Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Thailand
Thailand: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 3.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Thailand, 1970–2025
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Thailand stood at 3.3%.
The figure is up 20.9% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Thailand peaked at 6.4% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2020.
That places Thailand 70th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -12.8% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | +59.2% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | -14.4% |
| 1974 | 1.4% | +91.3% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | -58.1% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -19.0% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | +15.1% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | -56.8% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -12.9% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | +190.6% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | +42.1% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -37.4% |
| 1983 | 0.9% | +67.4% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | +9.9% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -56.3% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +45.2% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +14.3% |
| 1988 | 1.8% | +157.4% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | +37.1% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +16.5% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | -28.4% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | -7.5% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -26.2% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | -33.4% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +31.1% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +103.2% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | +148.1% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | -25.1% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | -44.7% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +58.2% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -40.9% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +38.1% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 4.3% | +28.0% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | -7.3% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | -18.3% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -10.5% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -22.5% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | +90.0% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -84.6% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | +386.4% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | +16.8% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -67.8% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | +82.1% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -62.1% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | +115.3% |
| 2018 | 2.7% | +49.4% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | -62.5% |
| 2020 | -0.9% | -184.4% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | -454.3% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -21.4% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -16.5% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +35.2% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | +20.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 0.9% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.3% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 0.7% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | -0.9% | 3.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More economy & growth data for Thailand
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2374 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 1,913 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 7.81 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 62,902 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2016 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,624 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 39,479 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 6.38 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Thailand?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Thailand was 3.3% in 2025, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 1998.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2020.
- How does Thailand rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Thailand ranks 70th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.