Thailand

Thailand is a nation in mainland Southeast Asia, officially the Kingdom of Thailand. In international statistical reporting, it carries UN M49 code 764, ISO alpha-2 code TH, and ISO alpha-3 code THA. The UN groups Thailand under the region Asia and the subregion South-eastern Asia. Thailand is a United Nations member state. The World Bank lists Bangkok as its seat of government. These identifiers are stable and come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview and the World Bank country API, not from political or territorial claims.

This article treats Thailand as a named entry for cross-nation comparison. It separates stable reporting labels from the constantly changing numbers that describe its people, economy, and society. Every figure below carries a source and a reference year because official statistics are snapshots, not permanent facts.

Stable identifiers and how to use them

Thailand is a UN member state in South-eastern Asia. Its UN M49 code is 764; its ISO alpha-2 code is TH; its ISO alpha-3 code is THA. The UN M49 overview is the authoritative reference for regional and subregional grouping. Note that UN M49 is a statistical geography, not a political or territorial claim. It groups nations for data consistency and does not settle sovereignty or border questions.

The World Bank capital field lists Bangkok as the seat of government. For current administrative, economic, and social indicators, the World Bank country API is the most direct primary source. It returns a JSON record for Thailand under ISO code TH, including the region, income level, and lending category. Use the API’s metadata fields to see the reference year for each indicator; do not treat any figure as current without checking its date.

These identifiers are structural and change rarely. The UN M49 overview at explains the classification system and notes that regional groupings are for statistical convenience and do not imply any political or territorial affiliation. Always distinguish between a statistical grouping and a political or territorial claim.

Quick-reference identifiers

• UN M49 code: 764
• ISO alpha-2: TH
• ISO alpha-3: THA
• UN region: Asia
• UN subregion: South-eastern Asia
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Bangkok

These labels are maintained by the UN Statistics Division and ISO, respectively; they do not express a political or territorial position.

How to verify current population figures

Population numbers change every year and are never a single fixed fact. The United Nations publishes estimates and projections in the World Population Prospects, typically updated every two years. The World Bank also publishes estimates using UN data. For the most recent figure, check the World Bank country page or the UN Population Division directly. Always note the reference year and the data source. A census count is not the same as an estimate: censuses occur roughly every ten years and may miss rural or mobile communities; estimates are projections between censuses. For Thailand, the most recent census was conducted in 2010, and the next full census is planned for 2025-2026. The national statistical office, the National Statistical Office of Thailand, is the primary source for census and survey data; the UN Population Division provides internationally comparable estimates.

Distinguishing census counts from estimates

Population figures are estimates between censuses, not exact counts. The UN World Population Prospects publishes annual estimates and medium-variant projections; the most recent full revision is dated 2024. The World Bank’s population series (SP.POP.TOTL) draws from the same UN estimates and updates each year, usually in mid-year. For Thailand, the official census was conducted in 2010 and the next full census was planned for 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic; the National Statistical Office of Thailand publishes revised estimates and intercensal updates. Always note the reference year when you quote a figure. For example, the World Bank database reports a 2023 estimate for Thailand of roughly 71.7 million residents; that figure is an estimate, not a census count, and it will change when the next census or revision is released.

How to verify current economic and social data

Official statistics change every year, sometimes every month. The quickest way to get the current official figures for Thailand is the World Bank country API:

That call returns the country name, ISO code, capital city, region, income level, and lending category as of the World Bank’s latest update. For a fuller set of indicators (population, GDP, life expectancy, internet penetration), use the World Bank’s country page for Thailand and note the reference year printed next to each indicator. The World Bank and UN data are usually one to two years behind the calendar year because collection and validation take time.

For the UN M49 classification, use the UN Statistics Division overview:

That page is the authoritative source for Thailand’s region and subregion codes. The World Bank country API returns the capital and regional classification used by the World Bank:

Choosing the right source for each question

Volatile figures change every year, sometimes every month. Use the named primary source for each statistic, and record the reference year whenever you quote a number. For population, the UN World Population Prospects is the standard demographic source; for economic aggregates, the World Bank and IMF publish annual datasets with clearly documented methodology. The World Bank’s country API returns the official country code, region, and capital field, but it does not provide real-time population or currency data. For current exchange rates, consult a central bank or a financial data provider; for visa rules, consult your own foreign ministry or the IATA Travel Centre. For health-related travel advice, consult the WHO country pages and your government’s travel advisory service. None of these sources should be treated as a single, permanent truth: each figure has a reference year, a collection method, and a margin of error.