International rankings of Thailand

src: www.timeshighereducation.com

The following are international rankings of Thailand.

Video International rankings of Thailand

General

• Human Development Index (2014): Thailand ranked 87 of 187 countries.
• Satisfaction with Life Index: Ranked 76 of 178 countries
• Where-to-be-born Index: Thailand ranked 50 of 80 countries.

Maps International rankings of Thailand

Aging

• Thailand in 2012 ranked number three of 66 nations with the most rapidly aging populations (1=most rapidly aging, 66=least rapidly aging).
• The Global AgeWatch Index for 2015 ranked Thailand 34 of 96 nations (1=best, 96=worst). The AgeWatch Index purports to measure "...how well...aging populations are faring."

src: aecnewstoday-pblnhgc7sy3qcy00mosw.netdna-ssl.com

Airports

• World's Top Airports: Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) was ranked number 36 of the world's top 100 airports in 2016.

src: www.thailand-business-news.com

Aquaculture

• Thailand was the world's tenth ranked aquaculture producer in 2015, having produced 0.9 million tonnes. Other ASEAN nations among the top ten were ranked: Indonesia, 3; Vietnam, 4; Myanmar, 9.

src: www.chiangraitimes.com

Best countries

• Best Countries: U.S. News & World Report in early-2016 ranked 60 nations on nine criteria. Thailand ranked 21 of 60 (1=best, 60=worst). Other ASEAN nations ranked in the top 60 were Singapore, 15; Malaysia, 28; Vietnam, 32; The Philippines, 33; and Indonesia, 42.

src: aecnewstoday-pblnhgc7sy3qcy00mosw.netdna-ssl.com

Black market

• Black Market Country Risk Ranking: Thailand ranked number 20 of 93 countries (1=most at risk; 93=least at risk).

src: ir.cm.mahidol.ac.th

Carbon dioxide emissions

• Global Carbon Project: In the Global Carbon Atlas 2014, of 216 nation states/territories, Thailand ranked 18 (1=most emissions, 216=fewest emissions) in CO² emissions, up from 19 in 2013.

src: www.rubbernews.com

Climate

• Global Climate Risk Index 2018: Thailand was ranked ninth on a list of countries most affected by extreme weather events during the period 1997-2016. According to the author of the study there were 137 such events in Thailand during this period. Other ASEAN nations ranked in the study were Myanmar, ranked 3; Philippines, 5; and Vietnam, 8.
• Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2017: Of 58 nations responsible for about 90 percent of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, Thailand was ranked 42d in taking "action on climate protection" (1=best, 61=worst), earning an assessment of "poor". Other ASEAN nations ranked were Indonesia, 22 "good"; Malaysia, 44, "poor"; and Singapore, 54, "very poor".

• Global Climate Risk Index 2017: Thailand ranked number 10 of 180 nations most affected by "...weather-related loss events..." during the period 1996-2015 (1=most affected, 180=least affected) according to Germanwatch. Other ASEAN nations ranked in the top 10 were Myanmar, 2; Philippines, 5; and Vietnam, 8.

• Climate Central: Thailand is ranked seventh (higher number=lower risk) on the "Top 20 Most At-Risk Countries" for exposure to sea level rise and coastal flooding. It estimates the number of "People living on land that will be below sea level or chronic flood levels by the end of the century, assuming current emissions trends continue, and medium sensitivity of sea level to warming." In Thailand, eight million persons, or 12 percent of the population, are "at-risk" according to the study. Six of ASEAN's ten member-states are on the at-risk list.
• Climate Change Performance Index 2016: Thailand ranked 49 of 61 (1=best, 61=worst) countries, putting it in the "Very Poor" performance category. Other ASEAN nations were ranked 24 (Indonesia), 39 (Malaysia), and 55 (Singapore). The report is published annually by the Climate Action Network Europe and Germanwatch.
• ND-GAIN Index: 59th of 178 countries ranked in the ND-GAIN Index, a project of the University of Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN). The index "summarizes a country's vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in combination with its readiness to improve resilience".
• Port Cities with High Exposure and Vulnerability to Climate Extremes: According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Bangkok ranks seventh of the 10 most vulnerable cities, "By the 2070s, the top 10 cities in terms of population exposure (including all environmental and socioeconomic factors) are Kolkata, Mumbai, Dhaka, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Bangkok, Rangoon, Miami and Hai Phòng."

