Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand
Thailand: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 11.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand, 2000–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in IMF calculation.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 11.6% for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in 2023.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and down 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand peaked at 22.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 2022.
Thailand ranks 69th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand, year by year
| Year | IMF calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 22.4% | — |
| 2001 | 19.8% | -11.5% |
| 2002 | 17.3% | -12.8% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +28.0% |
| 2004 | 22.0% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 20.3% | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 19.6% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 20.3% | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 20.8% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 20.3% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 20.0% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 19.8% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | -8.1% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 16.9% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 17.1% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 17.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 15.9% | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 14.6% | -7.7% |
| 2019 | 14.5% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 12.3% | -15.3% |
| 2021 | 11.9% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 11.1% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 11.6% | +4.1% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 11.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.8%, 90% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 11.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.3%, 87% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.5% | 17.3% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.1% | 14.5% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More education data for Thailand
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 243,991 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 13,596 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 758,147 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 716,498 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.26 million (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.45 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0621 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Thailand was 11.6% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 22.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 2022.
- How does Thailand rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Thailand ranks 69th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (IMF calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release