title: Urban ties of rural Thais.
abstract: This article analyzes interpersonal linkages between villagers and urban dwellers and the effect on circular migration in Thailand.  "Using data from Northeast Thailand, it examines the prevalence of urban social contacts, selectivities involved in such linkages, the characteristics of the urban contacts themselves, the salience of the interpersonal relationships, and the potential for the urban contact to act as a sponsor for the villagers.  Furthermore, using a prospective research design, the impact of social contacts on subsequent rural-urban mobility of villagers is examined."  A distinction is made between Bangkok and Northeastern Thai urban centers in order to illustrate some of the obstacles to the decentralized urbanization program in Thailand.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamnuansilpa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lightfoot
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D001519:Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D003710:Demography; D003906:Developing Countries; D004467:Economics; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011057:Politics; D011153:Population; D011154:Population Characteristics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011640:Public Policy; D012424:Rural Population; D012919:Social Behavior; D012939:Social Planning; D013785:Thailand; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Asia; Behavior; Decentralization; Decision Making; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Development Planning; Development Policy; Economic Factors; Interpersonal Relations; Migrants; Migration; Policy; Population; Population Characteristics; Population Dynamics; Return Migration; Rural Population; Rural-urban Migration; Social Behavior; Southeastern Asia; Thailand; Urban Population