Thai wives in Europe and European husbands in Thailand: how social locations shape their migration experiences and engagement with host societies

Abstract

© 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This study examines the migration experiences of women and men in Thai-European transnational couples, focusing on how their respective identities and social locations affect their engagement with the host society. It is based on in-depth interviews with 13 European husbands in Thailand and 13 Thai wives who have recently returned from Europe. We find that European husbands in Thailand experience elevated status as they are perceived by Thai locals to be transnationally privileged with wealth and power; while Thai wives in Europe experience cultural and social downward mobility, often facing prejudice and discrimination. The elevated status that European husbands experience in Thailand leads many to adopt a ‘Eurocentric’ approach, leading to a lack of engagement with Thai society. However, both groups of migrants are relatively vulnerable: the perceived elevated status of European husbands tends to decline over time; while Thai wives in Europe lack substantive social and emotional safety nets.