7.2 b) Laos LIDC Case Study Flashcards
What is the population, geography, GDP, economy and influence of Laos on migration?
Population- 6.8 million people
Geography- Landlocked nation in SEA
GDP/hd- LIDC, $2,107 GDP per capita, 73% of workforce in agriculture- clark fisher model
Economy- limited economic opportunities, the strongest push factor that contributes to labour migration abroad
Influence- limited influence and restricted ability to respond to change within global migration system.
What are the primary destinations?
Thailand
France
USA
What is the importance of Laos?
Is a labour exporting country, not importing. So has a low GDP.
LIC’s are sources of illegal migration
Of all the ASEAN countries its GDP (18 billion) is the 2nd lowest.
By comparison with Laos Thailand is a high income country (GDP- 484 billion and 2nd highest).
What countries have the most laos born emigrants?
Thailand- 930,000
USA- 200,000
Bangladesh- 90,000
France- 40,000
What is poverty reduction like in Laos?
Poverty reduction is slower in Laos than other ASEAN member states
What is GDP growth like in Laos?
7% over last decade, based on exploitation of natural resources rather than a transition out of agricultural and subsistence employment
What is labour migration like in Laos?
remains an important livelihood option for Laos workforce. Increased number of Lao women.
0.9 million lao nationalists living abroas, 56% are women- 2019
What are the push factors of Laos?
- Subsistence farmers- no financial gain or independence. Land grabs- farmers put into deeper poverty in laos.
- Lack of alternative occupations in rural areas
- Insufficient land available for farming and droughts- food insecurity
- Strong motivation to follow others who have returned from financially successful migrations.
What is the employment distribution in Laos?
- Daily minimum wage in Thailand: 300 baht (£6.60), is 80 baht (£1.70) in Laos.
- Average monthly income for laos migrants in thailand is 6800 baht (£150)
- For many families in Laos, migrant remittances are the main source of income
- Low levels of education in Laos means that many are suited only to unskilled jobs. There is insatiable demand for unskilled labour in thailands rapidly growing economy- 45% dependent on services
What is the ease of migration like?
- Familiarity with thai culture and language
- Use of brokers to reach thai border and access employment in thailand
- Greater rate of emigration to immigration. But employment opportunities in government- driven by policies funded by the world bank to link countries in the region by highways, bridges, tunnels and dam development along the Mekong river have attracted workers to Laos
- Many vietnamese immigrants work in construction or mining. Increasing developments in hydroelectric power industry- require construction workers and highly skilled engineers and technicians to bring enterprise
What are the migration policies?
· Laos is a source country for human trafficking. 2013- 36% of the population were under 15, so there are an increasing number of entrants into the work force in a country where opportunities are limited
· As a result, the vulnerability of young migrants to forced labour and sex exploitation in thailand is a major concern to IGO’s and the government.
· Government policies to reduce migration to thailand have been ineffective.
On the return of young migrants from thailand, many do not obtain the required passportand risk fines on return. Financial implication.
What is the human trafficking plan?
· The government and NGO’s (Save the children and CARE) have implemented a more stringent anti-trafficking policy. Led by the government it has three strands:
* HUMAN TRAFFICKING PLAN MADE BY LAOS GOVERNMENT
○ PREVENTION- awareness campaigns, education, child protection, alleviation of poverty, reducing the need to migrate
○ PROTECTION- repatriation and reintegration of returning migrants including shelters for women who may need counselling
○ PROSECUTION- investigation of trafficking networks, training border officials, strengthening legal framework.
What is the interdependence between the two countries?
Thailand-Laos corridor is dominated numerically by the outward flow of unskilled Laotians to work in Thailand for construction, agriculture, fisheries and factory work. Remittances assist development.
· Thailand is the principle access to the sea for Laos. Relationships have been strengthened between the nations. Schemes to tackle flooding on the Mekong, dam development and a high speed trainline from Thailand to China (going through Laos)
What are the opportunities of this migration?
- The migration corridor between Laos and Thailand is one of the largest within ASEAN. It helped to stimulate political and economic co-operation in terms of trade, investment, development projects and security.
- Bilateral relations with Vietnam also extend beyond reciprocal labour migration. There is economic co-operation, with Vietnam involved in over 400 investment projects in Laos.
- Migrant remittances are very important to the life of returnees and their families. In Laos, 22% of families live below the poverty line and the economic impact of this money and local and national development ranges from purchase of simple domestic appliances to agricultural machinery. Political stability is improving between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
What are the challenges of this migration?
- Most economic migrants from Laos are low skilled, of limited education and under 18 at their first migration. Many travel illegally and are vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and exploitation. Laos government policy has been difficult to implement, and, for its success, depends on transnational governance by organisations.
- There is loss of skilled labour such as carpenters and mechanics to Thailand. This is set to increase if wage differentials remain high
-The Laos garment industry is the largest sector of manufacturing employment, but its growth depends on improved working conditions in the factories of the Laos capital, Vientiane, and retention of the many young female workers who may leave, seeking higher wages in Thailand.
