Laos

• Laos has limited influence and restricted ability to respond to change within the global migration system.
• Laos is officially the Lao’s People’d Democratic Republic
• Landlocked LIDC of 6.8 million people located in Southeast Asia.
• GDP per capita is US$1660 in 2014 with 73% employed in agriculture.
• net migration loss is high at 1.1 migrants per 1000 population in 2014.
• Migration has been make easier with familiarity with Thai culture and language, improved access across the Mekong and the use of ‘brokers’ to reach the Thai border and access employment in Thailand.
• 930000 Laotian emigrants live in Thailand.
• 200000 Laotians emigrants live in the USA.
• In 2013, 1.29 million Laos-born emigrants lived abroad, and only 20000 foreign-born immigrants lived in Laos.
• Many working in agriculture are subsistence farmers so farming holds no promise of financial gain or personal independence.
• There is a lack of alternative occupations in rural Laos.
• For many families in Laos, migrants remittances are the main source of income.
• Low levels of education in Laos mean that many are suited only to unskilled jobs; there is insatiable demand for unskilled labour in Thailand’s rapidly growing economy.
• there is a strong motivation to follow others who have returned from financially successful migrations to Thailand.
• There insufficient land available for farming in Laos and periodic droughts which lead to food insecurity.
• The daily minimum wage in Thailand is 300 baht compared with 80 baht in Laos;

  average monthly earnings for Laos migrants in Thailand is approximately 6800 baht.
• In 2013, 36% of the population were under fifteen, therefore there are an increasing number of entrants into the work force in a country where opportunities are limited.
• Laos is a source country for human trafficking.
• The vulnerability of young migrants to forced labour and sex exploitation in Thailand is of major concern to the government and international organisations.
• National Plan of Action for Human Trafficking

  Prevention = awareness campaigns, education child protection, and alleviation of poverty reducing the need to migrate;

  Protection = repatriation and reintegration of returning migrant, including shelters for women;

  Prosecution = investigation of trafficking networks, training border officials, strengthening legal framework.
• Many young migrants do not obtain the required passport and risk fines on return.
• the Laos PDR ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Public Security work in co-operation with the IOM, ILO, UNICEF and UN Women and NGOS such as CARE International, Save the Children and World Vision to implement a more stringent anti-trafficking policy.
• opportunities

  political stability is improving between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
• opportunities 


  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 on local and national development range from purchase of simple domestic appliances to agricultural machinery.
• opportunities 


  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.
• Challenges

  The Laos garment industry is the largest sector of manufacturing employment, but its growth depends on proved working conditions in the factories of the Laos capital, Vientiane, and of the many young female workers who many leave seeking higher wages in Thailand.
• Challenges

  There is loss of skilled labour such as carpenters and mechanics to Thailand;

  This is set to increase if wage differentials remain high and there is freer movement in the ASEAN Economic Community.
• challenges

  Most economic migrants from Laos are low skilled, of limited education and under 18 at their first migration;

  many travel illegally and aer vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and exploitation. Laos government policy has been difficult to implemented and, for it’s success, depends on transnational governance by organisations such as IOM, ILO and Civil Society.
• Laos and Thailand are members of the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking.
• Mekong River Commission to manage flooding and economic activities in the basin and the Don Sahong hydro-power project.
• Laos signed signed agreements to build rail links between Thailand and Vietnam in 2012, with which it also has special relations, including a high-speed rail link to China - all of which will open up Laos to development.
• Laos is a member of ASEAN, so Laos is subject to its laws on migration. The newly formed ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) aims to allow freer movement of skilled labour from 2015.