Thailand’s 2025 Census: What You Need to Know

[Georgealbert]

Thailand’s 2025 Population and Housing Census officially began on 1 April 2025, with all eligible residents required to take part. Conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the census is a vital process that helps shape national policies on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic planning.

 

The census, usually conducted every ten years, was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s survey will take place in two phases, with data collection running until 19 June 2025.

 

Who Must Complete the Census?

 

The census includes:

 

• Thai citizens residing in Thailand on Census Day – All Thai nationals present in the country on 1 April 2025 must participate.

 

• Thai and non-Thai residents temporarily abroad – Those who usually live in Thailand but are overseas on Census Day will still be counted.

 

• Thai government personnel stationed abroad – This includes military personnel, civil servants, and diplomats, as well as their families.

 

• Foreign residents who have lived in Thailand for at least three months – Non-Thai nationals who have been in Thailand since 1 January 2025 or earlier are also required to participate.

 

Who is Exempt from the Census?

 

Certain groups are not required to take part in the census, including:

• Foreign diplomats, military personnel, and civil servants based in Thailand, along with their families.

 

• Short-term foreign residents and tourists who have been in Thailand for less than three months prior to 1 April 2025.

 

• Refugees and undocumented migrants living in refugee camps, who are not included in the census data collection.

 

How Will the Census Be Conducted?

 

The census will take place in two phases, offering both online and in-person data collection:

 

Phase 1: Online Data Collection (1–20 April 2025)

 

During this period, residents can submit their information online through:

 

• The NSO website (here)

 

• The ‘Tang Rat’ application (available on Google Play and the App Store, but in Thai language only)

 

The online survey will be available in seven languages:

 

• Thai, English, Vietnamese, Burmese (Myanmar), Laotian, Cambodian, and Chinese

 

Participants can switch languages by selecting the option in the top-right corner of the website.

 

A family representative can fill out the form for an entire household, meaning individual household members do not need to submit separate entries.

 

Importantly, no sensitive personal data will be collected. The survey will not ask for ID numbers (passport or Thai ID), bank details, or income information. Instead, it will focus on:

 

• Household location

• Type of household and residence

• Number of people in the household

 

Phase 2: In-Person Data Collection (21 April – 19 June 2025)

 

For those who do not complete the survey online, census officials and volunteers will visit households in person.

 

The NSO has confirmed that census teams may include English-speaking volunteers, particularly in areas with large foreign communities, such as Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.

 

Why Is the Census Important?

 

The census provides crucial data to support national development. Information collected will be categorised into:

 

• Population count

• Household numbers

• Types of buildings (including houses, shophouses, condominiums, and vacant rental properties)

 

Accurate census data allows the government to plan better public services, ensuring appropriate resources are allocated to education, healthcare, transport, and housing.

 

What Happens Next?

 

Once the census is completed, the NSO will analyse the data and publish its findings, which will guide long-term policy decisions.

 

-- 2025-04-04

 

[Crossy]

For clarity this is the online census form, it expects one form per address, I don't know how it works for condo dwellers, perhaps a member could enlighten us.

 

https://popcensus68.nso.go.th/?set_lang=en

 

and the NBT announcement

 

https://thainews.prd.go.th/nbtworld/news/view/1025516/?bid=1

 

 

[PomPolo]

I'll file this with my tax return in the bin

[Crossy]

There's no escape

 

27 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

For those who do not complete the survey online, census officials and volunteers will visit households in person.

 

It does appear to be a legal obligation under the Statistics Act, B.E. 2550 (2007) , although I don't see any specific penalties for non-compliance.

 

EDIT The act is here for those really, really interested https://thailawforum.com/database1/the-statistics-act.html

 

[KhunBENQ]

Since a few days I got two SMS from "MadeeNSO".

If only one form per household is required I won't care.

[johng]

can we have the other thread about this restored or merged into this one ....I was writing a long reply  but when hit submit reply  the thread had been unceremoniously removed.

[rough diamond]

Since only addresses an not personal data are collected how do they know which occupants of any bulding, of any size have complied? 

I have just had a look at the form and it states;

"Please enter the information of all individuals who actually reside in the household".

