Democracy Index in Thailand
Thailand: Democracy Index was -3 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
-3
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
132nd
of 168 countries
All-time high
9
in 1992
All-time low
-10
in 1800
Years of data
218
1800–2018
Democracy Index in Thailand, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy index in Thailand is -3, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 175.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Thailand peaked at 9 in 1992 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1800.
Thailand ranks 132nd of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy Index in Thailand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | -10 | — |
| 1801 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1802 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1803 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1804 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1805 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1806 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1807 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1808 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1809 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1810 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1811 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1812 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1813 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1814 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1815 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1816 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1817 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1818 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1819 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1820 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1821 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1822 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1823 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1824 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1825 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1826 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1827 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1828 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1829 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1830 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1831 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1832 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1833 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1834 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1835 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1836 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1837 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1838 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1839 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1840 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1851 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1855 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1859 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1860 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1861 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1862 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1863 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1864 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1865 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1866 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1867 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1868 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1869 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1870 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1871 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1872 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1873 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1874 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1875 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1876 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1877 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1878 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1879 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1880 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1881 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1882 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1883 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1884 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1885 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1886 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1887 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1888 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1889 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1890 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1891 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1892 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1893 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -8 | -20.0% |
| 1933 | -6 | -25.0% |
| 1934 | -4 | -33.3% |
| 1935 | -3 | -25.0% |
| 1936 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -6 | +100.0% |
| 1953 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -3 | -50.0% |
| 1956 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -7 | +133.3% |
| 1959 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2 | -71.4% |
| 1969 | 2 | -200.0% |
| 1970 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | -7 | -450.0% |
| 1972 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2 | -71.4% |
| 1974 | 3 | -250.0% |
| 1975 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | -7 | -333.3% |
| 1977 | -2 | -71.4% |
| 1978 | 2 | -200.0% |
| 1979 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1989 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | -1 | -133.3% |
| 1992 | 9 | -1000.0% |
| 1993 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | -5 | -155.6% |
| 2007 | -1 | -80.0% |
| 2008 | 4 | -500.0% |
| 2009 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 7 | +75.0% |
| 2012 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | -3 | -142.9% |
| 2015 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -3 | -0.0% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's -3 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7. (47 countries reporting)
- Thailand's -3 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.5. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1810s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1820s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1830s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1840s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1850s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1860s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1870s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1880s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1890s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1900s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1910s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1920s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1930s | -5.3 | -10 | -3 | 10 |
| 1940s | -3 | -3 | -3 | 9 |
| 1950s | -4.7 | -7 | -3 | 10 |
| 1960s | -5.6 | -7 | 2 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.3 | -7 | 3 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.4 | -1 | 9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.6 | -5 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.11 | -3 | 7 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More social development data for Thailand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 84,017 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 327 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 327 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Thailand?
- Democracy index in Thailand was -3 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy index recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 1992.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1800.
- How does Thailand rank for democracy index?
- Thailand ranks 132nd out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 175.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 218 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).