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.

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).

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

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 November of 2025.

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.

Poverty ratio at $3.2 a day of Thailand sank by 40.00% from 0.5 % in 2018 to 0.3 % in 2019. Since the 20.00% jump in 2016, poverty ratio at $3.2 a day plummeted by 50.00% in 2019. 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.

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.

Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 11.600 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.700 % for 2012. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 40.100 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2013, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.600 % in 1981 and a record low of 11.600 % in 2013. Thailand TH: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 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 $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.; ; 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.

Thailand TH: Number of People Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP data was reported at 83,000.000 Person in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 84,000.000 Person for 1998. Thailand TH: Number of People Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP data is updated yearly, averaging 115,500.000 Person from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 183,000.000 Person in 1996 and a record low of 83,000.000 Person in 2010. Thailand TH: Number of People 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. Number of people pushed below the $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Sum;

0.1 (million persons) in 2019. Number of people, in millions, living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 PPP is calculated by multiplying the poverty rate and the population. 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.

Thailand Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data was reported at 0.100 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.200 % for 2020. Thailand Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.200 % from Dec 2009 (Median) to 2021, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.500 % in 2009 and a record low of 0.100 % in 2021. Thailand Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total 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 multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (World Bank) is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Multidimensional Poverty Measure. The Multidimensional Poverty Measure includes three dimensions – monetary poverty, education, and basic infrastructure services – to capture a more complete picture of poverty.;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).

Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.20: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: USD data was reported at 0.004 USD in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.032 USD for 2009. Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.20: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: USD data is updated yearly, averaging 0.432 USD from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2017, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.232 USD in 1994 and a record low of 0.004 USD in 2017. Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.20: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: USD 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. Increase in poverty gap at $3.20 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure, expressed in US dollars (2011 PPP). The poverty gap increase due to out-of-pocket health spending is one way to measure how much out-of-pocket health spending pushes people below or further below the poverty line (the difference in the poverty gap due to out-of-pocket health spending being included or excluded from the measure of household welfare). This difference corresponds to the total out-of-pocket health spending for households that are already below the poverty line, to the amount that exceeds the shortfall between the poverty line and total consumption for households that are impoverished by out-of-pocket health spending and to zero for households whose consumption is above the poverty line after accounting for out-of-pocket health spending.; ; World Health Organization and World Bank. 2019. Global Monitoring Report on Financial Protection in Health 2019.; Weighted average;

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.

Abstract

The World Bank is interested in gauging the views of clients and partners who are either involved in development in Thailand or who observe activities related to social and economic development. The World Bank Country Assessment Survey is meant to give the World Bank's team that works in Thailand, greater insight into how the Bank's work is perceived. This is one tool the World Bank uses to assess the views of its critical stakeholders. With this understanding, the World Bank hopes to develop more effective strategies, outreach and programs that support development in Thailand. The World Bank commissioned an independent firm to oversee the logistics of this effort in Thailand.

The survey was designed to achieve the following objectives: - Assist the World Bank in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Thailand perceive the Bank; - Obtain systematic feedback from stakeholders in Thailand regarding: · Their views regarding the general environment in Thailand; · Their overall attitudes toward the World Bank in Thailand; · Overall impressions of the World Bank's effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Thailand; and · Perceptions of the World Bank's future role in Thailand. - Use data to help inform Thailand country team's strategy.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Stakeholder

Universe

Stakeholders of the World Bank in Thailand

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

In March-May 2013, 315 stakeholders of the World Bank in Thailand were invited to provide their opinions on the Bank's assistance to the country by participating in a country survey. Participants in the survey were drawn from among the Office of the Prime Minister; the office of a Parliamentarian; employees of a ministry, ministerial department, or implementation agency; consultants/ contractors working on World Bank-supported projects/programs; project management units (PMUs) overseeing implementation of a project; local government officials or staff; bilateral and multilateral agencies; private sector organizations; private foundations; the financial sector/private banks; civil society organizations; community-based organization; the media; independent government institutions; trade unions; faith-based groups, academia/research institutes/think tanks; judiciary branches, and other organizations.

