Social Capital and Burmese Migrant Domestic Workers in Thailand

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to explore and understand the significant of social networks for Burmese domestic migrant workers who live in Thailand. In order to achieve that, the thesis employs the concept of social capital to scrutinize different social networks in the migrants’ lives. The analysis in the thesis has been done both in larger level focusing on the role and important of social capital to the migration process and lives; as well as, in micro level, examining different social capital from the perspectives of the migrants. The data has been collected in Thailand by using semi-structure interviews and observations. The thesis concludes that social capital is crucial to both the process of migration and lives as migrant workers in Thailand. On the micro level, the specific socio-cultural context of migrants’ and the migrants’ own agency are also shaping the way the migrants build and use their social capital. The thesis has also found that, despite its importance, social capital has negative sides. In addition, the migrants’ choices and access to various social capitals in Thailand are limited.