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Transnational Brokers and the Desire for Labour Migration: Decision-making Process of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand

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  • Steve Kwok-Leung Chan

    (Keimyung University)

Abstract

Labour migration is a dynamic process involving information gathering, motivation formation, and a series of actions of labour migration. This paper is an attempt to explain the process from a desire for the decision-making of potential migrant workers at the micro-level, including the input of labour brokers. Focus group and in-depth interviews were conducted in the Samut Sakhon City of Thailand. Myanmar migrant workers were interviewed. Thailand is a popular receiving country of unskilled migrant workers in Southeast Asia. Existing migration studies regarding intermediaries are less concerned with the micro-process of migrants’ decision-making. The findings enrich the understanding of the labour migration decision-making process, motivation building and the facilitating and bridging roles of brokers. Sternberg’s (2000) motivation building model has been incorporated into Spaan and Van Naerssen’s (2018) threshold of decision-making. Key obstacles are identified during the realization process. A micro-level decision-making process model is constructed involving information gathering, desire creation, aspiration realization, and motivation formation which finally contributes to the action of labour migration.

Suggested Citation

  • Steve Kwok-Leung Chan, 2022. "Transnational Brokers and the Desire for Labour Migration: Decision-making Process of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1987-2007, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:23:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s12134-021-00915-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s12134-021-00915-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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