1 Independent child migration: a demonstration of children’s agency or a form of child trafficking? Mark P. Capaldi Abstract As with other regions of the world, the literature on migration within Southeast Asia has been dominated by concerns over adult movement, smuggling or human trafficking rather than child migration. As these children generally lack the necessary legal documentation for their journeys, they are especially vulnerable to deception, coercion, abuse and exploitation. However, as the acceptance of children’s agency and proactive engagement with migration has received minimal attention, this paper goes beyond the assumptions of child trafficking to expose how adolescent migration can be a positive expression of young people’s aspirations for a better life and the full realization of their rights. Through doctoral research carried out from 2013 to 2015, independent child migrants (76), were found to have had a range of reasons and benefits for moving such as improved economic or learning opportunities, a desire for new experiences, or the formation of new social relationships. This paper gives insight to some of the independent child migrants who have been seeking improved lives through migration in Thailand and re-examines the usual adult formulations and judgements related to children’s agency and migration. It concludes by suggesting a theoretical construct that can re-formulate how stakeholders respond to independent child migration. Whilst not trying to minimise the vulnerabilities and dangers that children face in labour migration, this paper illustrates that by not automatically labelling all migrant children as trafficked victims, it is possible to shine a beneficial light on an aft forgotten perspective of the child’s resilience and agency. Key words: child migration, agency, vulnerability, trafficking.