In 2023, **** percent of the Thai population lived below the poverty line, a decline from the previous year. The poverty line is the minimum amount of income needed for day-to-day necessities.

Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Thailand was reported at 5.4 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Thailand - Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Thailand poverty rate by year from 1981 to 2023.

Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data was reported at 13.900 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.000 % for 2012. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 25.900 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2013, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.400 % in 2000 and a record low of 13.900 % in 2013. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank: Poverty. Rural poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the rural population living below the national poverty lines.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Thailand Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 17.100 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.000 % for 2020. Thailand Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 24.000 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2021, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38.900 % in 1981 and a record low of 16.900 % in 2019. Thailand Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2017 U.S. dollars and defined as max($2.15, $1.15 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $2.15. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Poverty rate of Thailand plummeted by 17.82% from 0.0 % in 2013 to 0.0 % in 2014. Since the 27.21% surge in 2012, poverty rate sank by 42.51% in 2014. Population below $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices.

Poverty ratio at $5.5 a day of Thailand plummeted by 26.19% from 8.4 % in 2018 to 6.2 % in 2019. Since the 17.14% surge in 2016, poverty ratio at $5.5 a day sank by 24.39% in 2019. Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 0.000 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 2014. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.800 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2015, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.600 % in 1981 and a record low of 0.000 % in 2015. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Poverty ratio at national poverty line of Thailand rocketed by 25.32% from 7.9 % in 2017 to 9.9 % in 2018. Since the 31.43% slump in 2015, poverty ratio at national poverty line shot up by 37.50% in 2018. National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.

Rural poverty rate of Thailand dropped by 13.13% from 16.0 % in 2012 to 13.9 % in 2013. Since the 5.41% jump in 2008, rural poverty rate plummeted by 49.08% in 2013. Rural poverty rate is the percentage of the rural population living below the national rural poverty line.

Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 1.100 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.500 % for 2012. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 12.100 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2013, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43.100 % in 1981 and a record low of 1.100 % in 2013. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.20 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

TH: Income Share Held by Fourth 20% data was reported at 21.900 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.100 % for 2014. TH: Income Share Held by Fourth 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 21.300 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2015, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.100 % in 2014 and a record low of 19.500 % in 1992. TH: Income Share Held by Fourth 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

0.1 (%) in 2019. Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Thailand’s middle class is currently emerging, and it is forecasted that around ** percent of the households will earn at least *** thousand Thai Baht by 2020. And yet, Thailand is seen as a country with huge income inequality. By 2020 the number of millionaires (in U.S. dollars) will reach ** thousand . The development of income inequality in ThailandThe differences in income seen in Thailand today are the result of a long-term political and economic process from which, until recently, only leading households in urban areas benefited from. However, in doing so, the government was highly successful in continuously fueling economic growth. Even though the banking- and export sectors developed and grew from the 1960s up to the early 1990s, the majority of the population was still working in agriculture. In 1997, however, Thailand was badly hit by the Asian crisis, resulting in a further rise of the poverty rate. Political leaders were thus forced to implement reforms supporting the low-income households, and a series of social reforms such as the introduction of a healthcare plan and affordable housing followed. While these reforms sometimes resulted in an improvement of living standards, most had the unfortunate consequence of increasing corruption in the public sector.

Poverty gap at $5.5 a day of Thailand plummeted by 33.33% from 1.5 % in 2018 to 1.0 % in 2019. Since the 16.67% surge in 2016, poverty gap at $5.5 a day sank by 28.57% in 2019. Poverty gap at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $5.50 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.

0.00 (النسبة المئوية) in 2023. Population below $1.9 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.9 a day at 2005 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

TH: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.123 % in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.136 % for 1998. TH: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.193 % from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.305 % in 1996 and a record low of 0.123 % in 2010. TH: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank: Poverty. Proportion of population pushed below the $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure, expressed as a percentage of a total population of a country; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted Average;

Thailand Proportion of Population Pushed Below the 60% Median Consumption Poverty Line By Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % data was reported at 0.700 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.720 % for 2020. Thailand Proportion of Population Pushed Below the 60% Median Consumption Poverty Line By Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.675 % from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.830 % in 1994 and a record low of 0.540 % in 2019. Thailand Proportion of Population Pushed Below the 60% Median Consumption Poverty Line By Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. This indicator shows the fraction of a country’s population experiencing out-of-pocket health impoverishing expenditures, defined as expenditures without which the household they live in would have been above the 60% median consumption but because of the expenditures is below the poverty line. Out-of-pocket health expenditure is defined as any spending incurred by a household when any member uses a health good or service to receive any type of care (preventive, curative, rehabilitative, long-term or palliative care); provided by any type of provider; for any type of disease, illness or health condition; in any type of setting (outpatient, inpatient, at home).;Global Health Observatory. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. (https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/financial-protection);Weighted average;This indicator is related to Sustainable Development Goal 3.8.2 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

Thailand is a country of 67 million peoplea which, despite challenges, has had sustained economic growth since the late 1980’s.b After many years of progress Thailand has attained upper middle income status and is likely to meet most of the Millennium Development Goals.b A universal health-coverage scheme was established in 2002c and in 2013 total expenditure on health was 4.6% of GDP.d Investments in population health and infrastructure, though, are likely to be threatened by climate change – particularly through increased exposure to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea level rise. Poverty (12.64% of the population was below the poverty line in 2012e), urban expansion, deforestation, and soil degradation may further complicate the situation, reducing community resilience and adaptive capacity. A climate-change strategy is currently being devised, but efforts are still required to ensure the health system in Thailand is fully prepared to respond to many of the worst effects of climate change.

Over the past five decades, Thailand has made remarkable progress in economic development, elevating Thailand from a low-income country to a middle-income country. However, this progress came at the expense of the country’s natural resources and environment. There has been a change in the country’s nature of production structure from agriculture to export-led growth industry. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in basic industries such as automobile, electronics component and electricity appliances has been one of the major sources of national income. Per capita income has been increasing due to higher employment rate while number of the poor and population under poverty line has been decreasing within the past seven years. Nonetheless, income disparity still exists.