Refugees by country of asylum in Thailand
Thailand: Refugees by country of asylum was 84,421 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Refugees by country of asylum in Thailand, 1975–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in Thailand is 84,421 people, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 35.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Thailand peaked at 261,360 people in 1980 and was at its lowest, 63,625 people, in 1992.
Thailand ranks 55th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Refugees by country of asylum in Thailand, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 75,760 people | — |
| 1976 | 82,870 people | +9.4% |
| 1977 | 97,600 people | +17.8% |
| 1978 | 138,950 people | +42.4% |
| 1979 | 151,620 people | +9.1% |
| 1980 | 261,360 people | +72.4% |
| 1981 | 192,990 people | -26.2% |
| 1982 | 168,980 people | -12.4% |
| 1983 | 144,320 people | -14.6% |
| 1984 | 128,500 people | -11.0% |
| 1985 | 130,420 people | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 119,920 people | -8.1% |
| 1987 | 112,740 people | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 107,799 people | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 99,935 people | -7.3% |
| 1990 | 99,821 people | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 88,164 people | -11.7% |
| 1992 | 63,625 people | -27.8% |
| 1993 | 119,232 people | +87.4% |
| 1994 | 100,817 people | -15.4% |
| 1995 | 106,565 people | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 107,962 people | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 169,154 people | +56.7% |
| 1998 | 138,334 people | -18.2% |
| 1999 | 100,133 people | -27.6% |
| 2000 | 104,966 people | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 110,711 people | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 112,614 people | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 119,056 people | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 121,145 people | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 117,050 people | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 133,107 people | +13.7% |
| 2007 | 125,627 people | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 112,916 people | -10.1% |
| 2009 | 105,286 people | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 96,666 people | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 89,245 people | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 84,475 people | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 136,489 people | +61.6% |
| 2014 | 130,227 people | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 108,252 people | -16.9% |
| 2016 | 106,431 people | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 104,605 people | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 102,234 people | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 97,556 people | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 96,179 people | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 100,510 people | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 94,472 people | -6.0% |
| 2023 | 87,314 people | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 84,421 people | -3.3% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 84,421 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,251 people, 13.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 84,421 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.5 people, 1639.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Thailand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +87.4% | 63,625 people | 119,232 people |
| 1980 | +72.4% | 151,620 people | 261,360 people |
| 2013 | +61.6% | 84,475 people | 136,489 people |
| 1997 | +56.7% | 107,962 people | 169,154 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 109,360 people | 75,760 people | 151,620 people | 5 |
| 1980s | 146,696 people | 99,935 people | 261,360 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 109,381 people | 63,625 people | 169,154 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 116,248 people | 104,966 people | 133,107 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 105,618 people | 84,475 people | 136,489 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 92,579 people | 84,421 people | 100,510 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More reference data data for Thailand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 65.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.92 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Thailand?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Thailand was 84,421 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 261,360 people in 1980.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 63,625 people in 1992.
- How does Thailand rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Thailand ranks 55th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.