Cambodia

Title: Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey 1999

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BASIC DEFINITIONS

1. Background

Further information is available from National Institut of Statistics of 513 Blvd.Monivong, Phnom Penh Cambodia, phone: 855 012 647804, e-mail: khieusary@forum.org.kh.
Data have been collected by household survey since 1993.

2. Purpose and coverage

The following purposes are considered to be very important or of some importance:

• to obtain weights for consumer price index
• to estimate household expenditure for national accounts
• to study the general structure of household incomes/expenditures
• to study income/expenditure patterns of disadvantaged groups, including pensioner households, single parent households, etc
• to study income/expenditure disparities among socio-economic groups
• to study consumer behaviour among socio-economic groups
• for general poverty and/or income distribution studies
• to study effects on income and expenditure of policy changes, especially tax changes
• for market research purposes

Geographic coverage: National without any specific geographic areas excluded.

Population coverage:
The following types of household are included in the data collection:

• one person private households
• private households with more than one person
• households of other foreigners in the country
• armed forces residing in private housing outside military base
• nomadic and other households difficult to reach: ethnic group in north east

The following types of household are excluded in the data collection:

• those in collective housing (such as long term hospitals, prisons, monasteries, military quarters)
• non-resident households of nationals (households of nationals located abroad)
• diplomatic households in the country

Units:
Dwelling units are used in the sample selection and are characterised by:

• single structure - detached housing unit
• single unit in a structure containing more than one housing unit
• multiple structures within a compound (e.g. huts)
• street address

Data are recorded for the household unit which is characterised by:

• one person units
• two or more people living together:
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • sharing meals
  • sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures
  • pooling their income to some extent

Data are recorded for the family unit which is characterised by:

• two or more people:
  • living in the same household
  • sharing a single dwelling unit or compound
  • related:
    • by blood
    • by marriage
    • by adoption
    • by consensual union
  • sharing meals
  • sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures
  • pooling their income to some extent

Data are recorded for the income unit which is characterised by:

• two or more people:
  • living in the same household
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • pooling their income to some extent

Data are recorded for the consumer unit, expenditure unit or spending unit which is characterised by:

• two or more people:
  • living in the same household
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • sharing meals
  • sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures

Unit members: Usual residents temporarily living away from the dwelling are included, if away continuously for less than 6 months. Visitors (not usual residents) temporarily living in the dwelling are included, if staying continuously for more than 2 months. Domestic staff living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit. Renters living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit. Boarders living in same dwelling/compound are not included in the unit.

Head of unit:
The concept of head of household/other unit is used in this survey and is characterised by:

• acknowledged as such by other household/unit members
• recognized owner, or responsible for tenancy of dwelling
• responsible for financial maintenance of household/unit
• main income earner
• responsible for decisions on main expenditures
• oldest person

3. Reference periods

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

4. Sample design

The Primary, Secondary and Ultimate Sampling Units are enumeration area/district, none and household respectively.

Stratification:
Areas/districts were stratified using the following criteria:

• geographical regions
• rural/urban

Households/Consumption Unit, Income Unit, Family Unit were stratified using the following criteria:

• income class
• social class of the head
• age group of the head

The sampling frames for the Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) and Ultimate Sampling Unit (USU) were the list of Census enumeration areas and a separate listing exercise respectively. Primary Sampling Units (PSU) were selected using probability proportional to size. The sample size was 6000 households or other units. The overall response rate for the survey was 100 percent. Errors/biases were minimized by using an updated sampling frame.

Enumeration procedure: Enumeration uses a single round survey design in which each reporting unit is enumerated only once. The sample is divided into 300 representative sub-samples. A smaller set of reporting units is selected from which information on specific issues is gathered or more detailed questions are asked.

DATA COLLECTION, CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

5. Income data

Income data are collected. Receipts have to be regular and recurring to be considered as income. Income excludes receipts resulting from the sale or reduction of assets and/or from incurring liabilities. Income includes receipts that are not currently available to the unit.

The following receipts are collected separately:

• wages and salaries
• cash bonuses and gratuities
• commissions and tips
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• goods produced for barter
• services produced for barter
• services from owner-occupied dwellings
• services from other consumer durables (net)
• interest received
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
• rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
• royalties
• regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• other pensions
• family-related allowances
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances
• free government dwelling
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: public education
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

The following receipts are not collected:

• termination and redundancy payments
• employer social security contributions
• employee social security contributions
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
• old age benefits
• unemployment benefits
• housing allowances
• survivors benefits
• subsidized government dwelling
• food subsidies
• medical reimbursements
• other social insurance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: free dwelling
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular free services

The following receipts are classified as income from paid employment:

• wages and salaries
• stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
• family-related allowances
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances

The following receipts are classified as income from self-employment:

• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• goods produced for barter
• services produced for barter
• services from owner-occupied dwellings
• services from other consumer durables (net)
• interest received

The following receipts are classified as employment-related transfer income:

• cash bonuses and gratuities
• commissions and tips
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
• rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
• royalties
• regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• other pensions
• free government dwelling
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: public education
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

The following receipts are collected using the last month as the reference period:

• wages and salaries
• cash bonuses and gratuities
• commissions and tips
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• goods produced for barter
• services produced for barter
• stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
• services from owner-occupied dwellings
• services from other consumer durables (net)
• interest received
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
• rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
• royalties
• regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• other pensions
• family-related allowances
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances
• free government dwelling
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: public education
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

Income data were collected separately for each person receiving income. Components of income for an individual were collected directly from each individual or from one person reporting for all individuals. Negative values (business losses) were included when computing self-employment income.

