Freedom of Expression Score in Thailand
Thailand: Freedom of Expression Score was 3 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Thailand, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 3 for freedom of expression score in 2025.
The figure is up 50.0% on the previous year and up 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Thailand peaked at 6 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 2, in 2015.
Thailand ranks 74th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Freedom of Expression Score in Thailand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6 | — |
| 2007 | 5 | -16.7% |
| 2009 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 | -20.0% |
| 2015 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 2017 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 | +50.0% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 3 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5, 60% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 3 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3, 1.0× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.33 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| 2010s | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 2020s | 2.33 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
- 74 Algeria 3 compare
- 74 Burkina Faso 3 compare
- 74 Burundi 3 compare
- 74 Congo 3 compare
- 74 Democratic Republic of Congo 3 compare
- 74 Ethiopia 3 compare
- 74 Guinea 3 compare
- 74 Haiti 3 compare
- 74 Jordan 3 compare
- 74 Kuwait 3 compare
- 74 Kyrgyzstan 3 compare
- 74 Madagascar 3 compare
- 74 Mozambique 3 compare
- 74 Pakistan 3 compare
- 74 Rwanda 3 compare
- 74 Serbia 3 compare
- 74 Singapore 3 compare
- 74 South Sudan 3 compare
- 74 Togo 3 compare
- 74 Turkey 3 compare
- 74 Uzbekistan 3 compare
- 74 Venezuela 3 compare
- 74 Zimbabwe 3 compare
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 freedom of expression score in Thailand?
- Freedom of expression score in Thailand was 3 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 6 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 in 2015.
- How does Thailand rank for freedom of expression score?
- Thailand ranks 74th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.