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Article

Open Access

Negotiation Strategies of Myanmar Migrant Workers in the Sidhiphatra Cold Storage Factory, Songkhla Province

Author(s)

Phennapha Chandaeng, Jitprapat Saisopa

Full-Text PDF Download XML 743 Views

DOI:10.17265/2159-5526/2017.07.005

Affiliation(s)

Walailak University, Thailand

ABSTRACT

This paper studies the Myanmar migrant workers in Sidhiphatra Cold Storage Factory, Songkhla Province. This factory employs just over 2,000 Myanmar migrant workers. The authors study their “everyday life practices” as expressed in relationships among various groups, such as relationships between the Myanmar migrant workers and the factory, and the relationships between the Myanmar migrant workers and the Thai people of the surrounding communities. In analyzing these relationships and negotiations, the authors borrow the concept of “tactics of everyday life” from Michel de Certeau as a framework for analysis. The authors’ analyses are based on in-depth interviews, non-participant observations, and focus-group discussions that collectively explored the tactics, in de Certeau’s sense, that the Myanmar migrant workers used in negotiating their relationships with the factory and with the various communities in the area. The results indicate that Myanmar migrant workers negotiate their relationship with the factory by expressing themselves as selected workers, good workers, and being obedient to the factory’s rules. The conflicts caused by Myanmar and Cambodian migrant workers are negotiated. Besides, Myanmar migrant workers also negotiate their relationship with the Thai people living in the surrounding communities. Their approach is showing that they are part of the communities by participating in the activities with the aim to gain acceptance of the Thai people in the surrounding communities.

KEYWORDS

Myanmar migrant workers, negotiation, negotiation strategies

Cite this paper

Sociology Study, July 2017, Vol. 7, No. 7, 388-397

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