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Transnational migration is a key challenge in migrant-sending and host-receiving countries. However, relatively little is known about how migrants use network capital to foster small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how network capital fosters Laotian migrant workers in Thai family SMEs.

This research was conducted using qualitative network analysis (QNA). Referral snowball sampling was used to draw 20 participants from December 2021 to March 2022. Data analysis was performed using Gephi, a software package developed for QNA (coding, network features, measure nodes and network metrics).

The main findings are the following four emerging themes: chain networks, social networks, human networks and financial networks are associated with network capital for fostering Laotian migrant workers in Thai family SMEs.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first QNA to explore how Laotian migrant workers use network capital in Thai family SMEs.

This study aims to examine the systems and mechanisms at provincial level to develop health volunteers to improve health of the immigrant workforce in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

This qualitative study collected data from document research and in-depth interviews with 22 concerned people who worked at policy and provincial levels to develop health volunteers to improve the health of immigrant workforce. Data were collected from May to July 2017. Then, content of the conceptual framework was analysed. The research objectives were examined and summary and induction analysis interpreted data from documents, observations and interviews.

Ubon Ratchathani has developed a Thai village health volunteer network to provide health care to immigrant workforce. This consisted of four systems and one supporting mechanism, namely, selection of health volunteer, knowledge management on primary health care, welfare management and moral enhancement and resource and budget support. Development is driven through the committee under the mechanisms of government agencies, i.e. the provincial public health office together with non-government organizations and network partners.

The findings from this study could help develop health volunteers to significantly improve the health of the immigrant workforce in the Thai health service system.

Definition-problems concerning the terms “migrant” and “Health-Related Quality of Life” (HRQoL) have a negative impact on the operationalization and measurement of the multidimensional and subjective construct of HRQoL. The aims of this systematic literature review are to address the following questions: How can the instruments used within the research field “migration and HRQoL” be described or categorized? Which dimensions (psychological, physical and social) and associated sub-dimensions have been used concerning measuring HRQoL when measures are applied to migrants?

A systematic review was conducted. Three databases (Medline, Embase and Cinahl) were systematically searched for the investigation on HRQoL of migrants. Articles written in English, German and Polish, published since 2003 and meeting other inclusion criteria, were included in the final analysis.

In the first stage a total of 4,062 studies were identified. However, very few studies were found to focus on HRQoL among migrants. Finally, 28 studies were included in the analysis. The results confirm that the terms “migrant” and “Quality of Life” and “Health-Related Quality of Life” are neither congruently used nor defined, respectively, within these studies, which consequently impacts deleteriously on the application and measurement of the concept in these groups. The majority of the studies reported to measure HRQoL with a well-known and validated HRQoL instrument. The physical dimensions (symptoms/pain/vitality, energy/vitality/sleep and the objective/subjective health status) are predominantly represented in the reviewed literature. The psychological dimension mostly includes sub-dimensions such as psychological stress and depressive symptoms; the social dimension was predominantly considered as the sub-dimension social relationships/networking.

This paper highlights profound issues in the accurate assessment of HRQoL in migrants. This may have a significant impact on delivery of appropriate evidenced-based care for migrants in need of healthcare intervention.

Lao PDR is a developing country with increasing female participation in the informal labour market. However, these informal female workers are often emotionally and physically drained due to stress in the workplace. This study aims to examine the determinants of job stress on physical symptoms associated with the mental health stigma of informal female workers in Lao PDR.

A convergent parallel approach was used with 1,037 structured interviews and 15 in-depth interviews between October 2017 and June 2019. Fractional response regression was used to analyse the quantitative data and thematic analysis to analyse the qualitative data.

The quantitative data showed a positive effect on job stress and physical symptoms associated with mental health stigma. The qualitative data illustrated that job characteristics, work environment, time pressure, job control, complexity related to workload, physical working conditions and physical demand were associated with emotional distress, depressive symptoms and long-term self-stigma.

The study findings provide guidance for developing strategies for female workers in an informal economy to help mitigate the impacts of job stress related to physical symptoms and mental health stigma.

This study offers a deeper understanding of the emotional and physical stress experienced by informal female workers in the workplace in Lao PDR, showing that job stress due to the physical workload leads to mental health stigma.

The purpose of this paper is to study and prioritize the problems impacted on construction work together migrant laborers, by using the Delphi technique. The case study is construction work in Bangkok and metropolitan zones, Thailand.

The framework of the perceived issues caused by working with migrant construction labors especially migrant construction laborers from neighboring countries were identified from literature reviews. The issue list was sent to 162 experts seeking for their opinions. Subsequently, a questionnaire was created from 58 items of suitable issue lists according to expert's opinions. The questionnaires were then submitted to 147 respondents from construction contractor companies. Their responses were calculated and prioritized by means of the Delphi technique

The polling data showed its constancy on the second round of survey. There were 34 out of 58 items passed consensus criteria. The issue “Foreman obtained incompetent or inadequate trained migrant labors when relocate them from/to other site or job” ranked 1st in priority ranking with the average score of 4.56. Subproblems were appropriately prioritized according to their mean scores.

The results of this research were expected to facilitate construction operators in making appropriate decisions and primary solution concerning main issue factors in working with migrant labors, in order to help even more increasing competition efficiency in Thai construction industries.

The research provides a list of main issue occurred in the case study. These outcomes are also expected to provide important information for other case studies on the issue working with migrant construction labor.

This study focuses on owner-managers’ paternalism and its effects on human resource management (HRM) in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to describe and discuss how owner-managers paternalism enhanced the sustainability of exemplary MSMEs.

