The Gender Roles in Remittances-Sending Behavior and Utilization: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study among Migrant Workers from Cambodia, Lao Pdr and Myanmar Living in Thailand, and Among Remittances Receivers in The Migrants’ Country of Origin

Although there is a wide range of empirical studies related to gender and migration, research on the intersection of migration, remittances and gender remains nascent within migration flow from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar to Thailand. Moreover, existing studies have been mostly conducted only one side at the place of destination or the place of origin. This limits our understanding of remittances behavior and utilization, which involves earning money in the destination, expenditure at the destination, and sending money to the origin. To enhance our understanding of gender and remittances within this migration flow, this study examines the relationship between patterns of remittances sending among migrant workers in Thailand and remittances utilization at the place of origin via the gender lens. Quantitative method was employed to analyze secondary data to see relationship between gender and pattern of remittances which included spending pattern of migrant worker. Qualitative method was employed to gathering primary data in Thailand and in the selected village of countries of origin to explore deeper the intersection among gender roles, remittances behavior, and remittances utilization. The findings from secondary data reported that female migrant worker had lower proportion to spend high level of monthly expenditure than their male counterparts. Moreover, female had higher tendency to remit more frequent and bigger volume to the family at origin than male migrant worker too. Study result from primary data gather in Thailand exposed that most of male and female migrant worker remit because of their sympathy to their parents and family member left behind than because of obligation to the family. At the place of origin found that most of remittance receiver were female. Remittance fund will spend mostly for daily living and pay for loan. Community in Cambodia and Lao PDR rarely had benefit from it, accept the village in Myanmar. Benefit of the study not limit only to fill the research gap but also flexible to policy maker or other concern organizations to utilize it to their work.

 

Moderator : Mr. Farid Khan Ph.D. student