Southern and south-eastern Xizang (from Mt Everest region east to R Salween), in southern China; one record extreme north-eastern India (north-eastern Arunachal Pradesh).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron henrici) [XC491585]
by Peter Boesman from Summer Palace park, Lhasa, China (song)
Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron henrici) [XC191689]
by Mike Nelson from Lhasa, Xizang (Tibet), China (call, song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Has been considered conspecific with Elliot's Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron elliotii), although differences considerable, and also with geographically distant White-whiskered Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron morrisonianum). Form described as "gucenense", from Chayul Valley, in Qamdo (south-eastern Xizang), has been judged to be a hybrid with Elliot's Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron elliotii).