A qualitative approach employing Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological methodology was used. Data were collected from 30 exemplary MSME restaurants using non-participant observation, document analysis and in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 75 key informants: 30 owner-managers and 45 of their employees in 10 Thai tourist provinces over three time periods. Verbatim transcripts were coded using template analysis to generate distilled data summaries.

Four HRM themes were identified: (1) staffing, (2) development, (3) performance management and (4) compensation. A proposed model was suggested to understand how owner-managers’ paternalism affects four HRM practices. Owner-managers use their authority, combined with high levels of benevolence and morality, through supportiveness and kindness for employees to meet both their work and personal needs. Specifically, their employees repay them through performance and loyalty. This reciprocal relationship positively impacts employers, employees and MSMEs.

The generalization of the study's outcomes is limited by the sample size and study methodology. The findings propose alternative HRM practices for Thai restaurants, therefore, generalization to all types of MSMEs and all areas of the world is not possible. In future research, it would be useful to consider a mixed-methods approach using large samples of MSMEs across the country or in other countries. Some small HR issues that were noted in this study, such as using the horoscope, astrology and zodiac as hiring tools, could be studied further. Future studies should explore the main thrust and relationship established between owner-managers and employees to drive MSMEs' performance.

The findings may be used as guidelines for creating a deep bond between employers and employees to strengthen MSMEs and foster sustainability.

Important for instilling HRM practices in MSMEs. This paper provides policy implications for governments, relevant public agencies and other developing countries. They need to put forward for consideration of new strategies for migrant policy, in order to solve the shortage of labor in MSMEs. A well-considered policy could increase employee well-being during crises by bringing supportive strategies together.

This study expands knowledge of the effects of paternalism on HRM practices in shaping employer and employee relationships through social exchange theory (SET).

Using two main research questions, the purpose of this paper is to examine well-being and preparedness among Cambodian and Laotian immigrants living near the Gulf Coast of the USA, and the ways in which indicators such as sense of community and risk perception are related to these constructs.

This study employed a cross-sectional prospective design to examine disaster preparedness and well-being among Laotian and Cambodian immigrant communities. Quantitative survey data using purposive snowball sampling were collected throughout several months in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana.

Results from two multiple regressions revealed that sense of community and age contributed to well-being and were significant in the model, but with a negative relationship between age and well-being. Risk perception, confidence in government, confidence in engaging household preparedness and ability to cope with a financial crisis were significant predictors and positively related to disaster preparedness.

Well-being and disaster preparedness can be bolstered through community-based planning that seeks to address urgent needs of the people residing in vulnerable coastal locations. Specifically, immigrants who speak English as a second language, elder individuals and households in the lowest income brackets should be supported in disaster planning and outreach.

Cambodian and Laotian American immigrants rely upon the Gulf Coast’s waters for fishing, crab and shrimp income. Despite on-going hazard and disasters, few studies address preparedness among immigrant populations in the USA. This study fills a gap in preparedness research as well as factors associated with well-being, an important aspect of long-term resilience.

With the increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand, the unfamiliar living and educational environments are barriers and challenges for immigrant children in inclusive schools. This is because schools are not well equipped to respond to the challenges faced by these children and their parents. At the same time, on the students' side, their parents are grappling with unfamiliar educational and social systems, as well as a language barrier. Although inclusion has been defined by the international declaration, The Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education, 1994, to ensure access to quality education for all children, national inclusion policies are still only slowly incorporating children from different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. This study is based on VUCA circumstances and aims to find out what the perceptions of teachers and marginalised students are about the future of inclusive education. A case study was used as an approach to obtaining information in a primary school in a province in the Northeastern region of Thailand with a high density of immigrant workers. Results of the study indicate that changes must be made by policymakers, stakeholders, schools and teachers if classrooms with marginalised students can be truly inclusive.

The Asian financial crisis has not only reduced foreign investment in the transition economies of South‐east Asia, but has also impacted on the domestic financial structure with associated implications for strategy and marketing. Despite reform, the formal, state‐dominated banking systems continue to struggle, particularly with competition from the traditional informal financial institutions such as moneylenders, gold dealers and credit circles, a form of competition which is probably much less significant in Western economies. In this context, understanding and explaining consumer savings decisions can most usefully be developed by using ideas from its commitment construct. Implications for marketing and promotional strategies are offered, which include recommendations for strategic alliances with local organisations where consumer commitment already exists.

Being a parent supposes an important number of language interactions with children and other social actors, in order to realize “parental functions”, such as everyday communication with children, transmission of knowledge, expression of emotions, communication with school and others. As for parents with migrant backgrounds, some realize their parenting functions while using only the language of the country of origin, whilst others use only the language of the host country, and some parents use both of these languages. The aim of this paper is to discuss which of these language practices enables parents to more fully realize their parental functions. The paper is based on a thematic analysis of non-directive narrative interviews of parents and children with migrant backgrounds in Strasbourg (France) and Frankfurt-am-Main (Germany). We come to the conclusion that “fuller” or “more partial” realization of parenting functions depends on parents’ subjective perceptions. For instance, in similar language use situations, some parents believed their language practices had allowed them to realize their parenting functions “more fully” while others considered that they had only been able to “partially” do so. This paper opens up a new avenue of reflexion while analysing the concept of “partial parenting” regarding the use of languages by migrant parents. We hope that it will be be of interest to migrant and also non-migrant parents and their children, as well as to researchers and professionals working with immigrant families and that it will contribute to raising awareness about the role of languages in parenting.