Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand
Thailand: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 3.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand stood at 3.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.9% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand peaked at 6.4% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2020.
Thailand ranks 72nd of 200 countries on this measure, 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 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)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 3.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 23.4 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 188,487 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 9.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5816 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 4,686 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 11.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2266 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Thailand was 3.3% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 1998.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2020.
- How does Thailand rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Thailand ranks 72nd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows 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 International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.