Migration, in the name of what?

Several of my university friends have also settled down overseas. As seen from Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Thailand, a huge number of Myanmar people have migrated to this country. Migration seems to go against human nature, as most people tend to cling to the familiar – food, relatives and other things. Then, why migrate?

As I looked for the reasons on the Internet, www.immigration.net.in and www.immigration.net.in provided the top seven reasons – financially secured future, high standard of living, education, happy stories from first immigrants, political reasons, needs of different personalities, and soulmates.

I myself came to Bangkok over two decades ago for higher education. Now, with no jobs like this back at home, I am settled down here.

If these seven reasons are agreed upon by the majority, I should say that economic reasons weigh as much as social reasons. That is the case if you count migration as a life choice, not a result of external forces as witnessed by crooked policymakers and abused citizens in many countries. It makes sense, as people need money to guarantee that the four basic needs are met. You’re lucky if you have more than that and can migrate for the sake of greater comfort and excitement.

But regardless of the reasons, only a minority seeks to migrate. That was why I was immensely surprised when a friend, who is a senior official, mentioned the possibility of emigration after his retirement. None of the seven reasons fits his case, though.

Born in an aristocratic family and living above the means of most Thais, the guy is upset with the political conflicts in Thailand. He envisions greater conflicts as the years go by and that would turn Thailand into a non-liveable country.

I hate to think that he might be right. If so, he would be among the lucky few who are financially and psychologically ready to move out, leaving over 60 million to deal with the mess here.

My first thought was about the Myanmar migrants in Thailand. While the Myanmar elite control power and only the elite enjoy perks, many flee. Considering the miserable conditions that some of live under here, I should say that the conditions at home could be worse. But now, the sight of Suu Kyi could have inspired many to return home. Will Thailand fall into the same state that Myanmar had been in over the past decades? For me, even so, if I’m not pushed to the far end, I would remain in Thailand. Oh, if you only knew just how much I adore Thai food!

Plus, I still see a silver lining amid the mess. Many are struggling to improve the condition of their lives and the condition of society. Villagers now learn to segregate waste, by which they learn that they should reduce consumption in the first place. Mechai Viravaidya is chasing for money to fulfil his socioeconomic empowering project. Coca-Cola is embarking on a water source development project in the provinces, as well as a waste campaign in Bangkok. Some universities around the world now offer courses on sustainability.

These are ongoing and more are expected, should more realise the true meaning of “sustainability”. Certainly, the United Nations will press on with its sustainability campaign, following the Rio+20 Conference last week, since we are nowhere near the goal to lower global temperatures to the pre-industrialisation era.

Yes, Thailand seems to be in chaos. In Parliament, people fight over other things than the essence of laws. On (some Bangkok) streets, protests take place. Yet, in other parts, farmers still tend their land while urbanites still dine out and go shopping. That perfectly supports my belief that people have the equal power to do good and evil. To this end, I conclude that Thailand is not much different than many other countries.

Last, but not least, my friend in Boston does not plan to live in the chilly city forever. But for her husband’s job and her son’s education, she could have taken refuge from the cold weather years ago. When the time is right, she is ready to pack 

and leave. To where? Of course,  here. Like me, she’s a true som tam aficionado.