Thailand's population stood at approximately 69,518,555 inhabitants in 2016. Women outnumber men in the country. It is a young and active population, with those over 50 representing just 18% of the total. Thailand ranks among Southeast Asia's countries with the highest life expectancy rates. Men live beyond 71 years and women beyond 77 years.

Historical Background

Before the arrival of the Thai people, other Indianized ethnicities such as the Mon, Khmer, and Malay occupied the Kingdom of Siam. Originating from southern China, the Thai arrived in Thailand towards the late 18th century through successive migration to escape religious and ethnic persecution during the King dynasty in China. They settled at that time in the Yunnan region.

Thailand's demography has been in constant growth since the 1990s. The country experienced growth of over 0.88% between 1990 and 1995, compared to 1.52% for the Asian population overall. Until 2000, its population increased by 1.14%. Until 2010, growth was recorded at over 1.80%.

The Thai Population Today

Approximately 33% of Thai people live in urban areas today. Its population is therefore primarily rural. Its inhabitants concentrate especially in the rice-growing areas of the central, northeastern, and northern regions.

Bangkok, the country's capital, is home to approximately 6,000,000 inhabitants. After it comes, in descending order, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, and Khon Kaen. The population of other Thai cities does not exceed 100,000 inhabitants per agglomeration.

The Thai

The Thai ethnicity, also known as Siamese, represents nearly 75% of Thailand's population. The Thai peoples live in central Thailand. This can be divided into 4 sub-ethnic groups including the Central Thai or Siamese, the Lao Thai of the northeast, the Southern Thai or Pak Tai, and the Northern Thai. Each sub-ethnic group speaks its own Thai dialect and has different customs.

Other Thai Ethnicities

Thailand and China remain linked by history, which is why part of its population has Chinese origins. Approximately 14% of Thai people are descendants of the Hakka, Chao Zhou, and Han. Some of them are Cantonese. The majority of Sino-Thai peoples live in the northern part of the country.

The remaining groups of the population include the Malay, Vietnamese, Khmer, Mon, Semang, Moken, Htin, Mabri, and Khamu. These minorities inhabit the provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat.

Since 1990, Thailand has been shaped by a large number of foreign communities. It is home to nearly 769,809 immigrants. Burmese, Cambodian, and Laotian peoples form the largest foreign communities in the Kingdom of Siam. According to data communicated by the Thai government, approximately 770,900 Cambodian migrants currently live in Thailand.

This country is also a second home for many Westerners. In 2010, approximately 27,357 Westerners were settling permanently in the country. English-speaking people living in Thailand now number approximately 22,486, representing 0.87% of the local population.