src: www.timeshighereducation.com

Cement exports

• Thailand was the second leading exporter of cement by dollar value in 2014. It exported US$655.8 million of cement, or 5.5 percent of total worldwide exports.

src: i.ytimg.com

Chemicals in agriculture

According to the Thai government's The Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-1016), Thailand is number one in the world in the application of chemicals in agriculture. The report stated, "The use of chemicals in the agricultural and industrial sectors is growing while control mechanisms are ineffective making Thailand rank first in the world in the use of registered chemicals in agriculture."

src: aecnewstoday-pblnhgc7sy3qcy00mosw.netdna-ssl.com

Competitiveness

• Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2014-2015: Thailand ranked 32 of 140 economies in the World Economic Forum's GCI. It was ranked sixth in ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, South Korea). ASEAN partners Singapore ranked second and Malaysia 18th.
• IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2016: Thailand rose two places from 2015's ranking to rank 28 of 61 nations (1=best, 61=worst) in competitiveness.
• IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2015: Thailand ranked 30 of 61 nations. The ranking looks at 20 areas grouped around four main topics: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Thailand's ranking in health and environment is its lowest, 54th. The best ranking is in the employment area (3rd) thanks low unemployment. Among 61 economies, Thailand's business legislation is also ranked poorly, at 51. In education, it is ranked 48. Results for other ASEAN states are mixed: Malaysia dropped from 12 to 14, Indonesia from 37 to 42, with the Philippines moving up from 42 to 41.
• IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014: Thailand ranked 29 of 60 nations.

src: 2.bp.blogspot.com

Cost-of-living

• Mercer Cost of Living Survey 2016: Bangkok ranked 74 of 209 cities (1=most expensive; 209=least expensive). The Mercer survey measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each city, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment. It is designed for multinationals and governments to use in determining compensation for expatriate employees.
• Cost of Living Index 2015 mid-year: Thailand ranked 89 of 125 nations (1=most expensive; 125=least expensive).

Corruption

• Corruption Perceptions Index 2016: Thailand ranked 101 of 176 nations (1=clean; 176=most corrupt). Other ASEAN nations ranked: Singapore, 7; Brunei, 41; Malaysia, 56; Indonesia, 90; Philippines, 101; Vietnam, 113; Laos, 123; Myanmar, 136; and Cambodia, 156.
• Corruption Perceptions Index 2015: Thailand ranked 76 of 167 nations (1=clean; 167=most corrupt) on this annual survey. Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 8; Malaysia, 54; Indonesia, 88; Philippines, 95; Vietnam, 112; Laos, 139; Myanmar, 147; and Cambodia, 150.
• Corruption Perceptions Index 2014: Transparency International's CPI 2014 ranked Thailand 85 of 174 countries (1=clean; 174=most corrupt). Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 7; Malaysia, 50; Philippines, 85; Indonesia, 107; Vietnam, 119; Laos, 145; Cambodia, 156; and Myanmar, 156 (tie).

Coups d'état

• "...Thailand has experienced more coups d'état than any other country in contemporary history." according to the Washington Post. Since 1932, Thailand has had seven coup attempts and 12 successful coups (as of 2015).

Creativity

• On the Global Creativity Index for 2015, Thailand ranks 82 of 139 nations (1=best, 139=worst). Thailand's ASEAN partners were ranked: Singapore, 9; Laos, 42; Philippines, 52; Malaysia, 63; Vietnam, 80; Cambodia, 113; Indonesia, 115.

Crime

• Number of intentional homicides committed with a firearm that were recorded in criminal (police) statistics: Ranked 3rd for the year 2000 among the 92 countries that responded to the survey (behind #1 South Africa and #2 Colombia).

