Millions of Burmese women migrate into Thailand each year to form the basis of the Thai agricultural and manufacturing workforce. Mostly undocumented and unregulated, this army of migrant workers constitutes the ultimate 'disposable' labour force, enduring gruelling working conditions and much aggression from the Thai police and immigration authorities. This insightful book ventures into a part of the global economy Western observers rarely witness. Based on unique empirical research, it provides a gendered account of the role of women migrant workers in Thailand's factories and interrogates the ways in which they manage their families and their futures.
Thailand's Hidden Workforce