Elderly Well-Being in Northern Thailand: Does Migration of Children Matter?

Amanda L. Flaim, Cornell University
Lindy Williams, Cornell University

We study the impacts of unprecedented levels of geographic mobility among indigenous people from the highlands in Thailand on elderly persons who do not migrate. We draw on the 2010 UNESCO Highland Peoples’ Survey, an extensive survey of highland minority individuals, families, and communities in Thailand. We also include rich ethnographic information compiled by the first author during two years of fieldwork (2009-2010). We aim to contribute to theories of and debates around inequality, migration as a household livelihood strategy, and elderly well-being.