Title: Socio-economic challenges and coping strategies of displaced myanmar students in Bangkok
Author: Miss Myo Thiri
Year: 2024
Keywords: Forced Migration, Economic Insecurity, Human Security, Coping Strategies, Myanmar, Thailand, Student Migrants, Military Conscription, Social Networks
Theme: migration
Advisor(s): Naruemon Thabchumpon
The full thesis available here.
Abstract: This study explores the complex economic challenges and coping strategies of Myanmar students who have fled to Bangkok, Thailand, primarily driven by the threat of the 2024 military conscription law. Addressing a critical gap in migration studies concerning this new layer of forced student migrants from urban and professional backgrounds, the research explores two central questions: “What kind of economic insecurities do Myanmar migrant students in Bangkok face as a result of forced displacement?” and “What coping strategies are adopted by these migrant students, and how do existing social services and support networks facilitate their challenges?” Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study draws on quantitative data from 68 surveys, complemented by rich qualitative insights from nine in-depth interviews with student migrants and two key informant interviews. Guided by the overarching Human Security framework, with a primary analytical focus on its Economic Security component and Social Network Theory, the findings reveal profound economic insecurities. These include heavy reliance on unstable family remittances, lack of legal work opportunities due to visa restrictions, and housing and food insecurity stemming from unplanned migration and high urban costs. These conditions undermine students’ “freedom from want” and contribute to emotional and psychological stress. In response, students adopt coping strategies such as strict financial conservation and leveraging informal social networks for emotional, practical, and financial support. However, limited awareness of formal assistance and the risk of exploitation highlight the fragility of their situation. This research contributes to the underexplored field of urban displacement driven by authoritarian conscription policies and emphasizes the urgent need for more inclusive and protective migration and support policies in host countries like Thailand