Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org

358 SESSION V
50 and 59 years old 23 persons) would like to return to
work in agriculture because they want to take breaks for
the rest of the life by living close to pure nature. Some
respondents, aged 50-60 years, said they had already
bought land for farming. For manufacturing jobs, only
a few respondents (eight persons) planned to return to
work at this type of job in Thailand, particularly the
young respondents. These people were young, in their
early twenties, and had worked in factories before
coming to Japan.
For those who had exact plans for returning to Thailand
and had already sent remittances to families for starting
small enterprises in Thailand, it was not difficult to
decide to go back to Thailand. Nonetheless, most
of respondents had not yet decided what would they
do after returning to Thailand. In addition, some did
not know what kind of business would yield the best
return because they had not been in Thailand for a very
long time. As a result, they would do better to keep
their money themselves in the form of savings and seek
advice, particularly on their occupation.
There were several jobs that respondents would like
to do after returning to Thailand, such as running a
motorcycle repair shop, a second-hand gadget shop, an
air conditioning and refrigeration repair shop, a glossary,
an agricultural machinery shop, a plant nursery, a
restaurant, a coffee shop, a laundry shop, a domestic
cleaning service, and renting out apartments. However,
more than half of respondents did not know that how
much monthly income they wanted after returning to
Thailand because they did not know how much money
was necessary for living in Thailand now.
Needs
Thai migrant workers in Japan, especially those women
who were trafficked to be CSWs, felt that they needed
some authority or organization to facilitate the process
of returning to Thailand for them. Those who were
illegal workers, including sex workers, needed to have
health check ups because they have lived for several
years in Japan without health insurance. Despite
experiencing some health problems, they were worried
to go to a hospital in Japan, owing to doctor fees. In
addition, both legal and illegal Thai migrant workers in
Japan really need some experts to give suggestions about
prospective jobs after their return to Thailand.
According to the interview, the types of career consulting
in demand can be ranked from most to least in demand
as follows: knowledge and information on agriculture,
knowledge on business entrepreneurship, knowledge on
Ref lections on the Human Condition: Change, Conflict and Modernity
The Work of the 2004/2005 API Fellows
marketing, and lending sources. Moreover, some want
to adapt their experiences from abroad to new jobs in
Thailand.
In terms of the demand for a returned migrants union,
most of respondents (57 persons or 85.1% wanted to
participate in a returned migrants union if the Thai
government or another organization established a union
for Thai migrant workers who have returned from
abroad. The activities that they expect from a returned
migrants union are as follows career consulting, health
consulting, legal assistance, savings groups as a source of
funding, and providing health insurance for members.
Some respondents said that “the decision to return
to Thailand is harder and more worrisome than the
decision to come to work in Japan.”
4. Return and Reintegration Programs
4.1 Categories of Thai Migrant Workers Returning
from Japan
Foreseeable return: documented workers who would
return when they finished their contracts, as well as some
undocumented workers who decided to surrender to
immigration authorities, such as trafficking victims who
escaped from their employers, those who surrendered
to Immigration because of health problems, accidents
at their jobs, reaching their savings target, and having
stayed in Japan for such a long time. In addition, there
are those who wish to surrender with their children
who were born in Japan because they would like their
children to go to school in Thailand.
Unforeseeable return: The majority of undocumented
workers wanted to work in Japan for as long as they
could. Among the migrants who were arrested by
Immigration, one had stayed for 14 years, while some
had stayed for only one month (sex workers). In
addition, there were those who were arrested due to
driving without a driver’s license.
4.2 Reintegration Programs: Recommended Programs
for Returned Thai Migrants
Economic Reintegration
For the most part, the businesses set up by returned
migrants were not stable or had failed in beginning.
Their earnings were only sufficient for daily expenses
and they were unable to bring home savings or might
have already spent all of it. Some of them did not invest
their savings in any business or income-generating