Armed forces personnel in Thailand
Thailand: Armed forces personnel was 455,000 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Thailand, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel in Thailand stood at 455,000.
That represents a change of up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Thailand peaked at 474,550 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 235,300, in 1985.
That places Thailand 16th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 259,150 | 235,300 | 283,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 333,900 | 283,000 | 420,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 419,336 | 410,000 | 427,200 | 10 |
| 2010s | 452,871 | 419,560 | 474,550 | 10 |
| 2020s | 455,000 | 455,000 | 455,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More reference data data for Thailand
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1052 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.4642 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.7989 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.1363 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.5892 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 122.4 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Thailand?
- Armed forces personnel in Thailand was 455,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 474,550 in 2011.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 235,300 in 1985.
- How does Thailand rank for armed forces personnel?
- Thailand ranks 16th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.