Trend Analysis of Migration Data in Thailand 2019-2023

TREND ANALYSIS OF MIGRATION DATA IN THAILAND 2019-2023 20 STOCK OF LIFETIME MIGRANTS FIGURE 31: REASONS FOR LIFETIME MIGRATION PER YEAR Drivers of lifetime migration fall into the same three categories as internal and international migration: employment, family, and other reasons. Employment remains the primary driver, though trends varied, reaching 47.4 per cent in 2023. Migration for other reasons, including education, fluctuated in response to employment-related migration. Meanwhile, lifetime migration for family reasons remained stable, reaching 23.1 per cent in 2023. FIGURE 33: EXPECTED LENGTH OF STAY IN THAILAND AMONG LIFETIME MIGRANTS PER YEAR The largest proportion of lifetime migrants expect to stay in their current residence within Thailand forever, with an average of 46.8 per cent expecting to stay forever and 35.2 per cent expecting to stay for two years between 2019 and 2023. Meanwhile, the smallest proportion of lifetime migrants expected to stay for under three months. FIGURE 32: LIFETIME MIGRANTS WHO HAVE SENT REMITTANCES PER YEAR The proportion of lifetime migrants who sent remittances remained relatively steady between 2019 and 2023, with the exception of 2020, when there was a slight decline in the proportion of lifetime migrants sending remittances back home. Remittances include both money and items. By 2023, the proportion of lifetime migrants sending remittances had not yet returned to pre-2020 levels. FIGURE 34: NUMBER OF TIMES LIFETIME MIGRANTS CHANGED THEIR USUAL RESIDENCE WITHIN THE PAST YEAR Most lifetime migrants had changed their usual residence only once in the past year, however, like internal and international migrants, this share consistently decreased since 2019. At the same time, the share of lifetime migrants who had not moved at all during the 12 months before the survey date increased between 2019 to 2023, suggesting that in more recent years, this population remained in their current location more than they had been in the past, a trend identified among both internal and international migrants. Similarly, lifetime migrants who moved two or more times decreased. Employment Changing work, job assignment, seeking work, more income Family Family business, follow family, return home Other Education, look after someone, need help, remedy oneself, residence, unknown reason 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Percent Employment Family Other 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Percent % of lifetime migrants who have sent remittances per year 3.1% 4.4% 3.7% 2.4% 1.9% 4.7% 3.6% 6.4% 1.9% 2.5% 5.3% 3.4% 3.5% 4.9% 2.8% 13.5% 8.1% 6.4% 3.6% 4.0% 38.5% 29.7% 31.1% 39.7% 37.2% 34.9% 50.8% 48.9% 47.6% 51.6% 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