The cell phone networks among transnational migrant networks of Thai Muslim unauthorized workers in Malaysia.

Abstract

In Malaysia, theincreasing use of the cell phones is a significant part of everyday life for foreign migrant workers. Darwing up examples based on six months between 2008, Nov. to 2009, Apr. of ethnographic fieldwork of thai Muslim unauthorized migrant workers from the lower southern provinces of Thailand employed at Tom Yam restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, this paper examines how cell phone networks take place transnational migrant networks and (re)produce their networks among Thai Muslim unauthorized migrant workers. This study found that the cell phone is used to create, maintain and reinforce their networks and new social ties among unauthorized migrant workers through the cell phone and within the cell phone as new media instrument. Migrant workers are always intheir networks both destination and sending countries while they are absence, distance and crossing border by use of cell phone networks.