In 2021, the share of the population living in urban areas in Thailand was around 52.2 percent, which was an increase from 2019. In comparison, Singapore is the only country in Southeast Asia that has 100 percent of urban population in the country.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in Thailand from 2013 to 2023. Urbanization means the share of urban population in the total population of a country. In 2023, 53.61 percent of Thailand's total population lived in urban areas and cities. The migration of the Thai population to metropolises and urban areas Thailand is in the midst of transforming itself from a predominantly rural country to an increasingly urban one. Today, over half the population lives in urban areas, which is much higher than most bordering countries. While Thailand's urbanization rates are still low compared to more developed nations - which can reach levels over 90 percent, this transformation in Thailand is still significant, especially as most of this growth occurs and is expected to occur in the Krung Thep area, better known as Bangkok, capital and largest city in Thailand. Krung Thep is now home to more than 5.6 million people. The number of tourists and overnight visitors to the city is also on the rise, and Bangkok is usually among the ten most visited cities in each year, with over 20 million visitors in 2023. This development will place increasing demands on urban infrastructure, as the city grows and grows. The second largest city in Thailand is Nonthaburi, but it only has around one quarter of a million inhabitants, a significant difference. Despite the country’s rural but shifting population, Thailand's fertility rate is low and well below the natural replacement rate, and population growth in general is thus only minimal. Interestingly, despite this migration, agriculture has retained a stable share in GDP generation, actually increasing slightly over time, while the contributions of industry and services to GDP have also remained relatively the same.

Thailand TH: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 29.142 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.917 % for 2016. Thailand TH: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 35.514 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 40.429 % in 1969 and a record low of 28.054 % in 2010. Thailand TH: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted average;

In 2023, the share of rural population in Thailand decreased by 0.7 percentage points (-1.49 percent) compared to 2022. In 2023, the share thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between the total population and urban population.Find more key insights for the share of rural population in countries like Myanmar and Cambodia.

In 2022, the annual urban population growth in Thailand decreased to 1.52 percent. 2021 marked the sixth year of consecutive decrease in the urban population growth.Urban population growth is the annual change in the share of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. Urban population growth is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.

The number of households in Thailand was forecasted to be approximately 18.2 million in 2021, compared to 18 million households in 2016.

Rural Population in Thailand
Thailand’s rural population mostly resides in the rice-growing regions, i.e. the central, northeastern, and northern regions. In 2018, approximately 34.75 million people lived in the rural area, which accounted for 50 percent of the total population in Thailand. Nevertheless, Thailand’s rural population is declining as it has been over the past nine years.

Urban population in Thailand
As Thailand has transformed into a more industrially orientated country, urban living and city life seemed to follow the development. Thai rural inhabitants started to migrate to urban areas and bigger cities such as Bangkok, as there were more job opportunities. Therefore, urbanization became a reality in Thailand, with the urban population accounting for 50.05 percent of the total population in 2019.

In 2018, the share of urban population living in slums in Myanmar amounted to 56.1 percent. Comparatively, just under 14 percent of the urban population in Vietnam were living in slums in 2018.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the ASEAN countries in Asia from 2013 to 2023. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In 2023, 25.57 percent of the total population of Cambodia lived in urban areas.

In 2022, the urban population in Vietnam stood at approximately 37.4 million people. The six largest urban agglomerations include Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Bien Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho. On the other hand, Ben Tre, Thai Binh, and Bac Giang had the lowest rates of urbanization in the country.

Urbanization in Vietnam

The rapid urbanization in Vietnam results in a disproportionate population density between its urban and rural areas. For instance, in 2022, Ho Chi Minh City recorded a population density of 4,481 inhabitants per square kilometer, nearly 15 times the country's average population density in the same year. The urban population is consistently increasing due to the country’s economic reforms and infrastructure development, as well as higher living standards. For example, the monthly income per capita in urban areas is nearly half as much as that in rural areas. Nevertheless, the poverty rate in Vietnam has been consistently diminishing each year, roughly at 4.2 percent as of 2022.

Urban infrastructure in Vietnam

Vietnam has made significant progress in developing its urban infrastructure, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The expansion of highways, seaports, and airports has enhanced domestic and international connectivity, as well as greatly contributed to the country’s logistic industry. For instance, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are developing a metro system which is expected to be put into operation in 2024. The country has also invested in modern healthcare facilities, schools, and commercial centers. However, challenges such as traffic jams, limited public transportation services, and environmental pollution still require significant efforts to meet the growing demands of the Vietnamese urban population.

