Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Thailand
Thailand: Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP was 0.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Thailand, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Thailand stood at 0.1%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 16.5% on the previous year and down 94.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Thailand peaked at 2.4% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2023.
Thailand ranks 161st of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.5% | — |
| 1972 | 1.6% | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 1.4% | -14.1% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -18.1% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | +13.0% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | +34.1% |
| 1977 | 1.9% | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | -15.4% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | -8.7% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +11.8% |
| 1982 | 1.8% | +9.2% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | +12.6% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.8% | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | -12.2% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -10.9% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | +11.5% |
| 1992 | 1.5% | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -11.4% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | +8.9% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -10.5% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -12.0% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | +38.1% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | -8.7% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -19.2% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | +26.9% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -21.1% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | +72.4% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | -16.2% |
| 2013 | 1.7% | -16.6% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -89.9% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -38.4% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -16.5% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 0.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.4%, 6% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 0.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.3%, 7% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 7 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.4% | 4 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 3 |
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 government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Thailand?
- Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp in Thailand was 0.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 2011.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2023.
- How does Thailand rank for government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Thailand ranks 161st out of 162 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 94.8%. 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 Government expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release