THE EFFECT OF THE WORKPLACE STRESS AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF MYANMAR MIGRANT WORKERS IN THAILAND

Abstract

Migration process takes place almost around the world throughout centuries for various purposes. Some people migrate from one place to another to get new opportunities, to overcome poverty and food insecurity, to avoid armed conflict, persecution, human rights violations as well as abuses in their homeland. As a fundamental survival strategy, labor migration to Thailand has increased in Myanmar since 1990s. The migration could be defined as economic migration and forced migration. Thailand has made significant progress in establishing basic labor rights protections for migrant workers within its legal framework. The study was concerned with the unfair working conditions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand which may affect their stress level and well-being. Although migrant workers have jobs, livelihood opportunities for themselves and their families, they also tent to experience labor rights violations at the workplace as workers. The researcher assumed that unfair working conditions which migrant workers were facing now may lead them to higher level of stress which could expose them to exceptional risks for their physical and psychological wellbeing in the long term. The objective was to determine the workplace stress and subjective well-being of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. Results from these findings would contribute to e raise the awareness of migrant's workplace, stress and their subjective well-being, to provide important new insights for the social workers, policymakers and some organizations when implementing the mission for migrant workers. Moreover, the researcher hopes to contribute to raise self-awareness of Myanmar migrant workers, their present working conditions, coping strategies and positive social support.