Danger to tourists

• In the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017, Thailand ranked 118 of 136 nations for the safety and security of tourists. Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 6; Malaysia, 41; Laos, 66; Cambodia, 88; Indonesia, 91; and the Philippines, 126.

Democracy

• The Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index 2016 ranked Thailand 100 of 167 nations (1=best; 167=worst) for the state of its democracy by rating its electoral processes and pluralism, the state of its civil liberties, the functioning of its government, political participation and political culture. Other ASEAN nations ranked were Indonesia, 48; Philippines, 50; Malaysia, 65; Singapore, 70; Cambodia, 112; Myanmar, 113; Vietnam, 131; and Laos, 151.

Ease of doing business

• World Bank's Doing Business 2017; Equal Opportunity for All: Thailand ranked 46th (1-easiest; 190=difficult) of 190 nations in the "Ease of Doing Business" rankings. Other ASEAN states ranked: Singapore, 2; Malaysia, 23; Brunei, 72; Vietnam, 82; Indonesia, 91; Philippines, 99; Cambodia, 131; Laos, 139; Myanmar, 170.
• World Bank's Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency: Thailand ranked 49th overall of 189 nations (1=best, 189=worst) in ease of doing business, a drop of three places in the rankings since the 2014 survey prior to the May coup. Among ASEAN nations, Thailand ranked third behind Singapore and Malaysia. In detailed rankings, Thailand ranked 97th worldwide in getting credit, 96th in ease of starting a business, 70th in paying taxes, 39th in dealing with construction permits, 57th in registering property and enforcing contracts, 56th in trading across borders, 36th for protecting minority investors, and 49th in resolving insolvency.

Economic inequality

• Thailand has been ranked the world's third most unequal nation after Russia and India, with a widening gap between rich and poor according to Oxfam in 2016.
• Global Wealth Report 2016: Credit Suisse's annual report on worldwide wealth and its distribution reported that Thailand ranked number three of 38 nations (1=most concentrated wealth; 38=least concentrated wealth) in the amount of national wealth owned by the top one-percent. In Thailand, 58 percent of the nation's wealth was controlled by one percent of the population. The top 10 percent control almost 80 percent of the nation's wealth. Russia, at 74.5 percent, outdistanced all other nations in inequality. India at 58.4 percent nudged out Thailand for the second spot. Other ASEAN nations in the study were Indonesia at 49.3 percent and Singapore at 33 percent.

Economy

• Nominal GDP growth rate: Ranked 123 of 215 (4.4 percent growth rate)
• Gross domestic product 2013: Ranked 30 of 192 (US$387 billion).
• Economic Misery Index 2015: Bloomberg News ranked Thailand number one of fifty-one nations as the happiest economy, largely due to its low inflation and unemployment.
• Quality of Life Index: Ranked 42 of 111 countries.
• Index of Economic Freedom 2015: Heritage Foundation ranked Thailand 75 of 178 countries.
• A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine: Globalization Index 2005. Ranked 46 of 62 countries
• World Talent Ranking, 2014: The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) assesses "the ability of countries to develop, attract and retain talent to sustain the talent pool available for enterprises operating in those economies." Ranked 34 of 60 countries.
• Global Talent Competitiveness Index, 2014. Thailand ranks 61 of 93 nations in this analysis of growing local talent or attracting talent from abroad.

Education

• The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015: Thailand ranked 54th of 70 nations (1=best; 70=worst) in the triennial testing of 15 year-olds. Thai scores dropped in all subjects since the 2012 assessment. By subject, Thailand ranked 54th in math, 57th in reading, and 54th in science.

Energy drinks

• Zenith International, UK-based food and drink consultants, reported in 2009 that no country consumes more energy drinks than Thailand, where the average adult consumer then drank 11.4 L (3 US gallons) per year, four times more than in the US, the leading consumer of energy drinks.