Mode of data collection

Mail Questionnaire [mail]

Research instrument

The Questionnaire consists of 8 Sections:

A. General Issues Facing Thailand: Respondents were asked to indicate what they thought were the top three most important development priorities in the country.

B. Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank: Respondents were asked to rate their familiarity with the World Bank, the Bank’s effectiveness in Thailand, Bank staff preparedness to help Thailand solve its development challenges, their agreement with various statements regarding the Bank’s work, and the extent to which the Bank is an effective development partner. Respondents were also asked to indicate the sectoral areas on which it would be most productive for the Bank to focus its resources, the Bank’s greatest values and greatest weaknesses in its work, the most effective instruments in helping to reduce poverty in Thailand, with which stakeholder groups the Bank should collaborate more, and to what reasons respondents attributed failed or slow reform efforts.

C. World Bank Effectiveness and Results: Respondents were asked to rate the extent to which the Bank’s work helps achieve development results in Thailand and the extent to which the Bank meets Thailand’s needs for knowledge services and financial instruments.

D. The World Bank’s Knowledge: Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently they consult Bank knowledge work, the areas on which the Bank should focus its research efforts, and to rate the effectiveness and quality of the Bank’s knowledge work/activities, including how significant of a contribution they makes to development results and the technical quality.

E. Working with the World Bank: Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with a series of statements regarding working with the Bank, such as the World Bank’s “Safeguard Policy” requirements being reasonable, the Bank imposing reasonable conditions on its lending, disbursing funds promptly, increasing Thailand’s institutional capacity, and providing effective implementation support, etc.

F. The Future Role of the World Bank in Thailand: Respondents were asked to rate how significant a role the Bank should play in Thailand’s development in the near future and to indicate what the Bank should do to make itself of greater value.

G. Communication and Information Sharing: Respondents were asked to indicate how they get information about economic and social development issues, how they prefer to receive information from the Bank, and their usage and evaluation of the Bank’s websites. Respondents were asked about their awareness of the Bank’s Access to Information policy, past information requests from the Bank, and their level of agreement that they use more data from the World Bank as a result of the Bank’s Open Data policy. Respondents were also asked about their level of agreement that they know how to find information from the Bank and that the Bank is responsive to information requests. They were also asked to indicate how often they access World Bank information online and how valuable they consider the information they receive from the Bank’s social media channels. Respondents also indicated the type of e-services they are currently subscribed to.

H. Background Information: Respondents were asked to indicate their current position, specialization, whether they professionally collaborate with the World Bank, their exposure to the Bank in Thailand, and their geographic location.

Response rate

A total of 110 stakeholders participated in the survey (35% response rate).

Thaïlande: Poverty, percent of population: Pour cet indicateur, La Banque mondiale fournit des données pour la Thaïlande de 2000 à 2021. La valeur moyenne pour Thaïlande pendant cette période était de 15.69 pour cent avec un minimum de 6.2 pour cent en 2019 et un maximum de 42.3 pour cent en 2000.

Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $1.90: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line data was reported at 0.438 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.026 % for 1998. Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $1.90: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line data is updated yearly, averaging 0.068 % from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.438 % in 2010 and a record low of 0.026 % in 1998. Thailand TH: Increase in Poverty Gap at $1.90: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line 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. Increase in poverty gap at $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure, as a percentage of the $1.90 poverty line; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted average;

Thailand TH: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data was reported at 36.000 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 37.000 % for 2014. Thailand TH: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 41.800 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2015, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 47.900 % in 1992 and a record low of 36.000 % in 2015. Thailand TH: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate 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. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. 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.

Thailand TH: Number of People Pushed Below the $3.10: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP data was reported at 226,000.000 Person in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 616,000.000 Person for 1998. Thailand TH: Number of People Pushed Below the $3.10: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP data is updated yearly, averaging 707,000.000 Person from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 860,000.000 Person in 1994 and a record low of 226,000.000 Person in 2010. Thailand TH: Number of People Pushed Below the $3.10: 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. Number of people pushed below the $3.10 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Sum;