Thailand: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

Over five years it is up 101.09% from 17,936 in 2020 (14.99% a year on average, compounded). Since 1973 it is down 98.1% from 1.89 million in 1973 (7.33% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 38 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2025, Thailand's children out of school, primary rose 46.7% on 2024 (from 24,588 to 36,067).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (1974 to 2024), the average change was +33.9% and a typical year strayed about 136.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 413.5% in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 92% in 2018. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2017 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 12% of the movement over 9 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Thailand had the 8th highest value of the 12 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Thailand in the 2025 ranking

• Lao PDR — 5th of 12: 82,273
• Algeria — 6th of 12: 78,683
• Gambia, The — 7th of 12: 74,577
• Nepal — 9th of 12: 21,146
• Kyrgyz Republic — 10th of 12: 18,854
• Uzbekistan — 11th of 12: 18,501

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 15 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Australia — 2,833 (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 1,438 (2024)
• Cambodia — 76,741 (2024)
• Fiji — 2,471 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 4,491 (2024)
• Indonesia — 250,575 (2025)
• Japan — 4,225 (2023)
• Kiribati — 1,596 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 1,383 (2024)
• Lao PDR — 82,273 (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 4,608 (2024)

More education data for Thailand

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 4.45 million (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 100.73% (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 4.26 million (2025)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 92.09% (2025)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 49.08% (2025)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Thailand's children out of school, primary?

36,067 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1973?

It is down 98.1% from 1.89 million in 1973 (7.33% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.89 million in 1973 and the lowest 12,415 in 2018.

How does Thailand rank?

8th highest of 12 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Thailand?

In 2025, Thailand's children out of school, primary rose 46.7% on 2024 (from 24,588 to 36,067). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (1974 to 2024), the average change was +33.9% and a typical year strayed about 136.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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