Intersections of Tourism, Cross-border Marriage, and Retirement Migration in Thailand

Autor(en)

Kosita Butratana, Alexander Trupp, Karl Husa

Abstrakt

Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide and experiences dynamic inbound and outbound mobilities, which increasingly problematize binary perspectives toward tourism and migration. This chapter examines the intersecting terrain between tourism and migration in the Thai context. An analysis of marriage migration and retirement migration shows that these two forms of mobility often originate from a tourist experience or a “host-guest” relationship which can then lead to a longer-term stay. This study draws on semi-structured interviews, surveys, and participant observation to better understand so-called Western retirement migrants in Thailand and Thai marriage migrants in Europe. Data show that most Western retirement migrants residing in Thailand had already traveled extensively for leisure and recreation or business purposes before settling in the country. Moreover, Thailand’s tourism hotspots are social spaces where international tourists meet Thai women (and men) who are frequently internal migrants working in the hospitality and service sector. Finally, Thai marriage migrants abroad not only helped establish transnational networks and flows for remittances and ideas motivating still more women to marry and move abroad but also produced an increase in visiting friends and relatives tourism.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Geographie und Regionalforschung

Externe Organisation(en)

Sunway University

Anzahl der Seiten

22

Publikationsdatum

12-2022

ÖFOS 2012

504021 Migrationsforschung, 507002 Bevölkerungsgeographie, 504012 Freizeitforschung

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/10458d22-4da9-420c-827b-bd3faab99ed5