I take that to mean that unless you live on your own that only one person per houshold fills in the form.

I shall leave this task to the wife.

[dinsdale]

I went to the official site. All in Thai. Has English language option but doesn't work.

https://www.nso.go.th/nsoweb/main/summano/aE?set_lang=en

[Georgealbert]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I went to the official site. All in Thai. Has English language option but doesn't work.

https://www.nso.go.th/nsoweb/main/summano/aE?set_lang=en

The link to the online form, in English is in the OP. Posted again below.

 

here

[MikeandDow]

4 hours ago, PomPolo said:

I'll file this with my tax return in the bin

same here they can come and knock on the door

[garygooner]

Well if volunteers visited my apartment building I'm sure they could get all the info from the office manager. 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

What is wrong with so many Expats - why are they so negative?  Why not just complete the census online - easy peasy.  Something to hide??  Technically it is a requirement - but that is not why to do it. 

 

When there is a media statement in a 2-3 years saying the Thai Govt does not believe that there are many Expats living in Thailand, the lack of information provided in the Census of 2025 will be basis upon which they do it.  Immigration does not share the detailed numbers of Expats from those doing 90 days and extensions - unless asked for by PM or a Court - and even then it is their 'best guess'. They dont even share their data between the Provinces - there is SFA totalling going on - that would be work and they (Thai Govt workers) just dont care.  They dont know the death toll in that building collapse because they dont have the records of the Expat workers - let alone the illegals (and in this case mostly Myanmar people I would say). 

 

But as the bar girl said to the Priest - complete it or not - it is up to you. 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

9 hours ago, johng said:

can we have the other thread about this restored or merged into this one ....I was writing a long reply  but when hit submit reply  the thread had been unceremoniously removed.

 

Yeh - not impressed myself either. 

 

[Tropicalevo]

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Importantly, no sensitive personal data will be collected. The survey will not ask for ID numbers (passport or Thai ID), bank details, or income information. Instead, it will focus on:

 

But it does ask for DOB.

You can skip that but you have to enter your age.

 

Thailand is moving towards woke.

It asks for your sex and then the last question is asking for the sex that you prefer to be recognised as.

For ladyboys perhaps?

[TroubleandGrumpy]

Wife has a couple of family members who work in the public service in Bangkok - they dont have a clue how many Expats (like us) are living in Thailand. They estimate about 2-3 Million Foreigners - but that includes all  workers (both seniors like Toyota, and building site workers, and those working for a living, and those retired or married - all foreigners). 

 

They literally have no idea how many Expats (Western and Japanese and Korean, etc etc) live in Thailand long term as either retired or married persons.  To find that out would mean adding up the number registered in each Province in one year and then categorising them all into various groups, and the adding that up across every Province in the whole country - that has never happened and probably never will.  And that only gives totals for that one year - they have no idea how many have lived here 1, 2 or 5 or 10+ years. 

 

The best chance for a true picture of Expats living in Thailand is if this Census reports that there are lots of Expats living in Thailand full time and who have been living here for many year - is if Expats do the Census. One question is how long have you lived there - and like I said the Census does not ask for ID or for proof or for any personal info other than name, address (it accepts minimal address details) and the month of birth (for age). 

 

It is a Census and the information is not specific to individuals - it is for obtaining totals of people living in all the locations across the country (you know - for future hospitals, roads, etc etc).  Over time it gives demographical information, and shows the changes from Census to Census - eg. last time 200K lived in XYX province, and now 350K live there.   Thais should do it too - but the majority dont and as always there is no enforcement - so they use averages.  The more Expats that complete it the better - that is all am I saying. 

[Tropicalevo]

6 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

(it accepts minimal address details) and the month of birth (for age). 

I managed to skip the complete DOB but had to enter my age.

[Mutt Daeng]

22 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Since a few days I got two SMS from "MadeeNSO".

If only one form per household is required I won't care.

I also got two SMS from MadeeNSO. I'll wait till they come to the house and our lass can deal with it.

[ColeBOzbourne]

17 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Something to hide??

