POPULATION
The population of Thailand is now 61.5 million, about 10 million of whom live in the capital city of Bangkok. Thais form the majority, though the area has historically been a migratory crossroads, and thus strains of Mon, Khmer, Burmese, Lao, Malay, Indian and most strongly, Chinese stock produce a degree of ethnic diversity. Integration is such, however, that culturally and socially there is enormous unity.
The largest ethnic minority is the Chinese and other ethnic groups include Malays, Cambodians, Vietnamese, and Indians. According to estimates of United Nations Population Information Network, the population of Thailand would be about 74 million in the year 2050. Approximately 68% of the population lives in rural areas and the majority are farmers with incomes reliant upon subsistence agriculture. Rapid change has had a disruptive effect on social structures. Urban migration to Bangkok, the capital city, has led to serious problems of congestion, land shortage, and water and air pollution. Although a period of fast economic and social transformation has improved the quality of life, there is now evidence that the income inequalities both within and between regions and between rich and poor groups are widening. The replacement of the extended family by the nuclear family has weakened the sense of community and traditional forms of co- operation and safety nets, increasing the vulnerability of disadvantaged groups. Drug addiction and crime are on the increase.