Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand

Thailand: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.6%
Change on year
down 22.7%
World rank
181st
of 185 countries
All-time high
5.8%
in 1987
All-time low
0.2%
in 1971
Years of data
54
1971–2025

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand, 1971–2025

0246197119982025

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Thailand recorded 0.6% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2025.

The figure is down 22.7% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand peaked at 5.8% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1971.

Thailand ranks 181st of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand, 1971 to 2025.
Year % Change
1971 0.2%
1972 0.5% +168.2%
1973 0.4% -17.1%
1974 0.5% +9.8%
1975 0.5% -3.4%
1976 0.6% +32.5%
1977 0.9% +53.3%
1978 0.8% -16.6%
1979 0.9% +21.6%
1980 0.9% +0.9%
1981 1.3% +34.2%
1982 2.7% +111.2%
1983 2.9% +8.7%
1984 2.9% +0.0%
1985 3.7% +27.8%
1986 3.5% -5.5%
1987 5.8% +64.9%
1988 3.0% -47.4%
1989 1.4% -54.3%
1990 2.2% +59.1%
1991 2.6% +19.1%
1992 1.4% -48.7%
1993 1.5% +10.4%
1994 1.3% -9.6%
1995 1.1% -18.3%
1996 1.1% -2.6%
1997 0.9% -18.5%
1998 3.4% +289.9%
1999 3.0% -12.8%
2000 2.4% -19.5%
2001 2.6% +8.8%
2003 1.5% -40.7%
2004 1.5% -1.8%
2005 1.3% -11.0%
2006 1.2% -9.4%
2007 1.2% -3.6%
2008 1.2% +0.0%
2009 1.5% +26.6%
2010 0.6% -58.2%
2011 0.7% +6.4%
2012 0.6% -12.5%
2013 0.2% -57.0%
2014 0.6% +131.3%
2015 0.6% +3.6%
2016 0.7% +15.2%
2017 0.8% +20.6%
2018 0.8% -7.8%
2019 0.7% -6.4%
2020 1.1% +53.5%
2021 1.2% +10.6%
2022 0.9% -22.6%
2023 0.7% -22.0%
2024 0.8% +6.5%
2025 0.6% -22.7%

Thailand compared with similar countries

  • Thailand's 0.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.8%, 10% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Thailand's 0.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 17% of the median. (34 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1998 +289.9% 0.9% 3.4%
1972 +168.2% 0.2% 0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.6% 0.2% 0.9% 9
1980s 2.8% 0.9% 5.8% 10
1990s 1.8% 0.9% 3.4% 10
2000s 1.6% 1.2% 2.6% 9
2010s 0.6% 0.2% 0.8% 10
2020s 0.9% 0.6% 1.2% 6

Countries ranked near Thailand

  1. 178 Laos 1.2% compare
  2. 179 Burundi 1.0% compare
  3. 180 Bahrain 0.9% compare
  4. 182 Niger 0.4% compare
  5. 183 Cambodia 0.3% compare
  6. 184 Qatar 0.1% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Thailand

All data for Thailand →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand was 0.6% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Thailand?
The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 1987.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Thailand?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1971.
How does Thailand rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Thailand ranks 181st out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Thailand?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Thailand data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Thailand. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/ilo-national-vs-modeled-data/thailand/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.