The first persons from Thailand who immigrated to the United States were In and Chan, the famous Siamese twins, who came to the United States in 1830. They settled in White Plains, North Carolina, and used "Banker" as their last name. Their descendants have continued to use "Banker" as their last name until recently.

The first student to immigrate from Thailand was Mr. He Thien (original name "ThienHe"), who came with an American missionary, and graduated from a New York medical college in 1871. He was the father of former Thai prime minister Pote Sarasin.

• From 1961-1970, about 5,000 Thai immigrated to the United States.
• From 1971-1980, about 44,000 Thai immigrated to United States.
• From 1981-1990, about 64,400 Thai immigrated to United States.

In 1993, there was an estimated 120,000 persons of Thai descent living in the United States.

Los Angeles, California has the largest Thai population outside of Thailand. It is also home to the world's first and only Thaitown . In 2002 there was an estimated 80,000+ Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles. Thai Chinese are also included in the population. Because of this, Los Angeles is sometimes referred to as Thailand's 77th province. Both Bangkok and Los Angeles are known as the City of Angels.

See also

• Immigration to the United States