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Determinants, wage inequality, and occupational risk exposure of informal workers: A comprehensive analysis with a case study of Thailand

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20K22135
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
Research Institution国際連合大学サステイナビリティ高等研究所 (2021)
Waseda University (2020)

Principal Investigator

Korwatanasakul Upalat  国際連合大学サステイナビリティ高等研究所, サステイナビリティ高等研究, 研究員 (50879830)

Project Period (FY) 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
Budget Amount *help
¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
KeywordsInformal worker / Occupational risk / Sectoral transition / Thailand / Wage inequality
Outline of Research at the Start

This study examines the determinants of informal employment and the earnings gap between formal and informal workers. Moreover, the study assesses whether informal workers expose to higher occupational risks.

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of informal workers in Thailand by utilising the 2006-2019 Thai Informal Employment Survey data. The estimated results reveal the adverse effects of informal employment on workers’ economic and social conditions: 1) the wages gap working against informal employment, confirming that informal employment is not a choice but rather an unavoidable constraint, 2) a negative relationship between informal employment and wages, and 3) a positive association between informal employment and occupational risks. Furthermore, the analyses manifest the importance of schooling in reducing the tendency to work in the informal sector, narrowing the wages gap, and lowering occupational risks and injury severity. However, the estimated results from the pseudo-panel fixed effects regression show no relationship between schooling and informal workers’ wages but a positive relationship between their wages and working experience.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Policymakers may adopt schooling-related policies to improve informal workers’ welfares. In contrast, to help workers who inevitably remain in the informal sector, the government may resort to policies regarding working experience to help informal workers earn more wages and become less vulnerable.

Report

(3 results)
  • 2021 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (5 results)

All 2022 2021 Other

All Journal Article (1 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 1 results) Presentation (2 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results) Remarks (2 results)

  • [Journal Article] Determinants, wage inequality, and occupational risk exposure of informal workers: A comprehensive analysis with the case study of Thailand2021

    • Author(s)
      Upalat Korwatanasakul
    • Journal Title

      PIER Discussion Paper (Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research)

      Volume: 160 Pages: 1-25

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Determinants, wage inequality, and occupational risk exposure of informal workers: A comprehensive analysis with the case study of Thailand2022

    • Author(s)
      Upalat Korwatanasakul
    • Organizer
      The 17th EAEA International Convention (2022)
    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Determinants, wage inequality, and occupational risk exposure of informal workers: A comprehensive analysis with the case study of Thailand2021

    • Author(s)
      Upalat Korwatanasakul
    • Organizer
      14th International Conference on Thai Studies “Thailand at a Global Turning Point”
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Remarks] PIER Discussion Paper

    • URL

      https://www.pier.or.th/dp/160/

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
  • [Remarks] aBRIDGEd (Thai version)

    • URL

      https://www.pier.or.th/abridged/2022/02/

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report

URL: 

Published: 2020-09-29   Modified: 2023-01-30  

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