6. Expenditure data

Data collection method:
Diaries are used to collect expenditure data and are maintained for one month. ¹

Diaries are used to collect expenditure on the following items:

• food
• alcohol, tobacco
• other household non-durables (such as newspapers, batteries)
• clothing, footwear
• other personal non-durables (such as perfumes)
• household services (such as plumber)
• personal services (such as driving lessons, haircuts)

Interviews are used to collect expenditure data with the respondent completing the interview by a mix of recall and using documentation.

Data for the following expenditure items are collected by referring:

• to expenditures last week:
  • food

• to expenditures in last one month:
  • other household non-durable goods
  • clothing, footwear
  • other personal non-durable goods

• to expenditures in last 6 months:
  • housing
  • other durable goods
  • households services
  • personal services

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Household consumption expenditure':

• non-durable goods purchased
• durable goods purchased (except housing)
• purchase price of owner-occupied housing
• services of owner-occupied housing
• major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
• income in-kind receipts of goods
• income in-kind receipts of services
• own produced non-durable goods
• own-produced durable goods
• own-produced services
• regular cash payments to others outside the household
• non-regular cash payments to others outside the household
• second hand goods purchased
• expenditure abroad

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Actual Household consumption':

• housing maintenance, minor repairs
• purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
• compulsory transfers to governments (e.g. contributions to government old age and disability insurance program, taxes)
• investment-related expenditures (e.g. purchase of shares/stocks)
• occupational expenditures
• other business-related expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Non-consumption household expenditure':

• social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households
• non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical) , gross of claims
• life insurance premiums , gross of claims
• licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Non-household expenditure':

• services from durables owned (except housing)
• in-kind goods received from other households
• in-kind services received from other households
• financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
• gambling expenditure , gross of winnings
• out of pocket health expenditure , gross of claims
• out of pocket education expenditures , gross of refunds
• out of pocket transport expenditures , gross of refunds

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Investment/liability expenditure':

• mortgage repayments, including interest
• interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a 'use' basis:

• non-durable goods purchased
• durable goods purchased (except housing)
• purchase price of owner-occupied housing
• mortgage repayments, including interest
• services of owner-occupied housing
• major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
• income in-kind receipts of goods
• income in-kind receipts of services
• own produced non-durable goods
• own-produced durable goods
• own-produced services
• services from durables owned (except housing)
• in-kind goods received from other households
• in-kind services received from other households
• social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households
• interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)
• financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
• non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical) , gross of claims
• life insurance premiums , gross of claims
• licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)
• gambling expenditure , gross of winnings
• out of pocket health expenditure , gross of claims
• out of pocket education expenditures , gross of refunds
• out of pocket transport expenditures , gross of refunds
• housing maintenance, minor repairs
• regular cash payments to others outside the household
• non-regular cash payments to others outside the household
• purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
• second hand goods purchased
• expenditure abroad
• valuables
• compulsory transfers to governments (e.g. contributions to government old age and disability insurance program, taxes)
• investment-related expenditures (e.g. purchase of shares/stocks)
• occupational expenditures
• other business-related expenditures
• others

7. Other Data Collection Issues

The following other topics are covered:

• demographic characteristics
• education attainment of members
• employment status of members
• occupation of members
• ownership of selected durable goods
• housing characteristics
• savings
• indebtedness

Households are requested to indicate whether durable goods are new or second-hand when their acquisition is recorded.

Non-response: Non-contacted households are substituted, but not refusal households.

DATA PROCESSING, ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION

Answers are not pre-coded on data collection forms, but are coded by field supervisors.

Extreme values are retained without change. In-kind receipts and consumption of own production are included in the estimates. In-kind receipts are valued using:² the respondent's estimate. Consumption of own production is valued using:² the respondent's estimate.

Treatment of owner-occupied housing: Values of owner-occupied housing are included in the total income/expenditure estimates and are valued using the rental equivalent net of housing costs usually paid by owners.

The following information is used in this valuation:

• respondent provides an estimate
• interviewer provides an estimate

Treatment of selected groups/values in analysis: Some households/units are excluded from analysis because of incomplete response. Missing values are retained without change . Supplementary sources are not used to adjust estimates for under- or over-reporting. No groups are excluded from data analysis.

Weighting:
Weighting factors are used to adjust for:

• sampling
• non-response
• bench-marking

Sampling errors: Sampling errors are computed for all aggregates but these sampling errors are not available.

Tabulation and Analysis: Statistics are presented showing averages per month³ and statistics are analysed and tabulated for households only.

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of income statistics:

• age of reference person or head of household
• sex of reference person or head of household
• occupation of reference person or head of household
• other characteristic of reference person or head of household
• absolute income groups
• principal source of household income
• expenditure classes in monetary terms
• household size
• structure of household

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of expenditure statistics:

• age of reference person or head of household
• sex of reference person or head of household
• occupation of reference person or head of household
• other characteristic of reference person or head of household
• absolute income groups
• principal source of household income
• expenditure classes in monetary terms
• household size
• structure of household

Documentation and Dissemination:
Published survey reports: Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey 1999, May 2000
Published methodological information: Cambodia Socio-economic Survey 1999, May 2000

Additional statistics (or special tables on request) are available for public use, free of charge and with charges.

Separate tables are published for the following special population groups:

• households with wages/salaries as main source of income
• low income households