COVID-19 and Economic Problems of the Urban Poor
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Abstract
This survey research explores effects of COVID 19 on the urban poor in Bangkok where is the most vulnerable area from the first country’s lockdown in 2020. Quesionares were used for purposive sampling and interview fragile households in low-income communities in 11 inner districts of Bangkok (for about 500 samples) and be analysed by qualitative and quantitative methods. Results indicate that economic variables such as the drop in income, the increase in poverty and debt were evident since the lockdown. Although adverse economic effects were the worst during the lockdown when poverty sharply increased, those negative effects remain high even after the lockdown period, Results also confirm that the poor – the lowest income group- has the highest ratios of expenditure to income and debt to income. Empirical results show that being unemplyed has the largest significant effect, among others such as the drop in income and expenditure, to the increased debt at 0.05 significant level. Results from this study lead to policy recommendations for short and long term.
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