The share of rural population in Laos saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 61.75 percent. But still, the share reached its lowest value of the observation period in 2023. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and urban population. National statistical offices may have their own definition of people living in rural areas.Find more key insights for the share of rural population in countries like Brunei and Thailand.

The share of rural population in Myanmar saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 67.89 percent. But still, the share reached its lowest value of the observation period in 2023. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between the total population and urban population.Find more key insights for the share of rural population in countries like Thailand and Brunei.

In 2023, the average monthly income per household in Thailand was highest in Bangkok and the greater Bangkok area, which amounted to approximately 39,100 Thai baht. In that year, the average monthly income per household across Thailand was over 29,000 Thai baht. Bangkok is the main urban hub in Thailand, with the highest population density compared to other regions in the country.  Income inequality and the migration of workers within the country Income inequality in Thailand is among the highest in Southeast Asia, and particularly high in northeast Thailand. As a result of this factor, people are constantly moving to Bangkok and its vicinity, as well as the Eastern Region with its industries, for better job opportunities and higher wages. In 2023, the number of registered domestic migrations in the country amounted to almost three million. Despite the inequality of income in the country, Thailand has almost no unemployment at all. The employment rate in Thailand has remained steady in the past decade, with less than one percent of the total population unemployed. Monthly household expenses in Thailand In recent years the disposable incomes of many Thai households have taken a hit. In 2023, the average monthly expenditure per household in Thailand was around 26,700 Thai baht per month. The monthly household expenditure varies across different regions, with Bangkok and the greater Bangkok area generally having higher expenses compared to other regions in the country. The largest portion of household expenditures are mainly used for food, followed by housing, transportation, and personal expenses. At the same time, Thailand’s household debt has been increasing constantly, reaching more than 16 trillion Thai baht in 2023.

The share of rural population in Malaysia decreased to 21.28 percent compared to the previous year. Therefore, the share in Malaysia saw its lowest number in that year with 21.28 percent. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between the total population and urban population.Find more key insights for the share of rural population in countries like Thailand and Indonesia.

Among countries with the highest number of overseas Chinese on each continent, the largest Chinese diaspora community is living in Indonesia, numbering more than ten million people. Most of these people are descendants from migrants born in China, who have moved to Indonesia a long time ago. On the contrary, a large part of overseas Chinese living in Canada and Australia have arrived in these countries only during the last two decades. China as an emigration country Many Chinese people have emigrated from their home country in search of better living conditions and educational chances. The increasing number of Chinese emigrants has benefited from loosened migration policies. On the one hand, the attitude of the Chinese government towards emigration has changed significantly. Overseas Chinese are considered to be strong supporters for the overall strength of Chinese culture and international influence. On the other hand, migration policies in the United States and Canada are changing with time, expanding migration opportunities for non-European immigrants. As a result, China has become one of the world’s largest emigration countries as well as the country with the highest outflows of high net worth individuals. However, the mass emigration is causing a severe loss of homegrown talents and assets. The problem of talent and wealth outflow has raised pressing questions to the Chinese government, and a solution to this issue is yet to be determined. Popular destinations among Chinese emigrants Over the last decades, English speaking developed countries have been popular destinations for Chinese emigrants. In 2022 alone, the number of people from China naturalized as U.S. citizens had amounted to over 27,000 people, while nearly 68,000 had obtained legal permanent resident status as “green card” recipients. Among other popular immigration destinations for Chinese riches are Canada, Australia, Europe, and Singapore.

Which county has the most Facebook users? There are more than 378 million Facebook users in India alone, making it the leading country in terms of Facebook audience size. To put this into context, if India’s Facebook audience were a country then it would be ranked third in terms of largest population worldwide. Apart from India, there are several other markets with more than 100 million Facebook users each: The United States, Indonesia, and Brazil with 193.8 million, 119.05 million, and 112.55 million Facebook users respectively. Facebook – the most used social media Meta, the company that was previously called Facebook, owns four of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram. As of the third quarter of 2021, there were around 3,5 billion cumulative monthly users of the company’s products worldwide. With around 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the most popular social media worldwide. With an audience of this scale, it is no surprise that the vast majority of Facebook’s revenue is generated through advertising. Facebook usage by device As of July 2021, it was found that 98.5 percent of active users accessed their Facebook account from mobile devices. In fact, almost 81.8 percent of Facebook audiences worldwide access the platform only via mobile phone. Facebook is not only available through mobile browser as the company has published several mobile apps for users to access their products and services. As of the third quarter 2021, the four core Meta products were leading the ranking of most downloaded mobile apps worldwide, with WhatsApp amassing approximately six billion downloads.