Thailand Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Thailand's agriculture employment was 28.56% in 2025, ranked 121st globally. This represents a 1.5% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Thailand's agriculture employment stood at 28.56% in 2025, a decline of +0.43% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 27.58% by 2026. Thailand ranked 121st globally.
Thailand’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen sharply over the past three and a half decades, declining from an early‑1990s high of 55.84 % in 1991 to an all‑time trough of 28.56 % in 2025, the lowest level recorded in the 35‑year series. The peak share of 56.61 % was reached in 1992, shortly after the country’s rapid industrialisation accelerated, and the subsequent decline mirrors the structural shift toward manufacturing and services that has characterised Thailand’s economy. With a 2025 ranking of 121 globally, the country now sits close to peers such as Morocco (27.89 %) and Gabon (28.87 %), indicating that agricultural employment is converging with other middle‑income economies that are also experiencing labour reallocation away from primary production. Continued urbanisation, higher productivity in agribusiness and policy incentives for non‑farm sectors are likely to sustain the downward trajectory, although a reversal could emerge if climate pressures or trade disruptions revive demand for domestic farm labour.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 25.96% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 26.77% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 27.58% | - | - |
| 2025 | 28.56% | −0.43% | #121 |
| 2024 | 28.99% | −1.23% | #121 |
| 2023 | 30.22% | −0.20% | #125 |
| 2022 | 30.42% | −1.47% | #124 |
| 2021 | 31.90% | +0.51% | #129 |
| 2020 | 31.39% | −0.10% | #125 |
| 2019 | 31.49% | −0.71% | #129 |
| 2018 | 32.20% | +0.67% | #127 |
| 2017 | 31.53% | +0.30% | #128 |
| 2016 | 31.23% | −1.11% | #125 |
| 2015 | 32.33% | −1.16% | #127 |
| 2014 | 33.49% | −5.81% | #127 |
| 2013 | 39.30% | −2.84% | #137 |
| 2012 | 42.14% | +1.13% | #140 |
| 2011 | 41.01% | +2.76% | #138 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Thailand matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2017. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Thailand's agriculture employment was 28.56% in 2025. Ranked 121st globally. This represents a 1.5% decrease from the previous year.
Thailand's agriculture employment peaked at 56.61% in 1992.
The lowest agriculture employment in Thailand was 28.56% in 2025.
Thailand ranks 121st globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Thailand's agriculture employment is projected to reach 27.58% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Thailand in 2025 was 28.56%. This ranks 121st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_thailand_agriculture-employment,
title = {Thailand Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/thailand/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}