Results: Survey on Situation of Thailand-based Filipinos during COVID

The online survey was conducted by the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants among Filipinos living and working in Thailand from April 14 to 28, 2020. Thailand-based organizations and individuals helped in circulating the online survey, especially on social media. All questions posed are made optional and respondents can choose to skip them. 

Profile of respondents

1. 379 Filipinos answered the online survey. 70% of them are women. Majority (36%) live in Bangkok and its peripheries while others live in Phuket (26%) and other parts like Pattaya, Karbi and Khoa Lak (5%).

2. More than half (57.6%) are aged 26-40 while 31% are between 41-55, 8% between 18-25, and 3.7% between 55-65. In terms of civil status, 46.15% are single and 35.79% are married.

3. Out of 309 who responded to the question of employment, 153 or almost 50% are teachers or educators while 15% are hotel and restaurant workers, 12% are musicians, and 8% are domestic workers. Around 72% are non-B visa holders while 10% hold tourist visas. In terms of the number of years staying in Thailand, 27% have lived there for 3-5 years, 27% lived for 6-10 years, and 22% for 1-2 years.

4. In terms of their organizational affiliation, 212 (56%) do not have any organization while 99 (26%) are members of at least one organization. In terms of affiliation into any social media group, 306 (81%) belong to one or more social media groups.

Impact of the lockdown

1.On employment.265 (88%) said the lockdown has affected their employment. Of these, 154 (51%) are in a no work-no pay situation while 52 (17%) declared that they have lost their jobs during this time.

2.On livelihood.The same number of respondents, 265 (80%), stated that the lockdown has affected their livelihood as well. The impact ranges from inability to pay rent, inability to pay utilities such as electricity or water, inability to pay food and other amenities, and inability to send remittances.

118 respondents (31%) ticked more than one of the aforementioned options while a total of 127 (33%) could not send remittances.

Many expressed that the meager savings or budget that they have will not be enough to last them and their families. One respondent said she was pregnant while another said she has a baby but could not afford to buy milk or diapers for her baby. One respondent, a male worker, expressed concern of getting evicted from his home, as it is owned by the company he worked in.

3.On visa status.31% said that their visa status got affected by the lockdown. Many lost their visas after they got fired by their respective companies and their visas were cut. Others cited the closure of borders to nearby countries like Malaysia where they can exit for a possible extension of their visas. Filipinos can stay in Thailand for 30 days, which can be renewed if they exit (usually to a nearby country like Malaysia, Laos or Cambodia).

What Filipinos in Thailand need

In terms of needs, respondents were asked to rank the following by most urgent, urgent or least urgent: visa assistance, assistance in terms of employment, food, free personal protective equipment or PPE (i.e. masks, alcohol), temporary shelter, medical or health assistance, repatriation.

Out of the 297 who responded to the question, food was ranked important (238), followed by free PPE (237), assistance in terms of employment (205), medical or health assistance (190), visa assistance (130), temporary shelter (127), and repatriation (87).

When we asked them if they wish to add anything else, many responded that they needed support, in particular financial assistance.