
BANGKOK — Thailand’s population declined by 100,000 in 2024 to 65.95 million, marking a historic demographic shift as annual births fell below 500,000 for the first time since 1949, despite government efforts to promote childbearing through the “Having Children for the Nation” campaign.
According to data released by the Department of Provincial Administration on January 8, 2025, Thailand’s total population stands at 65,951,210, with 64,953,661 Thai nationals and 997,549 non-Thai residents. Bangkok remains the most populous area with 5,455,020 residents.
The country recorded 462,240 births against 571,646 deaths in 2024, continuing a four-year trend where deaths outnumber births. The marriage registry showed 263,087 new couples, while 147,621 couples divorced during the same period.

Associate Professor Dr. Chalermpol Chamchan, Director of Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research, highlighted the severity of the situation in a January 15 press conference. “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 dropped to 1.0, lower than Japan’s 1.2, placing it among ultra-low fertility countries like South Korea and Singapore. Demographic projections suggest the population could shrink to 40 million within 50 years, effectively losing 25 million people – approximately one million every two years.

The workforce impact could be severe, with the current 37.2 million workers potentially declining to 22.8 million over the next five decades. A recent survey of over 1,000 Thais aged 28 and above revealed that 71% view the low birth rate as a national crisis, while only 35.8% of those capable of having children 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%.”
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