Abstract This study uses the culture of the Somali people as the lens to explore how cultural adaptation shape their future aspirations in Bangkok, Thailand. The goal of the research is to present the migration process, cultural adaptation and the future aspirations of the Somali migrants. The study analyses Somali migrants as asylum seekers, international students and labor migrants. Qualitative research was adopted throughout this study through case studies. Six migrants were interviewed in order to provide understanding of the research question. The researcher utilized pseudonyms to protect the anonymity of the respondents. The research acknowledged that Somali migrants adapt to new cultures and traditions of which the main change is future aspirations due to the prevailing economic and legal factors in Thailand. The study found out that the migration of the Somalis is because of the instability in Somalia. Economic hardships makes smugglers take the advantage of insecurity and smuggle asylum seekers in Thailand using Malaysia as a transit country. Students and businesspersons use their resources at disposal in order to get scholarships and a work permit respectively. The conclusion of the research suggests that economic condition and legal status of migrants contribute to gradual change in terms of gender roles, marriage, language, food, dressing, communication styles while religion was retained. Results showed an absolute absence of legal and the economic factors creating their desire to adapt other cultures and later resettle to other countries in search of more flexible livelihood. The results discovered that the Somali migrants experience isolation, therefore making them to adapt to a different culture in order to create room for more acceptance, and increase chances of resettlement for the asylum seekers. Drawn from the study, future aspirations of the Somali migrants was noted to be resettlement for the asylum seekers, relocation and integration. Acknowledgement I would like to express my special appreciation and thanks to my advisor Professor Supang Chantavanich, you have been a tremendous mentor for me. I would like to thank you for encouraging my research and for allowing me to grow as a research scientist. Your advice on both research has been priceless. I would also like to thank my committee members, Professor Naruemon Thabchumpon, and Mr. Jerrold W. Huguet for serving as my committee members even at hardship. I also want to thank you for letting my defense be an enjoyable moment, and for your brilliant comments and suggestions, thanks to you. I would especially like to thank my sponsors, TICA fraternity; you have been there to support me through funds that enabled me to collect data for my Master’s thesis. A special thanks to my family. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my parents, elder brothers and elder sisters for all of the sacrifices that you have made on my behalf. Your prayer for me was what sustained me this far. I would also like to thank all of my friends who supported me in writing, and helped me to strive towards my goal. Table of content TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of content .......................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. vii List of tables .................................................................................................................................. viii List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 10 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Statement of Research Problem ....................................................................................... 11 1.3 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................................................ 12 1.3.1 Migration Process Theory ................................................................................................. 13 1.3.2 New Economics Theory in the Context of Displacement .................................................. 14 1.3.3 Cultural Adaptation and Retention ................................................................................... 15 1.3.4 Social Networks Theory .................................................................................................... 16 1.3.5 Refugee Durable Solutions................................................................................................ 19 1.3.5.1 Voluntary repatriation ............................................................................................. 19 1.3.5.2 Resettlement ............................................................................................................ 20 1.3.5.3 Integration ................................................................................................................ 20 1.4 Research Question ............................................................................................................ 21 1.5 Research Objectives .......................................................................................................... 21 1.6 Hypothesis ........................................................................................................................ 22 1.7 Justification ....................................................................................................................... 22 1.8 Significance of the Research ............................................................................................. 22 CHAPTER II RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................................ 24 2.1 Field Research Data Collection Methods ............................................................................. 24 2.1.1 Key informants ............................................................................................................. 24 2.1.2 Case studies .................................................................................................................. 25 2.1.3 Documentary .................................................................................................................... 25 2.2 Research Approach .............................................................................................................. 25 iv 2.3 Information Gathering and Process ..................................................................................... 26 2.4 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 26 2.5 Research Scope and Limitation ............................................................................................ 27 2.6 Ethical consideration ............................................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER III MIGRATION PROCESS OF SOMALI MIGRANTS AND CASE STUDIES ........................... 30 3.1 Profile of Countries with their Nationalities in Thailand ..................................................... 31 3.1.1 Kenya ............................................................................................................................ 33 3.1.2 Nigeria .......................................................................................................................... 33 3.1.3 Democratic Republic of Congo ..................................................................................... 34 3.1.4 Uganda .......................................................................................................................... 34 3.1.5 South Africa .................................................................................................................. 34 3.2 Somalia: Situation in Somalia and Migration Process.......................................................... 35 3.2.1 The Rise of Al-Shabaab Militia in Southern Somali ........................................................... 38 3.2.2 Migration Process and Route ............................................................................................ 39 3.2.3 Transit country ............................................................................................................. 40 3.2.4 Why don’t the Somalis settle in Malaysia? .................................................................. 41 3.3 Smuggling and Trafficking Networks ................................................................................ 42 3.3.1 Condition in Destination Country ................................................................................. 42 3.4 Case Studies ...................................................................................................................... 44 3.4.1 Khadija (Alias), an Asylum Seeker ................................................................................. 44 3.4.2 Farooq (Alias), an International Student ...................................................................... 48 3.4.3 Abdi (Alias) A Businessperson ...................................................................................... 53 3.4.4 Hussein