Multiple entities and social movements that contribute to the wellbeing of migrants in Thailand

The political landscape of Thailand, a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy, has seen many changes. Between 1932 and 1991, there were 17 military coups and 16 constitutions. After the last putsch, on 19 September 2006, General Surayud Chulanont was installed as Prime Minister and Head of the Interim Government. During this politically instability, Thailand, with its bureaucratic-polity, moved from a low-income to a middle-income country based on agricultural and labour intensive exports. Nestled within neighbouring developing countries that are or have been in states of conflict, Thailand is a host country for migrants. These migrants provide cheap labour for industrialization, but are not protected by citizenship rights, employee rights, or human rights. Thailand regards itself as a homogenous society in spite of one to two million Burmese migrants along the Myanmar-Thai border and diffused throughout the country. After a process evaluation of primary health care for the Thai rural poor, which demonstrated health service needs, a study was developed to explore the barriers to attaining the UNs' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women migrant workers. This paper is a literature review for that study. The principal conclusions highlight the political, economic, social and cultural context that shapes migration public policy and health policy and practice.