Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Thailand
Thailand: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East was 39.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Thailand, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 39.3% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in 2023.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 36.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Thailand peaked at 40.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1974.
That places Thailand 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.5% | — |
| 1961 | 3.6% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 7.5% | +105.8% |
| 1963 | 6.6% | -12.1% |
| 1964 | 3.6% | -44.7% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | -24.6% |
| 1966 | 4.1% | +49.1% |
| 1967 | 2.0% | -49.9% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 2.3% | +8.8% |
| 1970 | 2.5% | +12.1% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | +11.7% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | -15.5% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | -24.3% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -38.3% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | +34.5% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | +106.4% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | -4.1% |
| 1978 | 3.7% | +23.2% |
| 1979 | 6.8% | +84.0% |
| 1980 | 8.0% | +18.7% |
| 1981 | 6.8% | -15.5% |
| 1982 | 8.9% | +31.1% |
| 1983 | 9.0% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 9.4% | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 10.5% | +11.5% |
| 1986 | 9.6% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 10.7% | +11.8% |
| 1988 | 8.4% | -21.8% |
| 1989 | 7.9% | -5.1% |
| 1990 | 8.8% | +10.9% |
| 1991 | 7.9% | -10.5% |
| 1992 | 8.8% | +12.1% |
| 1993 | 8.0% | -9.7% |
| 1994 | 9.8% | +22.3% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 10.6% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 11.6% | +9.8% |
| 1998 | 14.1% | +21.7% |
| 1999 | 15.0% | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 16.3% | +8.4% |
| 2001 | 17.6% | +8.5% |
| 2002 | 20.0% | +13.2% |
| 2003 | 20.5% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 21.3% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 23.7% | +11.0% |
| 2006 | 25.0% | +5.5% |
| 2007 | 25.6% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 26.6% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 28.3% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 28.8% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | +10.1% |
| 2015 | 36.1% | +13.8% |
| 2016 | 37.6% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 35.5% | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 35.7% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 37.7% | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 40.2% | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 39.7% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 38.8% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 39.3% | +1.1% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 39.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.8%, 2.0× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 39.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.3%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Thailand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +106.4% | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| 1962 | +105.8% | 3.6% | 7.5% |
| 1979 | +84.0% | 3.7% | 6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.8% | 2.0% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.9% | 1.1% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.9% | 6.8% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.5% | 7.9% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.2% | 16.3% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.5% | 26.6% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.5% | 38.8% | 40.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More private sector data for Thailand
- Merchandise trade 118.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 65.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 344.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 72.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 339.63 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4,742 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5886 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 12.93 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Thailand?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Thailand was 39.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 40.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1974.
- How does Thailand rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east?
- Thailand ranks 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia and Pacific are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the East Asia and Pacific region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.