English proficiency

• EF English Proficiency Index 2017: Ranked Thailand 53 of 80 nations (1=best, 80=worst). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, 5; Malaysia, 13; Philippines, 15; Vietnam, 34; Indonesia, 39; Cambodia, 77; and Laos, 80.
• EF English Proficiency Index 2015: Thailand ranked 62 of 70 nations (1=best, 70=worst), classed in the "very low [English] proficiency" quintile. Other ASEAN nation ranked were: Singapore, 12; Malaysia, 14; Vietnam, 29; Indonesia, 32; Cambodia, 69. The top ranked country was Sweden, the lowest ranked country was Libya.

Environment

• Dumping plastic waste: Thailand ranked sixth of 192 nations with ocean shorelines (1=worst, 192=best). Based on 2010 data, Thailand is estimated to have contributed 1.03 million tonnes of plastic waste to the ocean. The 10 biggest marine polluters (by millions of tonnes of plastic waste dumped in the ocean each year) are: China 8.8; Indonesia 3.2; The Philippines 1.9; Vietnam 1.8; Sri Lanka 1.6; Thailand 1.0; Egypt 1.0; Nigeria 0.9; Malaysia 0.9; and Bangladesh 0.8
• Environmental Performance Index 2016: Thailand was ranked 91 of 180 nations (1=best, 180=worst) for its performance on environmental issues. Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 14; Malaysia, 63; Philippines, 66; Brunei, 98; Indonesia, 107; Vietnam, 131; Cambodia, 146; Laos, 148; and Myanmmar, 153.
• Environmental Sustainability Index 2005: Ranked 73 of 146 countries.
• Fish species, threatened: Of 215 nations, Thailand ranked 12 (1=worst, 215=best) in fish species at risk (96 species) in 2014. ASEAN member-states ranked from number five (Indonesia) to 175 (Brunei).
• Mammal species, threatened: Of 214 countries studied, Thailand ranks ninth (1=worst, 214=best) in the world in the number of mammal species (55 species) under threat. ASEAN nations fared poorly in this study: Indonesia was number one on the world list with 184 species under threat. The remaining ASEAN nations were ranked: Malaysia, 7; Vietnam, 12; Myanmar, 14; Laos, 15; The Philippines, 19; Cambodia, 20; Brunei, 25; Singapore, 93, of 214 countries.
• Plant species (higher), threatened: The World Bank estimated in 2014 that, world-wide, 13,583 higher plant species are threatened. Of 215 nations, Thailand ranks 26 (1=worst, 215=best) in number of species threatened (133 species). Thailand's ASEAN neighbours range from number two on the list (Malaysia, 706 threatened species) to number 75 (Laos, 32 threatened species).
• Tree cover loss: Thailand ranks 29 of 197 nations (1=worst, 197=best) in tree cover loss (deforestation), 2001-2012.

Expat destinations

• Thailand ranked 18 of 55 nations (1=most desirable; 55=least desirable) in a ranking by expats of their favoured destinations. Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, 9; Vietnam, 12; Malaysia, 15; Cambodia, 24; Philippines, 29; and Myanmar, 48.

Finance minister

FinanceAsia for the second year running has ranked the finance ministers of the Asia-Pacific region's 12 largest economies. In the 2016 ranking, Thailand's Apisak Tantivorawong was ranked 11th (1=best, 12=worst). Ranked worst was Malaysia's Najib Razak.

Fisheries

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: In 2014, Thailand ranked number 14 in the world in "marine capture" of fish (harvesting of ocean species), 1.6 million tonnes, number 15 in "inland capture" (harvesting of fresh water species), 210,293 tonnesm, number 13 in "farmed species", 934,800 tonnes, and was the fourth leading exporter of fish, with exports valued at US$6.6 billion.

Football/soccer

• In the 2016 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings of men's football, Thailand ranked 119 of 204 nations (1=best, 204=worst). The Thai women's team ranked 32 of 136 countries.

Freedom

Freedom House in its Freedom in the World 2015 report, reduced Thailand's previous ranking of "partly free" to "not free", making it one of 51 nations and territories in that category.

