Lao People's Democratic Republic — Flow Monitoring Surveys: Insights Into The Profiles And Vulnerabilities Of Lao Migrants To Thailand (August 2020)

In order to gain a better understanding of the migration patterns and the nature of flows from Lao People’s Democratic Republic to Thailand – with a particular focus on possible vulnerabilities – IOM initiated a survey exercise in July 2019 in Vientiane Capital, utilizing the Flow Monitoring component of IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). Flow Monitoring is a tool designed to track movement flows, and the overall situation at key points of origin, transit and destination. It is an optimal tool to provide a more detailed understanding of the migration situation at the Thai-Lao border. With special consideration to the experience of migrant workers, IOM aimed to gain a deeper understanding of migrants’ profiles, drivers of migration, level of preparedness for migration, as well as associated vulnerabilities and return intentions. This research activity was part of a larger regional activity that collected DTM data across various countries in Southeast Asia. It built upon the pre-established Flow Monitoring Registry and Flow Monitoring Survey activities along the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province, Thailand, from June 2018 until May 2019 as well as the Flow Monitoring activities along the Thai-Cambodia border, from March 2019 until September 2019.