Buddhism is the majority religion in Thailand and the most prevalent tradition is Theravada Buddhism. Thailand has the second-largest number of Buddhists in the world after China. Thai law officially recognizes five religious groups: Buddhists, Muslims, Brahmin-Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians.

According to the census report, 93.46% of the population self-identified as Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims constitute the second largest religious group in Thailand, comprising 5.37% of the population. Islam is concentrated mostly in the country’s southernmost provinces: Pattani, Yala, Satun, Narathiwat, and part of Songkhla Chumphon, which are predominantly Malay, most of whom are Sunni Muslims.

Christians made up 1.13% of the population, with the remaining population consisting of Hindus and Sikhs, who live mostly in the country’s cities. There is also a small but historically significant Jewish community in Thailand dating back to the 17th century.

Thailand Religion Percentage (2018)

Projected Religious Demographics of Thailand (2010-2050)

Thailand’s religious demographics have remained largely stable, with Buddhism as the dominant faith. According to estimates from the Pew Research Center’s “Religious Composition of 198 Countries and Territories (2010-2050)”, Buddhism accounted for 92.6% of the population in 2010, with a slight decline to 90.1% projected by 2050. Islam, the second-largest religion, is expected to grow from 6.0% in 2010 to 8.3% by 2050. Christianity remains a small minority, increasing marginally to 1.1%. Other religious groups collectively make up less than 1% of the population throughout the period.

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