Vexed over coronavirus response, young Thais set up Facebook group to share tips on moving abroad

The ‘Migrate’ Facebook page has become a platform for people to discuss pathways for emigration, with Thais already living overseas dispensing tips

The US, Australia, Japan and Canada top the list of destinations that members want to move to in search of a better future

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People wait to receive Covid-19 vaccinations at a school in Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:00am, 7 May 2021Updated: 6:00am, 7 May 2021

Hundreds of thousands of Thai students and young professionals dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the slow pace of vaccinations have formed an online group to discuss ways to quit the country for good.

The Facebook group called “Migrate” has garnered more than 800,000 members in less than a week of being set up. It has become a platform for people to discuss pathways for emigration, with participants seeking advice and Thais already living abroad sharing tips.

The US, Australia, Japan, Canada and Germany top the list of destinations that members want to move to in search of a better future.

Although the number of members is currently equivalent to about 1.3 per cent of the Thai population, the roster is enough that it would rank 28th out of the country’s 77 provinces. Membership is about double that of “likes” on the Facebook page of the Health Ministry.

Much of the private group’s discussions centre around better job and wealth prospects that other countries can offer, compared to fewer opportunities in Thailand.