Census and the Thai Community

Why is Census important to the Thai community?

The U.S. Census is important to Thai communities in the U.S. for several reasons:

1. The results from U.S. will be used to determine the allocation of federal funding for education, health care services, transportation, social services (i.e. translation), and even cultural awareness promotion. If a significant portion of our Thai population do not participate in the Census, the community as a whole may loose out on a significant portion of federal funding, which are ultimately derived from the tax revenue that the Federal government has collected. It is estimated that approximately $X billion of Federal funding is to be allocated to various county and programs based on the Census data.

2. The Census can be used to help determine representation in various level of the government. By having a true and accurate number of Thai population in the Census count, we may be able to gain increased representation in the state, local or even at the national level. Thailand has a long standing relationship with the United States dated back to King Rama V over 150 years ago, yet we haven’t been able to break ground and emerge as one of the strong minority group in this country. Even the Hmong, whose population in the U.S. is less than ours, was able to elect a representative to serve in Congress.

3. Having an accurate count of the Thai population could also help businesses make a better decision when they are looking to target the Thai population in the U.S.