"Thailand has a love-hate relationship with migrant workers... Since the December elections in Thailand, much of the country?s politics have been in limbo until a new government takes power. Of all the policies awaiting review, the new Thai government would be wise to prioritize a policy concerning the 2 million migrant workers. Are migrant workers a real threat to the national security of Thailand? Or are they contributing to the economic growth of the country, especially in border areas that were long ago left behind while the rest of the nation developed? The International Labor Office?s recent report, ?Thailand: Economic Contribution of Migrant Workers? by Prof Philip Martin, an expert on international migration from the University of California at Davis, stated: ?The Thai labor force of 36 million in 2007 included about 5 percent or 1.8 million migrants.? The report said that last year, migrant workers contributed US $2 billion to the Thai gross domestic product, a figure nearly three times higher than in 1995. It was a clear indication of Thailand?s growing dependency on migrant labor in the 21st century..."