{"id":24811,"date":"2026-05-26T14:27:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T06:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mekongmigration.org\/?p=24811"},"modified":"2026-05-28T14:28:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:28:13","slug":"myanmar-migrants-in-thailand-emerge-as-us6-7-billion-consumer-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mekongmigration.org\/?p=24811","title":{"rendered":"Myanmar migrants in Thailand emerge as US$6.7 billion consumer market"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over 4 million Myanmar people residing in Thailand have quietly evolved into \u201ca massive consumer group\u201d with a purchasing power of over 221 billion baht (US$6.77 billion) annually, according to research published by consultancy firm Happio on May 23.<\/p>\n

According to the report, there are 4.1 million Myanmar people in Thailand, which is equivalent to 6.5 percent of Thailand\u2019s population and represents 8.2 percent of the Thai workforce. They directly inject 65 percent of their expenditure into Thai businesses and local communities, Happio said.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, the Myanmar consumer market in Thailand is no longer a niche, fringe sector; it is a vital engine of domestic purchasing power,\u201d Natee Jarayabhand, chief executive officer of Happio Co., Ltd., told Thai media outlet The Nation.<\/p>\n

The firm divided Myanmar people living in Thailand into three segments: skilled blue-collar workers, who make up the largest group; \u201clight blue-collar\u201d employees comprising long-term residents with advanced job skills; and white-collar employees and students, a rapidly expanding educated segment including some 15,242 Myanmar nationals currently pursuing university degrees in Thailand.<\/p>\n

Natee noted that \u201cFar too many Thai brands remain shackled to legacy stereotypes, viewing this demographic solely through the lens of industrial labor. 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the report, food and beverages account for 17.4 percent of Myanmar people\u2019s spending, housing and utilities for 13.8 percent, and clothing and personal items for 4.6 percent.<\/p>\n

The consultancy firm claimed the Myanmar demographic was now a sophisticated consumer segment with \u201cextraordinary growth potential.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based on spending statistics, the report identifies five industries likely to benefit most from Myanmar migrants\u2019 spending: food and beverages; housing; digital and financial services; healthcare; and retail products.<\/p>\n

\u201cBusinesses that understand and cater to this community can tap into significant growth opportunities,\u201d Happio said, estimating the value of this market at 221.2 billion baht annually.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.irrawaddy.com\/business\/myanmar-migrants-in-thailand-emerge-as-6-7-billion-consumer-market.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over 4 million Myanmar people residing in Thailand have quietly evolved into \u201ca massive consumer group\u201d with a purchasing power of over 221 billion baht (US$6.77 billion) annually, according to research published by consultancy firm Happio on May 23. According to the report, there are 4.1 million Myanmar people in Thailand, which is equivalent to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-myanmar","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nMyanmar migrants in Thailand emerge as US$6.7 billion consumer market < Mekong Migration Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mekongmigration.org\/?p=24811\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Myanmar migrants in Thailand emerge as US$6.7 billion consumer market < Mekong Migration Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Over 4 million Myanmar people residing in Thailand have quietly evolved into \u201ca massive consumer group\u201d with a purchasing power of over 221 billion baht (US$6.77 billion) annually, according to research published by consultancy firm Happio on May 23. 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