South Africa vs Thailand: Teachers in primary education, both sexes
South Africa
287,310
in 2023
Thailand
305,368
in 2025
South Africa rank
22nd
Thailand rank
19th
Teachers in primary education, both sexes over time
- South Africa
- Thailand
How they compare
Thailand currently reports 305,368 against 287,310 in South Africa, a difference of 18,058.
That makes Thailand's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 17 years both countries report, Thailand has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 22nd and Thailand ranks 19th of 216 countries.
Thailand has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Thailand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 146,094 | 233,116 | 87,022 | Thailand |
| 1990s | 235,023 | 310,799 | 75,776 | Thailand |
| 2000s | 212,742 | 320,839 | 108,097 | Thailand |
| 2010s | 226,562 | 316,242 | 89,680 | Thailand |
| 2020s | 287,310 | 320,912 | 33,602 | Thailand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher teachers in primary education, both sexes, South Africa or Thailand?
- Thailand, at 305,368 against 287,310 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in teachers in primary education, both sexes between South Africa and Thailand?
- 18,058, with Thailand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Thailand?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 1977 to 2023.
- How do South Africa and Thailand rank globally for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 22nd and Thailand ranks 19th of 216 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release