Cambodian Refugees

Abstract:

We examine the consequences of forced displacement for Cambodian refugees during the Cambodian conflict (1978–1991). Taking into account the political economy of the Indochina refugee crisis under the Cold War, our analyses reveal that returnees from Thailand attained higher levels of education—while those from Vietnam, by contrast, attained lower levels of education—than stayers. On the other hand, the two groups both experienced worse labor market outcomes, with employment shifts from the primary sector to the immature tertiary sector. Adverse displacement impacts can be attributed to congested labor markets resulting from limited access to available agricultural land.