Primary education, pupils in Thailand
Thailand: Primary education, pupils was 4.45 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
4.45 million
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
39th
of 206 countries
All-time high
7.45 million
in 1982
All-time low
4.45 million
in 2025
Years of data
54
1971–2025
Primary education, pupils in Thailand, 1971–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Thailand is 4.45 million, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Thailand peaked at 7.45 million in 1982 and was at its lowest, 4.45 million, in 2025.
Thailand ranks 39th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Thailand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.63 million | — |
| 1972 | 5.92 million | +5.1% |
| 1973 | 6.15 million | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 6.39 million | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 6.54 million | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 6.69 million | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 6.81 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 6.96 million | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 6.85 million | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 7.24 million | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 7.39 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 7.45 million | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 7.40 million | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 7.27 million | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 7.23 million | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 7.15 million | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 7.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 7.09 million | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 7.01 million | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 6.99 million | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 6.96 million | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 6.91 million | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 6.76 million | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 6.57 million | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 6.29 million | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 5.96 million | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 5.91 million | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 5.93 million | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 6.12 million | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 6.10 million | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 6.02 million | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 6.06 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 6.05 million | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 5.97 million | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 5.84 million | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 5.70 million | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 5.56 million | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 5.37 million | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 5.15 million | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 5.04 million | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 5.01 million | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 4.95 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 5.18 million | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 5.08 million | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 5.06 million | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 4.82 million | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 4.76 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 4.75 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 4.74 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 4.70 million | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 4.73 million | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 4.61 million | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 4.50 million | -2.4% |
| 2025 | 4.45 million | -1.2% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 4.45 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 519,452, 8.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 4.45 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 19.5× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.44 million | 5.63 million | 6.96 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 7.24 million | 7.01 million | 7.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.44 million | 5.91 million | 6.99 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.85 million | 5.37 million | 6.10 million | 9 |
| 2010s | 4.98 million | 4.75 million | 5.18 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.62 million | 4.45 million | 4.74 million | 6 |
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 primary education, pupils in Thailand?
- Primary education, pupils in Thailand was 4.45 million in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 7.45 million in 1982.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.45 million in 2025.
- How does Thailand rank for primary education, pupils?
- Thailand ranks 39th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.