Military personnel in Thailand
Thailand: Military personnel was 361,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
361,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
15th
of 194 countries
All-time high
361,000 people
in 2013
All-time low
4,000 people
in 1901
Years of data
130
1887–2022
Military personnel in Thailand, 1887–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 361,000 people for military personnel in 2022. That is the highest value across all 130 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Thailand peaked at 361,000 people in 2013 and was at its lowest, 4,000 people, in 1901.
That places Thailand 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Thailand, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1887 | 15,000 people | — |
| 1888 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 5,000 people | -66.7% |
| 1894 | 6,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1895 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 10,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1901 | 4,000 people | -60.0% |
| 1902 | 10,000 people | +150.0% |
| 1903 | 18,000 people | +80.0% |
| 1904 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 16,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1907 | 26,000 people | +62.5% |
| 1908 | 31,000 people | +19.2% |
| 1909 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 31,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 32,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1915 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 25,000 people | -21.9% |
| 1920 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 24,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1923 | 26,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1924 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 25,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1926 | 26,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1927 | 27,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1928 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 28,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1930 | 28,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 30,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1932 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 27,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1934 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 27,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 32,000 people | +18.5% |
| 1937 | 35,000 people | +9.4% |
| 1938 | 38,000 people | +8.6% |
| 1939 | 31,000 people | -18.4% |
| 1946 | 44,000 people | +41.9% |
| 1947 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 45,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1954 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 50,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1957 | 100,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1958 | 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 99,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 97,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 80,000 people | -17.5% |
| 1962 | 83,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 85,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 85,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 132,000 people | +55.3% |
| 1966 | 151,000 people | +14.4% |
| 1967 | 151,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 167,000 people | +10.6% |
| 1969 | 175,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 175,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 195,000 people | +11.4% |
| 1972 | 205,000 people | +5.1% |
| 1973 | 233,000 people | +13.7% |
| 1974 | 221,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1975 | 227,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 228,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 230,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 250,000 people | +8.7% |
| 1979 | 250,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 234,000 people | -6.4% |
| 1981 | 250,000 people | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 250,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 233,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1984 | 235,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 235,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 256,000 people | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 256,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 256,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 283,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1990 | 283,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 283,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 283,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 295,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 290,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 288,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 288,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 288,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 280,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 300,000 people | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 301,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 306,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 306,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 314,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 310,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 307,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 307,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 307,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 306,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 307,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 306,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 306,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 306,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 361,000 people | +18.0% |
| 2014 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 361,000 people | +0.0% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 361,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 15.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 361,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,500 people, 38.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 15,000 people | 15,000 people | 15,000 people | 3 |
| 1890s | 8,600 people | 5,000 people | 15,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 18,200 people | 4,000 people | 31,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 30,900 people | 25,000 people | 32,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 25,900 people | 24,000 people | 28,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 30,500 people | 27,000 people | 38,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 44,000 people | 44,000 people | 44,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 61,600 people | 44,000 people | 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 120,600 people | 80,000 people | 175,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 221,400 people | 175,000 people | 250,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 248,800 people | 233,000 people | 283,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 287,800 people | 280,000 people | 300,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 307,100 people | 301,000 people | 314,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 344,500 people | 306,000 people | 361,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 361,000 people | 361,000 people | 361,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More reference data data for Thailand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 65.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.92 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Thailand?
- Military personnel in Thailand was 361,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 361,000 people in 2013.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,000 people in 1901.
- How does Thailand rank for military personnel?
- Thailand ranks 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 130 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.