Essays on decision-making in migration, labour market and consumption in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Southeast Asia has been experiencing unprecedented economic growth propelled by thriving production and service sectors, rapid urbanization, extensive digitalization, and a growing young population. However, issues such as regional disparities in economic and social indicators cannot be ignored. For instance, while urban areas enjoy new-found opportunities, their rural counterparts lag behind. Frequent natural disasters and natural resource degradation due to illegal logging and over exploitation have added further pressure on the rural poor. Additionally, the effects of the recent economic slowdown due to COVID-19 have also trickled to the rural areas. Forced unemployment of rural migrants in the cities, increased financial instability and weaker agricultural supply chains have aggravated their vulnerability to poverty. The region is at a crucial crossroad – facing challenges that need to be addressed, but also opportunities that herald a better future for individuals and the countries alike. Against this background, the overall objective of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of decision-making, especially amongst rural populations in Thailand and Vietnam. In particular, the thesis investigates (i) who is an internal migrant, (ii) how do environmental shocks impact migration decisions, (iii) what predicts the duration of stay of migrants in the city and their migration intensity, (iv) what are the determinants and motivations behind migrant remittances, (v) can the Big Five Model of personality traits be validated in rural Southeast Asia, (vi) what role do non-cognitive skills play in occupational outcomes, (vii) what determines internet usage amongst migrants, and, (viii) how are food consumption patterns changing in Vietnam and what are its environmental effects.