title: Migrant Workers in Agriculture: A View from Thailand.
abstract: There has been a dramatic increase in the global movement of workers during the last few decades. As Thailand has developed rapidly over the past 20 years, it has attracted laborers (both authorized and unauthorized) from the neighboring countries of Myanmar, People's Democratic Republic of Lao (Lao PDR), and Cambodia. Given that agriculture has been Thailand's most important industry, its continued growth has been dependent on migrant workers. Both crop agriculture and animal-production agriculture have employed migrant labor. Migrants have been hired to plant, weed, fertilize, spray pesticides, and harvest crops such as rice, corn, sugar cane, and cassava. They have worked at rubber and coffee plantations, as well as in the production of ornamental crops. Also, migrants have labored on pig, beef, and duck farms. There have been numerous documented health problems among migrant workers, including acute diarrhea, malaria, and fever of unknown causes. Occupational illness and injury have been a significant concern, and there has been limited health and safety training. This article reviewed the demographic changes in Thailand, studied the agricultural crops and animal production that are dependent on migrant labor, discussed the health status and safety challenges pertaining to migrant workers in agriculture, and described several recommendations. Among the recommendations, the conclusions of this study have suggested that addressing the cost for health care and solutions to health care access for migrant labor are needed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Industrial Hygiene and Safety, Faculty of Public Health , Burapha University , Chonburi , Thailand.
authors.forename: Anamai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thetkathuek
authors.affiliation: b Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences , School of Public Health, University of Washington , Seattle , Washington , USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Daniell
mesh_terms: D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000383:Agriculture; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D000067565:Farmers; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012423:Rural Health; D012449:Safety; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides
keywords: Agriculture; Thailand; health service; migrant workers