The determinants of child labor in Thailand: The role of household, public policies and exogenous events

Households are where decisions regarding the employment and schooling of children are made. This dissertation investigates the various factors that influence a household's decision in sending a child to work. In addition, the dissertation shows how household choices respond to government policies and exogenous shocks.;The dissertation presents a detailed empirical analysis of the determinants of child labor in Thailand. Econometric analysis is carried out using multiple datasets from the Thai government. Three alternative, discrete choice econometric models are estimated: probit, multinomial logit, and sequential probit.;The overall results of the research are the following. First, there exist sharp differences in the determinants of child labor by gender. For instance, boys' work is more sensitive to changes in household income than girls'. The presence of additional, younger members and/or working adults in a household increase the likelihood of child's work for both genders. Parental education is negatively correlated with child's work. The head of household's schooling has a much stronger impact on child labor than the spouse's. The number of schools in the area where the child resides and improvement of school quality significantly increase the probability of school enrollment for girls. And area of residence has significant impact on boys' choices of activities.;Child work and schooling decisions in Thailand have been affected in recent years by the introduction of government policies and by major crises. The impact of the National Educational Act of 1999 and the 2004 tsunami, is examined. The coefficient estimates suggest that the probability of children who are under the minimum legal school age leaving-school significantly decreased after the implementation of the 1999 Act, but only for girls. The tsunami disaster substantially increased the likelihood of boys' work but had no measurable impact on girls'. Children's vulnerability to shocks varies by educational level and industry of the parents.