Trend Analysis of Migration Data in Thailand 2019-2023

TREND ANALYSIS OF MIGRATION DATA IN THAILAND 2019-2023 11 RECENT INTERNAL MIGRATION FLOWS 4 Additionally, in 2020 and 2022, less than one per cent of remittances were sent to others but this category was not included in the graph due to the small sample size. FIGURE 9: RECENT INTERNAL MIGRANTS WHO HAVE SENT REMITTANCES PER YEAR An average of 18.3 per cent of recent internal migrants sent remittances between 2019 and 2023. Remittances include both money and items. The years 2020 and 2021 saw a lower proportion of migrants sending remittances compared to 2019, 2022, and 2023. This may be attributed to the economic situation during the pandemic years when unemployment rose and job losses were widespread, thereby suggesting that people may have had less money to send home. In addition, mobility restrictions made it more difficult for hundis and brokers to transfer remittances across borders. The hundi system is an informal financial network used for transferring money domestically and internationally. FIGURE 11: EXPECTED LENGTH OF STAY IN THAILAND AMONG RECENT INTERNAL MIGRANTS PER YEAR The largest proportion of recent internal migrants expected to stay in their current residence within Thailand forever, with an average of 55 per cent expecting to stay forever between 2019 and 2023. Meanwhile, the smallest proportion expecting to stay for under three months. Figure 11 highlights that in 2022 and 2023, a greater share of recent internal migrants expected to stay in Thailand for 24 months than in earlier years. FIGURE 10: RECEIVERS OF REMITTANCES AMONG RECENT INTERNAL MIGRANTS PER YEAR Recent internal migrants sent remittances between 2019 to 2023 mostly to their fathers and mothers. Between 2020 and 2022, there was a notable increase in the proportion of recent internal migrants sending remittances to parents, while remittances to other recipients, such as children, spouses, and relatives, declined.4 During the COVID-19 pandemic, many families reunited under one household; however, the elderly, being at higher health risks, remained more isolated. This may have contributed to the rise in remittances directed towards parents instead of towards other family members. FIGURE 12: NUMBER OF TIMES RECENT INTERNAL MIGRANTS CHANGED THEIR USUAL RESIDENCE WITHIN THE PAST YEAR The assessment analysed how many times recent internal migrants changed their usual residence outside of their initial migration during the 12 months before the survey date. Most recent internal migrants changed their usual residence only once in the past year, however this share consistently decreased since 2019. Meanwhile, the share of recent internal migrants who had not moved at all during the 12 months before the survey date increased since 2019. A small share of recent internal migrants moved two or more times between 2019 and 2023. 0 10 20 30 40 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Percent % of internal migrants who have sent remittances per year 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Percent Father/Mother Husband/Wife Child Relative 2.2% 3.9% 4.9% 1.7% 2.5% 4.0% 4.2% 7.4% 1.8% 2.2% 6.3% 4.8% 5.5% 4.1% 3.0% 10.4% 7.2% 6.1% 4.0% 3.8% 28.2% 22.8% 23.3% 32.0% 31.2% 49.0% 57.1% 52.8% 56.4% 57.4% 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Under 3 months 3-5.9 months 6-11.9 months 12-23.9 months from 24 months Forever 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Percent 0 times 1 time 2 or more times