How Many Expats In Thailand?

[JML]

Does anybody out there have any information, or an informed guess, as to how many expats are living in Thailand? I think it would be very difficult to track the exact number, as many are here on tourist visas. But any informed guesses would be great, or any dredged up stats. Especially the number living here in BKK.

I did notice that this forum alone has 14,077 regestered users, some of which don't live in Thailand. But I would hate to start using that as a base figure to start adding and subtracting from.

Thanks!

[Jockstar]

Thers alot. Heaps more than is on here. I'm sure this has been asked before. Try doing a search.

[JML]

Naturally, I did do a search before I asked the question. I not only searched this site beforehand, but I searched the Thailand cencus information (foolish, I know), work status information, tourism stats, etc. Thought maybe some of the long timers here might have a clue.

I was a little perturbed that the assumption was made that I did not do a search first, so I searched again. I found out two things:

1) thaivisa.com seems to have two different search engines ... one using the google engine, one using a search engine with the same gui as thaivisa.com. The frist time I searched, I got the google engine, with no results. When I searched again, I seemed to access the gui interface engine, which had results far closer to what I was looking for.

2) nobody knows, nobody seems to care

[ProfessorFart]

Define 'expat'

Its a term open to a variety of interpretations.

[Totster]

Define 'expat'

Its a term open to a variety of interpretations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Someone whose name used to be " Pat "...?

totster

[ProfessorFart]

LOL Totster!!

But seriously, the term was applied to someone who was sent to work overseas by a company in their own country.

Over the years its been stretched and stretched and now is applied (particularly in Thailand) to anyone who seems to be around for a few months of the year.

I know several lads who spend 3-4 months a year in Thailand and call themselves expats while they're there. The only reason I can see that they do this for is to seperate themselves from 'tourists'

[JML]

BTW, totster, that avatar has to be the ###### funniest one around. Hours of entertainment.

I would classify an expat as a person who plans on living in a foreign country for at least a year. In Thailand, I would also say a non-SE Asian as well. A 3 month trip is either a work assignment or an extended vacation. A non-Thai passport holder. Some are more legal than others, but I would say intention is more important than legal status.

I think I am starting to put the range around 400,000 - 500,000. Not just the Europeans and Americans, but including the Indians, Pakistani, Middle Easterns, Africans, etc.

[IamMaiC]

Define 'expat'

Its a term open to a variety of interpretations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Someone whose name used to be " Pat "...?

totster

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HA!!!!!!

[Explorer]

An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence.

[jackr]

325,269

[ProfessorFart]

An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence.

So would you say a backpacker on a 6 month Ko Pha Ngan stoner is an expat?

Sometimes you'd think that being to be able to call yourself an expat is the most important thing in the world to some people. I've heard people arguing passionately on more than one occasion over whether they're an expat or not!!!

[Explorer]

An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence.

So would you say a backpacker on a 6 month Ko Pha Ngan stoner is an expat?

Sometimes you'd think that being to be able to call yourself an expat is the most important thing in the world to some people. I've heard people arguing passionately on more than one occasion over whether they're an expat or not!!!

I think i would prefer totster definition of Expat better than the one i found in the dictionary (and posted earlier)

Explorer

[Ken]

Does anybody out there have any information, or an informed guess, as to how many expats are living in Thailand?  I think it would be very difficult to track the exact number, as many are here on tourist visas.  But any informed guesses would be great, or any dredged up stats.  Especially the number living here in BKK. 

I did notice that this forum alone has 14,077 regestered users, some of which don't live in Thailand.  But I would hate to start using that as a base figure to start adding and subtracting from. 

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nope, no idea. And the term "expat" is subject to a number of interpretations. So I would ask what is your definition of expat. and then I would try doing some google searches because I don't see how this forum could possibly have any real idea.

So, I think nobody knows here, but an informed guess, Nope still don't know.

[aqua4]

Well this is true. There are different forms of "expats".

We have expats and sexpats. The expats like the term so that they do not get confused with tourists and sexpats. Its like a status thing.

[Abandon]

I havn't been to Thailand yet, so that makes me a prepat.