Thailand: Primary education, teachers

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Thailand's primary education, teachers fell 0.9% on 2024 (from 308,108 to 305,368).

Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2024), the average change was −0.5% and a typical year strayed about 6.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below 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 10.2% in 1976 and the biggest yearly fall was 20.9% in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 1% 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 3rd highest value of the 14 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

• India — 1st of 14: 5.19 million
• Indonesia — 2nd of 14: 1.51 million
• Algeria — 4th of 14: 247,748
• Nepal — 5th of 14: 157,456
• Poland — 6th of 14: 135,357

What this measures

Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.

Limitations: The precision of this indicator can be influenced by the enumeration method used, such as headcount or 'full-time equivalent' count of teachers.

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

All 40 values

Primary education, teachers in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 3,846 (2024)
• Cambodia — 46,016 (2024)
• China — 6.74 million (2024)
• Fiji — 6,295 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 28,284 (2024)
• Indonesia — 1.51 million (2025)
• Japan — 440,864 (2023)
• Kiribati — 734 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 173,133 (2024)
• Lao PDR — 21,845 (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 2,896 (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 primary education, teachers?

305,368 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is up 87.9% from 162,512 in 1971 (1.17% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 412,997 in 2020 and the lowest 162,512 in 1971.

How does Thailand rank?

3rd highest of 14 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in primary education, teachers unusual for Thailand?

In 2025, Thailand's primary education, teachers fell 0.9% on 2024 (from 308,108 to 305,368). Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2024), the average change was −0.5% and a typical year strayed about 6.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below 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.TCHR, 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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