Thais in the United Kingdom

There are many Thai organisations and associations located across the United Kingdom. One of the most notable Thai British associations is Samaggi Samagom, set up in 1901 by King Rama VI of Thailand. Its main aim was to unite and reinforce harmonious relationships amongst Thai people in the United Kingdom by organising various events and activities. Over a century later, Samaggi Samagom represents close to 40,000 Thais in the UK and still arranges events that are seen as extremely important dates in the Thai British calendar.[8]

The Amaravati Thai Buddhist Monastery in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

Dhamma Hall at Aruna Ratanagiri, another place of worship for the Thai British community

There are a large number of Thai temples in the UK with the oldest and most famous being the Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon, London, which is home to monks and nuns, but welcomes visitors of any faith to view the grounds and temple as long as they are respectful. In 2004, Wat Charoenbhavana in Manchester became the first Thai temple to be established in the region. Also Amaravati Buddhist Monastery is a monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition of the Theravada lineage of Buddhism, it can be found in Hemel Hempstead. Other examples of such Thai monasteries in the UK include Chithurst Buddhist Monastery in Chithurst, West Sussex and Aruna Ratanagiri in Northumberland. Despite not being British himself, Luang Por Chah is an important figure for the Thai Buddhist community in the UK.[7]

The Samaggi Games are an annual event for Thai students in the UK, normally attracting around 1,000 participants. Normally held in February or March each year, it is one of the most popular events organised by Samaggi Samagom (the Thai Student Association in the UK). The games have always been held at a university, and include such sports as football, basketball, tennis, badminton, table tennis, squash, chairball and some traditional Thai games such as Thai chess. Notable Britons of Thai origin in general sport include the professional football players Tom Ramasut and Jamie Waite. Former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra is known in the UK for his involvement with Manchester City Football Club, as well as his attempt to gain British citizenship.[8] Leicester City Football Club is currently owned by Thai businessman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha who took over from his father Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.[9][10]

Between 2003 and 2006, over half of all Thais to enter the UK (regardless of how long they intended to stay in the country) were students. The UK is a popular destination for Thai expatriate students with the most popular subjects areas being the English language, Master's degree courses and PhD courses.[7] Thais are a well-educated group of immigrants in the UK, and according to the 2001 Census, 39 per cent of Thai-born Londoners had higher level qualifications, compared to the city's 31 per cent average.

According to research by the Runnymede Trust, many Thai immigrants to the UK wish their children to be bilingual in Thai and English, but opportunities to learn Thai are limited. Other than private tutoring, a number of institutions across the country offer Thai language classes, including Wat Buddhapadipa, the Bournemouth Thai School, the Brasshouse Language Centre and the School of Oriental and African Studies. English language classes have proved extremely popular with first-generation Thai immigrants.[7] Besides the nationwide Samaggi Samagom Thai students society, there are also regional Thai Student Associations.

According to the 2001 UK Census, Thai-born Londoners were most likely to be working in industries such as hotels and restaurants (40.8%, which is much, much higher than the capital's average of 4.6% of the population working in this industry), wholesale and retail (13.0%) as well as real estate and renting (11.8%).[7] There are estimated to be almost 2,000 Thai restaurants in the UK owned primarily by Thai immigrants. Despite their success in many professions, discrimination is seen by many Thais in the UK as a reason for limiting where they are employed. Many Thai women find themselves caught up in human trafficking, with 20 out of the 33 London boroughs reporting numerous female Thai sex workers. The Home Office suggests that Thailand is one of the most likely countries of origin for women trafficked into the UK for sex work. Employment statistics for second and third generation Thai British people are not known, although it is thought they are becoming much more integrated into British society than their parents.[7]