The Giving Behavior of Households in Thailand

Abstract

Giving is an act where one transfers a part of one’s own resources to others. In this sense, giving is a unique form of resource redistribution that can ultimately have an impact on economic inequality. While there are many factors that explain why and how people give, the focus of this paper is to explore the role of family and household characteristics in influencing giving behavior in Thailand. In this paper, I consider three categories of giving behavior by households, which include contributions made to i) persons outside the household, such as remittances, ii) religious activities and iii) charitable institutions/organizations. I draw on the extensive list of household expenditures from the Socio-Economic Survey 2011 conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand. Using a two-part model with separate equations to model the probability of giving and the level of giving expenditure conditional on giving, the findings suggest that household size increases overall giving in all categories, while the number of children in the household reduces giving activities in all categories. The current demographic transition means that household characteristics in Thailand are changing, which can lead to future changes in giving patterns. Efforts to maintain familial piety and support people’s active engagement in their society by making giving easier and more attractive can serve as a main mechanism to create a far-reaching impact for building a caring future in Thailand.