The 4th International Conference on Population Geographies12 July 2007, Hong Kong

International marriage migration from rural Thailand to Germany

Satoshi NAKAGAWA, Kobe University, Japan nakagawa@econ.kobe-u.ac.jpSekson YONGVANIT, Khon Kaen University, Thailand sekyon@kku.ac.th

Background

Thailand under the “migration transition”

“Migration Transition”

In terms of international migration, a migrants-sending country becomes migrants receiving country in accordance with economic development

Thailand post “demographic transition” “Demographic Transition”

from high fertility and mortality to low fertility and mortality by economic development / spread of family planning

North-eastern

Background

Rural development of Northeastern Region

regional economic disparity is still very large, i.e. gross provincial (76 provinces) product per capita in 2004, national average=100, maximum Rayong (703), minimum Non Bua Lamphu (16) .

What kind of possibilities for development? invite factories

invite tourists

go for work in Bangkok and surrounding provinces

go for work abroad

go for marriage abroad

Research Project: three years from 2006

“Migration and rural developments in the Northeastern Thailand and Laos”

International labor migration from the NE Thailand to abroad (Sukanya)

International labor migration from rural Laos to Thailand (***, Nakagawa)

International marriage migration from the NE Thailand to Germany (Sekson, Nakagawa)

Survey on families left behind in the NE Thailand

Survey on Thai women married in Germany Questionnaire Survey, In-depth interview

Today’s Presentation

Introduction of preliminary results of the questionnaire survey on the married Thai women in Germany

Cross-border migration for marriage is a form of international migration, which has lately drawn considerable attention. The cases between males from “rich” countries and females from “poor” countries are particularly often observed and thereby international marriage migration is regarded not only as cross-border love romances but also as global economic issues.

Thailand is one of the most important sending countries of brides to wealthier countries.

According to the previous reports, the Northeastern region known as the poorest region in Thailand is often pointed out as a major origin of the international brides and Germany followed by Great Britain and Japan is the most popular destination among them.

Previous studies,

Piper, Nicola and Roces, Mina eds, “Wife or Worker? -Asian women and migration”, Rowman & Littlefiled Publishers, 2003.

Questionnaire survey outline Respondents: married Thai women (+ men) living in Germany. found mainly at Thai temples, Thai grocery shops Place of interview: Berlin and South GermanyLanguage: ThaiInterviewer: two Thai and one Japanese malesDuration: 9 February – 5 March, still on goingSample: 77

Samples

Samples Thai (%) Partner (%)

Male 12 90

Female 88 8

No data 0 2

Thai: Average age 40 , ranging 22 to 66 years old

Partner: Average age 50, ranging 25 to 73 years old

German Statistics: Thais in Germany Population(2005), 51108; male 7245, female 43863 (2001), 41520; male 6338, female 35182Average age 35.5 (2006)Average duration of stay in Germany 9.5 years (2006)

Religion Thai (%) Partner (%)Christian 0 50 Buddhist 100 18 Muslim 0 0

Other 0 13No religion 0 11No data 0 8

Religion

Education

Education Thai (%)Partner

(%)Primary School 46 2Secondary

School 22 16College 23 28University 4 12higher 1 17other 4 25

Married before Thai (%) Partner (%)

Yes 46 48

No 54 47No data 0 5

Were you married before the present Thai/German partner?

How many years have you been in Germany?

How long (year) Number (%)

1-5 14

6-10 19

11-15 25

16-20 31

21-25 8

26-30 1

31-35 2

Average 13 years Newest 1 year Longest 33 years

How many years have you been married with the present partner?

How many years ? Number (%)

1-5 26

6-10 28

11-15 16

16-20 21

21-25 8

26-30 0

31-35 1

Average 10 years Newest 1 year Longest 31 years

How often do you visit Thailand ?

some times a year 17

once a year 39

every two years 23

every three years 12

other 9How long do you stay for your visit to

Thailand?

16No data19

12458

21685

812484

11093

%weeks%weeks

16No data19

12458

21685

812484

11093

%weeks%weeks

What kind of problems do you have for your stay in Germany?

No Problem 60 %

Problem 40 %

No Job No Money

Language

Very expensive

Second class people

Difference Culture

Which country is more difficult to

live? Germany 21 %

Thailand 41 %

No difference 28 %

I do not know 1 %

No data 9 %

How do you evaluate your stay in Germany

9 %No data

7 %Not Satisfied

84 %Satisfied

9 %No data

7 %Not Satisfied

84 %Satisfied

Do you intend to return to Thailand in the future? If yes, why do you think so?

Yes ----------------------- 62 %

No ----------------------- 18 %

I do not know, now ---- 20 %

No, because Very happy in Germany No relative in Thailand In Germany has better social status No social insurance in Thailand

Yes, because Want to stay with relative Thailand is my homeland My partner wants to live in Thailand Do not like German way of live Too cold in Germany

Reasons for your international marriage migration,

multiple answers

Reasons international marriage migration

%

had economic problems in Thailand 33 %

just wanted to go abroad 31 %

wanted to try my luck 22 %

disappointed by the partner in Thailand

20 %

recommended or informed by friends or relatives successful in abroad

16 %

did not like the work in Thailand 11 %

How much do you send annually to your family in EURO ?

Send money to your family %

Send money regularly 65

Send money, but not regularly

16

Do not send money 19

All the money send per year 244,450 EURO Average 6,267 EURO / Year / person

How does your family in Thailand evaluate

your stay in Germany?

evaluate your stay in Germany %satisfied 86not satisfied 7Do not know 7

Conclusions Victim or Agent? positive evaluation, rather agent than victim

Wife or Worker? large amount of remittance, rather worker than wife

Temporal or Permanent stay? strong intention for return

Remarks strong cultural confidence, try to keep their way of

living sampling bias and way of interviews

For the next steps

connect these results with the survey being conducted on the family left behind in the NE Thailand,

how their remittance is utilized

how their family and neighbors evaluate them

at a Thai Food/Grocery Shop in Berlin

at a Thai Food/Grocery Shop in Berlin

at a Thai Food/Grocery Shop in Berlin

at a Thai Temple in Berlin

at a Thai Temple in Berlin

at a Thai Temple in Berlin