Middle Income Trap Push and Pull Factor for Thai Engineer Relocating
Keywords:
Middle-income Trap, Skilled Labor Migration, SOTUS System, Merit Base Advancement, Human Capital RetentionAbstract
Thailand has lingered in the ranks of middle-income countries for close to half a century, having once enjoyed vigorous growth. This research found that the lingering status reflects more than macroeconomic performance; it is entrenched within social, institutional, and educational dimensions. Centered on the engineering profession, the research employs a mixed-methods approach to scrutinize how hierarchical work norms, neoliberal governance choices, and incentivized emigration collectively inhibit productivity gains. An online survey of engineers is triangulated with field observations to reveal enduring structural impediments, namely the SOTUS (Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, Spirit) legacy, the absence of merit-based advancement, a weak capacity to retain skilled labor, and the circumscribed scope for technology absorption in Chinese-backed infrastructure. The article ends by recommending systemic reforms to educational frameworks, workplace practices, and the management of foreign capital, all aimed at bolstering human capital retention and fostering resilient, innovation-led growth.
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