The history of Pakistanis in Thailand is based much before the

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

when hundreds of people from regions of current-day

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

left for Thailand, then known as

Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...

. Most are concentrated in and around areas of

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

. Along with Indians, they are part of the much larger South Asian community in the country.

Occupations

The occupations of Pakistani expatriates vary from white-collar to blue-collar labour. Pakistanis form one of the larger communities of Muslims in Thailand. There are several hundred Pakistani international students at the

Asian Institute of Technology The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), founded in 1959, is an Intergovernmental organization, international organization for higher education situated 40km north of Bangkok, Thailand. It specializes in engineering, technology, advanced technol ...

in Bangkok; after Thai and Vietnamese students, they consist the third largest group in the university. The movement of Pakistanis throughout the country is common; in 2018, as many as 84,981 Pakistanis visited Thailand.

Organisations and politics

The Thai-Pakistani Friendship Association (TPFA), a government recognised body, based both in Thailand and in Pakistan, represents people of Pakistani origin, whether Thai or Pakistani nationals, throughout Thailand. In March 2010, Pakistanis living in Thailand protested a conference chaired in Bangkok allegedly focusing on the support of Baloch separatism, a conflict which has gripped one of Pakistani's western provinces. The meeting, known as the "Baloch Voice Foundation", provided a podium for foreign-based Baluch activists and separatists from Pakistan to speak on various agendas. The Thai government additionally came under criticism by the community for allowing such a forum to be held. There are currently four MPs and two senators in the

Thai parliament The National Assembly of Thailand ( Abrv: NAT; th, รัฐสภา, , ) is the bicameral legislative branch of the government of Thailand. It convenes in the Sappaya-Sapasathan, Dusit District, Bangkok. The National Assembly was establis ...

who have ancestry from Pakistan.

Crime

In 2010, there were about 102 Pakistanis in

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

jails; the prisoners could not be transferred back to Pakistan because of delay in paperwork by the government. Members of the Pakistani community in Thailand had promised to bear the expenses for the return of the prisoners to the country. It is alleged that there are various Pakistani passport-forging gangs based in Bangkok, some of whom have been cracked down before. According to Thai police, overseas Pakistanis with some of the best techniques in the trade use Thailand as a base for the business. However, the Pakistani embassy in Bangkok has dismissed the claims, alluding the involvement of Indian, Burmese and Nepalese agents in the country.

Popular culture

The Pakistani community of Bangkok is briefly mentioned in the novel ''Fragrance Beyond Borders'' by Indian author Amarendra Naryan. The book focuses on the lives of Indians and Pakistanis in Thailand and the relations between the two countries in general.

Notable people

* Swab Phaoprathan,Thai politician *

Kecha Plianvithee Gacha Plienwithi (, also spelled Kecha Plianvithee; 1 April 1926 – 28 July 2021) was a senior Thai actor, best remembered for playing the godfather in the film ' in 1966. He played villains for most of his acting career. Life Gacha Plienwit ...

,Thai actor *

Napapa Thantrakul Napapa Tantrakul ( th, ณปภา ตันตระกูล; , born 16 July 1986), also known by the nickname Patt and previously by the given name Suleeporn (), is a Thai actress who is active in the entertainment industry since she was 11� ...

,Thai actress * Chada Thaiseth,Thai politician * Mananya Thaiseth,Deputy Agriculture Minister of Thailand

References

{{Ethnic groups in Thailand

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...