Labor force participation rate in Thailand
Thailand: Labor force participation rate was 66.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Thailand, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Thailand is 66.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Thailand peaked at 75.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 66.7%, in 2025.
That places Thailand 49th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.2% | — |
| 1991 | 75.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 75.1% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 75.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 75.0% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 75.3% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 75.5% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 75.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 74.5% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 73.3% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 73.5% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 73.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 73.3% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 73.0% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 73.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 73.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 72.5% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 72.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 72.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 72.8% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 73.2% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 72.8% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 70.0% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 69.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 69.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 68.3% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 67.5% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 67.0% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 67.0% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 67.2% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 67.8% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 67.1% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 66.7% | -0.7% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 66.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 66.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.9% | 73.3% | 75.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.0% | 72.5% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.7% | 66.9% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.1% | 66.7% | 67.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More work & labour data for Thailand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7473 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7165 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7773 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1451 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 45,410 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 19,963 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 23,079 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 22,476 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 45,555 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Thailand?
- Labor force participation rate in Thailand was 66.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 75.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.7% in 2025.
- How does Thailand rank for labor force participation rate?
- Thailand ranks 49th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).