In 2024, Thailand saw its population decrease by 100,000, bringing the total to 65.95 million. This marks a historic shift, as the number of births fell below 500,000 for the first time since 1949, despite the government’s “Having Children for the Nation” campaign.
On January 8, 2025, the Department of Provincial Administration released data showing Thailand’s population at 65,951,210, comprising 64,953,661 Thai nationals and 997,549 non-Thai residents. Bangkok remains the most populous area with 5,455,020 residents.
The figures from 2024 show that the country recorded 462,240 births and 571,646 deaths, continuing a four-year trend where the number of deaths outpaces births. There were 263,087 marriages and 147,621 divorces recorded during the same year.
Associate Professor Dr. Chalermpol Chamchan, Director of Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research, stressed the severity of these trends at a press conference on January 15.
“Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country categorized by the United Nations among nations with declining birth rates, a group typically comprising developed, high-income countries,” he explained.
Thailand’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.0, which is lower than Japan’s 1.2, placing it among countries with ultra-low fertility rates like South Korea and Singapore.
Demographic forecasts suggest that Thailand’s population could shrink to 40 million within the next 50 years, a reduction of about 25 million people, or one million every two years.
The declining population is expected to significantly impact the workforce, potentially reducing the current labor force of 37.2 million to 22.8 million in the next five decades.
A recent survey of more than 1,000 Thais aged 28 and older revealed that 71% view the low birth rate as a national crisis. However, only 35.8% of those capable of having children currently plan to do so.
“While only one-third currently plan to have children, there’s a significant group – about 30% – who might consider it with the right support,” Dr. Chamchan noted.
“Targeted policies could potentially increase the percentage of those definitely planning to have children to over 60%.”
