Expats to be Counted in Thai Census

From September 1-30, the National Statistical Office will be conducting a ‘Population Census’ which is a method of counting everyone residing in Thailand, including the expat population.

Every Thai resident must be counted – both citizens and non citizens. The census covers the following:

-Every Thai citizen residing in Thailand on the census date, September 1.

-All Thai government officials and their family members who are on diplomatic posts overseas;

-Foreignes or non-Thais who have lived in Thailand for at least three months by the census date except those with diplomatic posts in Thailand.

-Thais/Non-Thais/Foreigners who have their usual place of residence in Thailand but on the census date of September 1 are temporarily overseas.

The census reference date is September 1. From September 1-30 the National Statistical Office will visit your home for data collection.

-There are four ways to give census information:

-A face to face interview in your home by one of over 70,000 enumerators under the supervision of the National Statistical Office who will be knocking on your door;

-Data entry via internet at http://popcensus.nso.go.th or www.nso.go.th;

-Self-administered questionnaire;

-A telephone interview by calling 1111 then press 6

The Pattaya Times encourages everyone to participate in the ‘Population Census’ as it is an historical event counting everyone who is residing in Thailand. It gives numbers, characteristics, and distribution of the population – how many are men, women, children, foreigners, migrant works, aged people, and handicapped. It also gives information about people’s education, marital status, employment, occupation, migration, and housing status.

The ‘Population Census’ is very useful for policy planning in all levels – national, provincial, district and village. In addition, ‘Population Census’ data is crucial to be used for population projections. The data collected is also used as a sampling frame for the population surveys undertaken during inter-censal years at national and local levels.

Following a recommendation from the United Nations, Thailand is among 228 countries around the world conducting a population census every 10 years. This year, 62 countries will conduct a ‘Population Census’.

This year is also the 100th anniversary of Thailand’s Population Census. The first civil registration and population census in Thailand was in 1910.

The questions that you will be asked in the ‘Population Census’ data collection will be about everyone living in your house regardless of:

-Their legal status of living Thailand;

-Their ability to communicate in Thai language;

-Whether they are registered in the household where they are currently living or not.

Questions about the following details will also be asked: age, sex, nationality, religion, education, spoken language, occupation, place of birth, marital status, number of children  born, number of living & dead children, migration, type and characteristics of household,  sanitation and water supplies and ownership of basic living appliances.

There will be no questions about income and legal status of the residents.

The National Statistical Office also has a duty to ensure that data will be kept confidential and individual’s information will not be disclosed to any government or private agencies.

A census carried out in 2008 revealed that Thailand's population is relatively homogeneous. More than 85 percent speak a dialect of Thai and share a common culture. This core population includes the central Thai (36 percent of the population), Thai-Lao (32 percent), northern Thai (8 percent), and southern Thai (8 percent).

The largest minorities are the Chinese (about 12 percent of the population) and the Malay-speaking Muslims of the south (3 percent). Other groups include the Khmer, the Mon (who are substantially assimilated with the Thai), and the Vietnamese. Smaller, predominantly mountain-dwelling tribes, such as the Hmong, Karen, and Mein, number about 500,000.

Thailand's total population in 2008 was 65,998,436 which is the twentieth highest in the world.

Thailand has an increasingly urban population with 33 percent of total population now living in urban areas. Life expectancy for the total population is 73.1 years with males expected to live  70.77 years and females 75.55 years.

Thailand's population is 94.6% Buddhist, 4.6 per cent Muslim and 0.7 per cent Christian.