People group profile · PG010820
The Akha of Thailand
The Akha of Thailand, numbering about 58,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Tibeto-Burman hill people whose ancestors migrated south from the Tibetan-Yunnan plateau in the 1600s fleeing political upheaval, passing through Burma's Shan State before settling Thailand's Chiang Rai highlands around 1903.
They are an indigenous people in the Hani-Akha people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Akha.

Fast facts
- Country
- Thailand
- Population
- 58,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Hani-Akha
- Primary language
- Akha (ahk)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 15% or Greater but Less than 20%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Akha are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Akha
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Primary language
Akha · Sino-Tibetan family
100% speak Akha
Gospel resources in Akha
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2001 Thailand Bible Society · video, audio, text
- Bibles International · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Akha
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Akha in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100185) is reported in 4 other countries.
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