Laos Case Study

• Where is Laos?


  South East Asia; small landlocked country that boarders Thailand, China, Vietnam
• What is the GDP per capita of Laos?

  $1,600
• What is Laos’ population?

  6.8 million
• What is the HDI of Laos?

  0.575
• What percentage of people work in the primary sector?

  73%
• What percentage of people live below the poverty line?

  22%
• Why has Laos lost control of borders?

  The extent of poverty and the lack of job opportunities
• What is the pattern of migration in Laos?

  Net migration loss - 1.1 per 1000 people
• How many emigrants from Loas is there? (2013)

  1.29 million
• How many immigrants are there in Laos?

  20,000
• Where are emigrants going to?

  Thailand, USA, Bangladesh, France
• Why are people going to Thailand?

  Neighbouring countries are easier and cheaper to commute

  Thailand needs more low skilled immigrants since it’s population is becoming more educated

  5% growth in the economy so more money, similar cultures and language
• Why are people going to the USA?

  Historical links from the Vietnam war created family links
• Why are people going to France?

  Historical links as it was a former colony - French is the second language in Laos
• Where are most immigrants coming from?

  Vietnam, China, Thailand, Cambodia
• Why are most immigrants coming from these countries?

  Boarding counties and similar cultures and languages, political links as most are apart of ASEAN countries
• What are the push factors of Laos?

  Surrounded by political unstable countries

  Agricultural work is harder and is reliant of external factors

  Services are less accessible as most people live in mountainous and rural areas

  Food insecurity

  Reliance on remittance
• What is the average/minimum wage in Laos and Thailand?

  80 baht; 300 baht
• How is Laos and Thailand interdependent?

  Dominant migrant corridor;

  Thailand needs migrant workers and Laos needs remittances,

  Thailand invests in health services (Laos and Thailand Cooperation Committee),

  Both manage the Mekong river for energy development
• How are Laos and Vietnam interdependent?

  Vietnam is building railway links to allow development for Loas; it also invests in projects in Laos
• How does the Thailand and Laos corridor create opportunities?

  Created political and economic relationships, trade, investment and development projects
• How does the bilateral link between Laos and Vietnam create opportunities?

  reciprocal labour migration, economic cooperation through investment projects
• How does remittances create opportunities?

  helps development for the local people and nationally through tax
• How does the loss of skilled migrants create challenges?

  Less people to help develop Laos - free movement is going to make this worse
• How does poor working conditions create challenges?

  more people want to leave to other counties with better protection
• How does a youthful population of migrants create challenges?

  more young people with a lack of experience and education is more vulnerable to exploitation
• What is the problem with exploitation?

  Many people stay in school until they’re 14 so this leaves a youthful population of people looking for work; they can be exploited by human traffickers who promise work in foreign countries who then put them into the forced labour and sex trafficking industry
• What are the most prominent boarders for the exploitation?

  Thailand and China
• What are countries trying to do to stop this exploitation?

  Prevent through education

  Protect through shelters and support for return migrants

  Prosecute the human traffickers and train the border control workers
• How is Laos trying to promote people staying?

  Promoting local jobs and offer citizenship to any ASEAN country for anyone who stays for 5 years