Thai Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Thailand is a kingdom in the heart of South-East Asia, known for its temples, beaches, food and warm welcome. Thai people in Birmingham include families, students, professionals and people who married and settled in the city, and many have lived here for decades.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 462 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Thai; and 266 residents gave Thai as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still.

Working for Birmingham

Thai restaurants are one of the most popular parts of Birmingham's food scene, and many are run by Thai families. Members of the community also work in healthcare, hospitality, wellbeing and business, and Thai students study at the city's universities before building careers in Britain or at home.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Thai community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Songkran, the Thai New Year in April, is celebrated with water fights, blessings and visits to the temple, and Loy Krathong in autumn sees candles floated on water. Green curry, pad thai and tom yum are favourites across the city, and Thai Buddhist traditions offer a calm place for reflection.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Thai community adds another voice to the conversation. Its members, old and new, are helping to make Birmingham the confident, outward-looking city it wants to be.