Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand
Thailand: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 137.6%
World rank
108th
of 120 countries
All-time high
4.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1981
All-time low
453,104 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2023
Years of data
30
1981–2024
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand, 1981–2024
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices for total shortfall from extreme poverty in 2024.
That represents a change of up 137.6% on the previous year and down 96.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand peaked at 4.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981 and was at its lowest, 453,104 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2023.
That places Thailand 108th out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 4.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1988 | 3.74 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -21.9% |
| 1990 | 2.95 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -21.3% |
| 1992 | 2.20 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -25.3% |
| 1994 | 1.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -47.3% |
| 1996 | 801.61 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -30.9% |
| 1998 | 640.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -20.1% |
| 1999 | 1.04 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +62.2% |
| 2000 | 1.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 556.46 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -48.7% |
| 2004 | 364.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -34.5% |
| 2006 | 286.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -21.4% |
| 2007 | 156.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -45.2% |
| 2008 | 97.43 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -37.9% |
| 2009 | 84.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -13.4% |
| 2010 | 75.49 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.5% |
| 2011 | 28.03 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -62.9% |
| 2012 | 42.00 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +49.8% |
| 2013 | 20.45 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -51.3% |
| 2014 | 28.64 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +40.0% |
| 2015 | 18.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -35.8% |
| 2016 | 16.45 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.5% |
| 2017 | 12.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -24.8% |
| 2018 | 12.77 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 31.70 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +148.2% |
| 2020 | 14.24 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -55.1% |
| 2021 | 4.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -66.6% |
| 2022 | 1.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -72.8% |
| 2023 | 453,104 international-$ in 2021 prices | -64.9% |
| 2024 | 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +137.6% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 3% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 1% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.74 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 640.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.95 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
| 2000s | 375.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 84.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 7 |
| 2010s | 28.63 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 12.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 75.49 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 453,104 international-$ in 2021 prices | 14.24 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 5 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
- 105 Kazakhstan 1.49 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 106 Malta 1.15 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 107 Switzerland 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 109 Albania 976,820 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 110 Moldova 493,421 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 111 Malaysia 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More poverty & inequality data for Thailand
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 9 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,072 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 17.04 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 17.0% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Thailand was 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2024, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 4.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 453,104 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023.
- How does Thailand rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Thailand ranks 108th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 96.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.