Literacy rates among adults in Thailand

Thailand: Literacy rates among adults was 91.1% in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
91.1%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
46th
of 89 countries
All-time high
96.4%
in 2010
All-time low
88.0%
in 1980
Years of data
10
1980–2022

Literacy rates among adults in Thailand, 1980–2022

0204060801001980200120221980: 88 %2000: 92.7 %2005: 93.5 %2010: 96.4 %2013: 93.7 %2015: 92.9 %2016: 92 %2018: 93.8 %2019: 91.3 %2022: 91.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rates among adults in Thailand is 91.1%, measured in 2022.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Thailand peaked at 96.4% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 88.0%, in 1980.

Thailand ranks 46th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 88.0% 88.0% 88.0% 1
2000s 93.1% 92.7% 93.5% 2
2010s 93.3% 91.3% 96.4% 6
2020s 91.1% 91.1% 91.1% 1

Countries ranked near Thailand

  1. 43 Ecuador 93.5% compare
  2. 44 Sri Lanka 92.7% compare
  3. 45 South Africa 91.2% compare
  4. 47 Lesotho 90.5% compare
  5. 48 El Salvador 89.8% compare
  6. 49 Iran 88.9% compare

See the full ranking of 89 places →

More education data for Thailand

All data for Thailand →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rates among adults in Thailand?
Literacy rates among adults in Thailand was 91.1% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest literacy rates among adults recorded in Thailand?
The highest recorded value was 96.4% in 2010.
What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Thailand?
The lowest recorded value was 88.0% in 1980.
How does Thailand rank for literacy rates among adults?
Thailand ranks 46th out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Thailand?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Thailand data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rates among adults
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
89 places, 916 data points, 1975–2024
Last refreshed

Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.