Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand
Thailand: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 28.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand is 28.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand peaked at 56.6% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 28.6%, in 2025.
That places Thailand 64th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 55.8% | — |
| 1992 | 56.6% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 52.3% | -7.6% |
| 1994 | 51.7% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 47.5% | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 45.4% | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 45.7% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 46.9% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 44.1% | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 44.4% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 42.8% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 42.3% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 41.5% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 40.9% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 40.4% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 39.4% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 38.8% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 38.2% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 41.0% | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 42.1% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 39.3% | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 32.3% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 31.2% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 31.5% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 32.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 31.5% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 31.9% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 30.4% | -4.6% |
| 2023 | 30.2% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 29.0% | -4.1% |
| 2025 | 28.6% | -1.5% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 28.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.5%, 1.8× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 28.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.6%, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.6% | 44.1% | 56.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 40.9% | 38.8% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.3% | 31.2% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.2% | 28.6% | 31.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More agriculture & rural data for Thailand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0875 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 704.7 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -2.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.372 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 4.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Thailand was 28.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 56.6% in 1992.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.6% in 2025.
- How does Thailand rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- Thailand ranks 64th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).