The Effects of Assets on the Destination Choice of Migrants from Rural Cambodia: The Moderating Role of Family Bond and Networks

Abstract

Using data from two Cambodian villages, this study examines the effect of household assets on individuals’ choice between domestic destinations and Thailand as migration destination, while also accounting for possible interaction effects of family bonds and Thai migrant networks. Results of econometric analysis show that those with large farmland tend to choose domestic destinations, apparently to avoid cross-border family separation. The probability of choosing Thailand as the destination is large for households with small farmland especially when informal channels are used for cross-border migration, the cost of which would be reduced by a developed migrant network. These findings imply that migrants to Thailand are more likely to come from asset-poor households, although that can happen only because of the existence of informal channels to cross the border. The possible psychological burden of cross-border family separation is also a matter of concern.