Prison population rate in Thailand

Thailand: Prison population rate was 395 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
395 prisoners per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 5.6%
World rank
15th
of 202 countries
All-time high
529 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2018
All-time low
232 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2006
Years of data
13
2000–2024

Prison population rate in Thailand, 2000–2024

02004006002000201220242000: 354 prisoners per 100,000 people2002: 396 prisoners per 100,000 people2004: 257 prisoners per 100,000 people2006: 232 prisoners per 100,000 people2008: 278 prisoners per 100,000 people2010: 313 prisoners per 100,000 people2012: 346 prisoners per 100,000 people2014: 460 prisoners per 100,000 people2016: 437 prisoners per 100,000 people2018: 529 prisoners per 100,000 people2020: 516 prisoners per 100,000 people2022: 374 prisoners per 100,000 people2024: 395 prisoners per 100,000 people

Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prison population rate in Thailand is 395 prisoners per 100,000 people, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prison population rate in Thailand peaked at 529 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 232 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2006.

Thailand ranks 15th of 202 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 303.4 prisoners per 100,000 people 232 prisoners per 100,000 people 396 prisoners per 100,000 people 5
2010s 417 prisoners per 100,000 people 313 prisoners per 100,000 people 529 prisoners per 100,000 people 5
2020s 428.33 prisoners per 100,000 people 374 prisoners per 100,000 people 516 prisoners per 100,000 people 3

Countries ranked near Thailand

  1. 12 British Virgin Islands 426 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  2. 13 Brazil 416 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  3. 14 Antigua and Barbuda 400 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  4. 16 Seychelles 392 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  5. 17 Eswatini 369 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  6. 18 Palau 367 prisoners per 100,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More population data for Thailand

All data for Thailand →

Frequently asked questions

What is prison population rate in Thailand?
Prison population rate in Thailand was 395 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest prison population rate recorded in Thailand?
The highest recorded value was 529 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2018.
What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Thailand?
The lowest recorded value was 232 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2006.
How does Thailand rank for prison population rate?
Thailand ranks 15th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
Is prison population rate rising or falling in Thailand?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Thailand data come from?
The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Prison population rate
Unit
prisoners per 100,000 people
Source
Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
202 places, 2,155 data points, 1993–2026
Last refreshed

Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.