📜 A long story
Thailand, 1800 → today
Thailand grew from 3 million in 1800 to 71.7 million; a newborn can expect 36.1 more years of life than in 1937, and output per person is 18× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 3 million people lived in Thailand.
1900
7.41 million people.
2.5× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1875.
1950
20.4 million people.
2.8× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1938.
2023
71.7 million people, the latest year in this series.
3.5× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1964.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 1997.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1937
In 1937, a newborn in Thailand could expect to live 40.3 years, on average.
2023
76.4 years, the latest year in this series.
+36 years since 1937
Passed 50 years in 1959.
Passed 60 years in 1976.
Passed 70 years in 1997.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Thailand produced about Int$909 per person, in 2011 prices.
1950
Int$1,300.
1.4× the 1820 level
2022
Int$16,400, the latest year in this series.
13× the 1950 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1962.
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 1984.
Reached 10 times the 1820 level in 1994.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 14% between 1996 and 1998 (Int$10,500 → Int$9,080).
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1931
In 1931, fossil fuels and industry in Thailand emitted about 0.0023 t of CO₂ per person.
2024
3.7 t, the latest year in this series.
1,655× the 1931 level
Reached twice the 1931 level, reached 5 times the 1931 level, reached 10 times the 1931 level, reached 20 times the 1931 level in 1950.
Reached 50 times the 1931 level in 1957.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 77% between 1940 and 1944 (0.0037 t → 0.00083 t).
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Thailand had spent 0.01 years in school, on average.
1900
0.04 years.
about the same as 1870
1950
2.2 years.
+2.1 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1950.
2015
8.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.6 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1985.
Passed 6 years in 2000.
Passed 8 years in 2010.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).