000			05167nas a2200385 a 4500
005			20260817172424.0
008			240110s2023 th u m tt 0|0 a1eng d
035			_a.b12415819
099		9	_aAIT Thesis no.RD-23-02
100	0		_aTattiya Kraneejit
245	1	0	_aChallenges faced by informal workers during the covid-19 pandemic: _ba case study of Thai massage therapists and Tuk-Tuk drivers in Bangkok, Thailand
260			_aPathum Thani : _bAsian Institute of Technology, _c2023
300			_a158 leaves : _bill.
490	1		_aThesis ; _vno. RD-23-02
500			_aA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Regional and Rural Development Planning
502			_aThesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023
520			_aThe COVID-19 pandemic most affected informal employment since they were excluded from social protection and had limited access to government assistance. Over the pandemic period, many studies on the COVID-19 impact on informal workers were conducted. However, studies for Thai massage therapists and Tuk-Tuk drivers rarely exist although both occupations are worldwide popular among international and Thai tourists. This research, therefore, aims to understand Thai massage therapists{u2019} and Tuk Tuk drivers{u2019} challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic in order to promote equal assistance for every informal occupation. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19, coping strategies, and recovery over five years (2017 {u2013} 2022). The timeframe was divided into three periods: prior COVID 19 pandemic (2017 - 2020), during the COVID-19 Pandemic (January 2020 {u2013} June 2022), and post COVID-19 Pandemic (July 2022 {u2013} December 2022). The qualitative method was employed and two districts in Bangkok city: Phra-NaKhon District and Wattana District were selected to conduct in-depth interviews for 20 Informal workers (10 Tuk-Tuk drivers in Phra-NaKhon District and 10 Thai massage therapists in Wattana District). The informant interviews were also conducted with 3 related government officials and 3 civil society organizations. To analyze data, an interpretative phenomenological analysis by individual and grouping approaches was applied. The finding shows that the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis mentioned most were loss of income, and the impact on mental health conditions such as the fear of getting COVID-19 infection and feeling hopeless, stressed, and anxious due to lack of income. During the coping period, most informal workers applied the problem-focused coping mechanism. However, existing informal workers{u2019} assistance did not cover all informal occupations, especially not including Thai massage therapists and Tuk-Tuk drivers. some workers could not access related COVID-19 information, and due to informal status, the workers{u2019} data were missing from government relief programs. Furthermore, their challenge during the recovery period was an increase in consumer price inflation which could worsen their livelihood. v Based on the findings, the possible policy recommendations for governmental assistance during the COVID-19 crisis are providing various types of assistance as a short-term coping mechanism, evolving the representative of informal workers from many different jobs in designing and implementing the responses and assistance, expanding the governmental assistance to cover every occupation of informal employment, building partnerships between government and related civil society organizations, and integrating informal labour data from multiple sources across organizations and developing one main database. Recommendations on informal workers{u2019} long-term development are supporting recovery periods, providing training on financial literacy, upgrading the benefits of the social security system and expanding to cover every informal occupation, strengthening the informal workers{u2019} networks and the connection of informal workers{u2019} organizations, developing national retirement funding for informal employment, and promoting the transition to formality.
650		0	_aCOVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- _xSocial aspects _zThailand _zBangkok
650		0	_aCOVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- _xEconomic aspects _zThailand _zBangkok
650		0	_aEmployee morale _zThailand _zBangkok
700	1		_aAhmad, Mokbul Morshed, _eChairperson
700	0		_aThi, Phuoc Lai Nguyen, _eExamination Committee
700	1		_aTsusaka, Takuji W., _eExamination Committee
710	2		_aRoyal Thai Government, _eScholarship Donor
710	2		_aAsian Institute of Technology Scholarships, _eScholarship Donor
810	2		_aAsian Institute of Technology. _tThesis ; _vno. RD-23-02
856	4	0	_3Full-Text _uhttp://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/Viewer/viewer.php?id=B20280
907			_a.b12415819 _bmnait _ca
902			_a240131
998			_b0 _c240116 _dm _ea _fa _g0
945			_lmnarc
942			_c67
909			_aBarcode : - _bCREATED : 2024-10-01 _cRECORD # : i13475538 _dLPATRON : 0 _eLCHKIN : - _f# RENEWALS : 0 _g# OVERDUE : 0 _hIUSE3 : 0 _iTOT CHKOUT : 0 _jTOT RENEW : 0
999			_c16064 _d16064