Thailand: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

Since 1971 it is down 52.01% from 34.67 in 1971 (1.55% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 14 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Thailand's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 0.25 on 2017 (from 16.89 to 16.64).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2017), the average change was −0.12 and a typical year strayed about 1.19 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 2.26 in 1977 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.19 in 1976. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2010 to 2018 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.1 a year. A straight line explains 32% of the movement over 8 observed years.

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

How it compares

In 2018, Thailand had the 55th highest value of the 83 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 2018 ranking

• Peru — 52nd of 83: 17.39
• Indonesia — 53rd of 83: 17.03
• Tunisia — 54th of 83: 16.87
• China — 56th of 83: 16.43
• Grenada — 57th of 83: 16.35
• Mauritius — 58th of 83: 16.2

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

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

All 34 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 9.9 (2018)
• Cambodia — 41.7 (2018)
• China — 16.43 (2018)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 13.35 (2018)
• Indonesia — 17.03 (2018)
• Kiribati — 25.49 (2017)
• Korea, Rep. — 16.29 (2017)
• Lao PDR — 22.34 (2018)
• Macao SAR, China — 13.5 (2018)
• Malaysia — 11.66 (2017)
• Mongolia — 30.38 (2018)

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
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Thailand's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

16.64 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 52.01% from 34.67 in 1971 (1.55% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 34.67 in 1971 and the lowest 15.39 in 2014.

How does Thailand rank?

55th highest of 83 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for Thailand?

In 2018, Thailand's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 0.25 on 2017 (from 16.89 to 16.64). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2017), the average change was −0.12 and a typical year strayed about 1.19 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.ENRL.TC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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