Provinces with the most and least number of poor people
The number of “targeted poor” in Thailand has risen to 1,025,782 people in 2022, up by 42,466 persons since 2019, according to findings published by the Thai People Map and Analytics Platform (TPMAP).
“Targeted poor” refers to those who are registered as state-welfare cardholders and prioritised for assistance by the government.
The platform said it had based its estimates on data collected from 36.1 million people who are registered with the Community Development Department. The data found 3.4 million people classified as poor as per the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
It then cross-referenced this group with those who have registered as state-welfare cardholders and eventually arrived at 1,025,782 as the number of “targeted poor”.
The MPI uses five key indicators to measure the level of poverty: health, living conditions, education, income, and access to government service.
The TPMAP also listed 10 provinces that have the highest number of poor people in Thailand:
1. Chiang Mai – 52,928 poor people, or 5.36 per cent of the province’s population
2. Buriram – 45,356, or 4.41 per cent
3. Chiang Rai – 42,140, or 5.42 per cent
4. Nakhon Si Thammarat – 36,941, or 4.3 per cent
5. Udon Thani – 36,931, or 3.7 per cent
6. Nan – 35,949, or 10.97 per cent
7. Phetchabun – 35,548, or 5 per cent
8. Nakhon Ratchasima – 32,144, or 1.87 per cent
9. Chaiyaphum – 29,845, or 3.64 per cent
10. Si Sa Ket - 28,892, or 3.08 per cent
The provinces with the least number of poor people:
1. Trat – 706 poor people, or 0.58 per cent of the province’s population
2. Samut Songkhram – 920, or 0.75 per cent
3. Nakhon Pathom – 1,493, or 0.3 per cent
4. Nakhon Nayok – 2,110, or 1.29 per cent
5. Uthai Thani – 2,217, or 1.04 per cent
6. Ranong – 2,427, or 2.07 per cent
7. Amnat Charoen – 2,473, or 1.03 per cent
8. Chonburi – 2,706, or 0.51 per cent
9. Singburi – 2,711, or 2.02 per cent
10. Rayong – 2,833, or 0.78 per cent
