BANGKOK, THAILAND – Preliminary results from Thailand’s 2025 census showed a population of 70.3 million, record-low growth and much smaller households, pointing to a profound demographic shift.
Population Growth at Historic Low
The National Statistical Office (NSO) reported that, as of 1 April 2025, the resident population stood at 70.3 million people in 26.3 million households. The annual growth rate fell to 0.42 percent, the lowest level since national censuses began.
According to the agency, the total population still increased, but the number of annual births declined sharply. The NSO stated that the country had become a “complete-aged society”, in which older people were gaining weight relative to children and those of working age.
Digital-First Census Marks Turning Point
Dr. Ekapong Rimcharone, director-general of the National Statistical Office, said the 2025 census was the country’s 12th population census and 6th housing census, and also a turning point in data collection. Under the “Digital First Approach”, residents were encouraged to submit their information primarily online via the NSO web application, the state portal and other government apps.
Both Thai nationals and foreign residents were counted according to their actual place of residence, regardless of the registration system.
“Statistical data are more than mere numbers, but ‘evidence for action’,”
said the NSO, describing them as a basis for decisions in the economy, labour, urban development, housing and health.
Smaller Households and Changing Living Patterns
The figures showed a marked shift in household structure, with the average household size dropping to 2.5 people. Around 45 years earlier, households had on average about six members.
Single-person households and life in condominiums continued to rise. In the NSO’s view, this underlined the need for urban planning and infrastructure that matched the real population structure, particularly through Universal Design that took account of older people and all age groups.
Rising Pressure on Work, Health and Welfare
With an ageing society, demands on the labour market, social systems and healthcare increased. The NSO pointed out that declining numbers of children and working-age people required new concepts for organising work, pensions and long-term care.
Among the pressing priorities, the agency listed the promotion of healthy ageing, options to keep older people in employment for longer, and the adaptation of infrastructure and housing to an older population. According to the NSO, the census results were expected to guide debates on raising the retirement age, planning age-appropriate housing and transport systems, and securing the workforce and population over the long term.
Data to Steer Long-Term Policy
The statistics office saw the new data as a central foundation for policies based on evidence from the state, private sector and academia. It said this approach was intended to support a stable, balanced and sustainable development of the country.
The NSO added that the 2025 census outcomes would shape decisions across labour policy and urban planning, as Thailand officially entered the phase of full ageing with fewer children, smaller households and very low population growth.