Myanmar’s Migrants in Thailand: ‘A Massive Consumer Group’
Myanmar nationals in Thailand are becoming a major consumer force, with annual spending power exceeding 221 billion baht.
The 4.1 million Myanmar nationals living in Thailand are rapidly emerging as a major consumer group, with estimated annual purchasing power of more than 221 billion baht, or US$6.77 billion, according to a new market intelligence report by consultancy Happio.
The report, The Myanmar Market in Thailand 2026: Surpassing 221 Billion Baht, was published on May 23. It describes Myanmar migrants in Thailand as “a vital engine of domestic purchasing power,” Happio Co., Ltd. chief executive Natee Jarayabhand told Thai media outlet The Nation.
Myanmar nationals in Thailand account for the equivalent of 6.5 percent of the country’s population and 8.2 percent of its workforce, according to the report. Happio estimates that 65 percent of their spending flows directly into Thai businesses and local communities.
Food and beverages are the largest single beneficiary, accounting for 17.4 percent of total consumer spending, followed by accommodation at 13.8 percent, transport at 8 percent, and personal care at 4.4 percent.
“Far too many Thai brands remain shackled to legacy stereotypes, viewing this demographic solely through the lens of industrial labour,” Natee said. “In reality, we are witnessing the rise of a highly aspirational generation of entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and upwardly mobile families spending heavily to elevate their living standards. The commercial spoils will go to first-movers who decode this audience.”
The findings point to a fast-growing market segment that Thai companies have long underestimated, positioning Myanmar consumers as an increasingly important force in the country’s domestic economy.
