The Thao people mainly reside in Ita Thao (Barawbaw) Village, Yuchi (Qabizay) Township, Nantou County, and Dapinglin Settlement, Shuili Township, Nantou County. Currently, the Thao population is around 817 people (as of January 2020).
The Thao people living in Ita Thao Village still preserve the traditional Thao belief of the ancestral spirit and worship the ulalaluan (ancestral spirit basket) in the house as a physical symbol of existence of the ancestral spirit. Major traditional Thao rituals and ceremonies include the Azazak Pulako (Sowing Ritual) in March, the Mulalu Matansun Pintuza (Hunting Ritual) in July, and the Lus’An (Ancestral Ritual) in August. Agricultural rituals and ceremonies reflect the correlations between seasonal changes and the lifestyle of Thao people. At the hunting ritual, Thao people make glutinous rice cakes in the form of an eel as an offering to show their respect for hunting and fishery in the culture. The Ancestral Ritual in August is the most important and solemn ceremony. In addition, Thao people adopt the lunar calendar.