailand, an increase in the cost of migrant labour, and an eventual increase in the cost of production. A large wave of returnees could make it difficult for Myanmar to provide enough jobs to accommodate them. Further, foreign remittance payments from Myanmar workers are a large source of revenue for the Myanmar government and the return of a large number of Myanmar migrants would result in significant financial losses for the government.

This work gathers stories of the lives of Burmese migrants in Thailand, who fled their native country to escape the repressive military regime. The author offers a harrowing picture of a powerless group caught between two evils, merely seeking to eke out a living under adverse conditions. Since the repressive military regime (SLORC - now SPDC) seized power in Burma in 1962, the Burmese people have suffered untold repression and increasingly intolerable living conditions. For many, the flight to Thailand has become a saviour, not just to earn money on which to live,

Millions of Burmese women migrate into Thailand each year to form the basis of the Thai agricultural and manufacturing workforce. Un-documented and unregulated, this army of migrant workers constitutes the ultimate 'disposable' labour force, enduring gruelling working conditions and much aggression from the Thai police and immigration authorities. This insightful book ventures into a part of the global economy rarely witnessed by Western observers. Based on unique empirical research, it provides the reader with a gendered account of the role of women migrant workers in Thailand's factories and interrogates the ways in which they manage their families and their futures.

How Immigrants Contribute to Thailand’s Economy is the result of a project carried out by the OECD Development Centre and the International Labour Organization, with support from the European Union.