Always a turn-off when someone pulls the 'something-to-hide' card. My dad used to walk into neighbor's houses without knocking, or when they were not home. He'd go through drawers, closets, snoop around, read mail, sit in their car and search the glove box. It was embarrassing. He always pulled that same card, "It shouldn't be a problem if they have nothing to hide."

[topt]

20 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Technically it is a requirement

 

On 4/4/2025 at 6:18 AM, Crossy said:

It does appear to be a legal obligation

Well if I hadn't decided to look in General (which I only did as looking for a specific topic) I probably would not have known anything about it.

It will be interesting to see if my partner is even aware of it..........

[Upnotover]

On 4/4/2025 at 6:40 AM, KhunBENQ said:

Since a few days I got two SMS from "MadeeNSO".

If only one form per household is required I won't care.

I only got one, at least shows that "blocking" works. 

[Kinnock]

No problem completing it, but surely all this info is already available from the ID card system and the Tabien Baan data, plus the various TM forms?

[Haddo]

where this will be different is they want everyone living in your residence, so that will include (possibly) domestic staff etc, so will be a much truer record than the ID card or tabien baan system. It helps with many things in administration (and down the line possibly in genealogical research!). I've completed mine (in English) but it won't submit though - it seems to say there is something else to be entered but there isn't..... (I've completed the drop-down menus to add more for each person). 

 

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

No problem completing it, but surely all this info is already available from the ID card system and the Tabien Baan data, plus the various TM forms?

From what I understood it's done here on a "village" level.

All completed says the daughter.

Quite unrealistic that the elderly and poorest are even capable to do this online thing.

 

[KannikaP]

On 4/4/2025 at 6:00 AM, Georgealbert said:

family representative can fill out the form for an entire household, meaning individual household members do not need to submit separate entries.

 

Importantly, no sensitive personal data will be collected. The survey will not ask for ID numbers (passport or Thai ID), bank details, or income information. Instead, it will focus on:

 

• Household location

• Type of household and residence

• Number of people in the household

Just asked the Mrs whether she did anything on 1st April regarding this census, where I guess she would have included herself, her daughter, her grandson, and ME, oh yes, and the dog!

She says when the village boss tells her to do something, she will do so. So all in all I do not have to fill anything in, she will include me if needed.

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 4/4/2025 at 6:13 AM, PomPolo said:

I'll file this with my tax return in the bin

I've live here for almost 28 years. I've never sent any info on my address.  We've been in our house since 2005. Maybe the wife filled in the info.

[khunPer]

Just do it, then it's done and you can sleep well...
However, there is one difficult question underway, where it might be important to hit the right answer in the roll down menu...

 

[black tabby12345]

What actually happens if I ignore and skip it?

Will there be someone coming to my door to knock it?

Any penalty for not participating?

[GreasyFingers]

On 4/4/2025 at 6:40 AM, KhunBENQ said:

Since a few days I got two SMS from "MadeeNSO".

If only one form per household is required I won't care.

So did I (in Thai) but my wife said it was a scam

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Just do it, then it's done and you can sleep well...
However, there is one difficult question underway, where it might be important to hit the right answer in the roll down menu...

 

I filled out the form a couple of hours ago. Generally OK, though easy to trip up.

 

I nominated my b/f (40 years younger than me) as Head of Household and I nominated me as 'Wife or Husband'.

 

When I mentioned all this to b/f a few minutes ago he just looked blank. No idea what I was talking about. (And I predict his view when properly explained will be that it should be ignored. None of their f/ing business. Sigh. No wonder this country is a mess. When 3 Immigration guys in uniform rang the bell down at the gate 2 or 3 weeks ago I traipsed down to find out what they wanted. Which was a new photo or 3 of me standing at the gate and beside the letterbox. So I headed back up the drive and put on a shirt, grabbed my p/p and headed back down for the photos. All fine. Anyway, when b/f got home from the family farm I was told how stupid I am to open the gate for complete strangers. I could be dead by now ... Sigh. I'm afraid Surin is not Canberra.)

[topt]

5 hours ago, khunPer said:

Just do it, then it's done and you can sleep well...

Probably the least of any worries I have and it isn't going to make a jot of difference to how I sleep......

10 hours ago, topt said:

It will be interesting to see if my partner is even aware of it..........

No she isn't........