HIV and Migration Country Profile 2009: Lao PDR

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is a source of migrant workers, with Thailand as their main destination country. The long, porous border with Thailand together with Thailand’s demand for low‐skilled labor make it an attractive option for migrant workers. Around 180,000 Lao nationals are registered as workers in Thailand,2 making up 12% of the estimated migrant workforce in Thailand. These figures do not account for the large number of undocumented migrant workers. Migrant workers from Lao PDR are mainly employed in infrastructure projects, domestic and agriculture work, and the fishing industry.