Gasoline price

Thailand ranked 48 of 61 nations (1=cheapest, 61=most expensive) for a litre of gasoline (2Q2015).

Gender gap

• World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2014: Thailand ranked 61 of 142 nations.

Girls' opportunities

• Save the Children UK's Every Last Girl 2016 report includes a "Girls' Opportunity Index" which ranks nations on five indicators of girls' well-being: child marriage; adolescent fertility; maternal mortality; secondary school completion; number of female MPs. Thailand ranked 81 of 144 nations (1=best, 144=worst). Other ASEAN nations ranked were: Vietnam, 47; Philippines, 64; Indonesia, 73; Bhutan, 80; Cambodia, 89; and Laos, 101.

Giving

• World Giving Index 2014: Overall 21 of 135 countries

Happiness

• World Happiness Report 2017: Thailand ranked 32 of 155 nations (1=happiest). Other ASEAN states ranked were: Singapore, 26; Malaysia, 42; Philippines, 72; Indonesia, 81; Vietnam, 94; Myanmar, 114; Cambodia, 129.
• World Happiness Report 2015: Thailand ranks 34 of 158 nations in the third issuance of the World Happiness Report.

Health-related sustainable development goals

• In September 2015, the UN General Assembly established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs specify 17 universal goals, 169 targets, and 230 indicators. A paper published in The Lancet analyzed 33 health-related SDG indicators based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015). Of 188 nations, Thailand ranked 112 (1=best; 188=worst). Rankings of other ASEAN nations were: Singapore, 2; Brunei, 21; Malaysia, 46; Indonesia, 91; Vietnam, 94; Philippines, 127; Cambodia, 130; Myanmar, 135; and Laos, 136.

Homicides

• Thailand ranked 30 of 216 countries for its number of homicides (2,387) in 2015. Other ASEAN nations ranked: Philippines, 14 (9,756 homicides); Vietnam, 39 (1,358); Myanmar, 41 (1,304); Indonesia, 42 (1,277); Malaysia, 74 (540); Laos, 79 (467); Cambodia, 100 (268); Singapore, 175 (14); Brunei, 197 (2). Among ASEAN nations, the Philippines had the highest rate of homicides per 100,000 population (9.84), followed by Laos (6.87), and Thailand (3.51). Singapore had the lowest homicide rate in ASEAN, with just 0.25 murders per 100,000 population.

Ignorance

• The Perils of Perception Survey 2016 conducted by Ipsos MORI ranked Thailand seventh of 40 countries (1=worst; 40=best) on the population's knowledge of key global issues and those of their home country. Citizens of India were judged to be the least informed, while the Dutch ranked as most accurate in their knowledge of world and national affairs. Other ASEAN nations ranked in what Ipsos MORI calls its "index of ignorance", were Singapore, ranked eighth; Indonesia, 10; Philippines, 16; Vietnam, 22; and Malaysia, 36.

Information technology

• World Economic Forum (WEF): The Global Information Technology Report (GITR) 2015 features the latest iteration of the Networked Readiness Index (NRI), which assesses the factors, policies, and institutions that enable a country to fully leverage information and communication technologies (ICTs) for increased competitiveness and well-being. Thailand ranked 67 of 143 nations.

Innovation

• The Bloomberg Innovation Index, 2017 ranked Thailand 44 of 50 nations (1=most innovative; 50=less innovative), a rise from 47 in the 2016 ranking. Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, 6 of 50 and Malaysia, 23 of 50.
• The Global Innovation Index 2015 ranked Thailand 55 of 141 (1=best; 141=worst) countries.

Instant noodle consumption

• World Instant Noodle Association: Of 43 nations, Thailand is the eighth biggest consumer of instant noodles, consuming three billion packet/cups in 2014.

Internet

• Freedom House: In 2015 awarded Thailand an overall score of 63 ("not free") (0=best, 100=worst) for Internet freedom in the calendar year 2014, ranking 50 of 65 countries. In 2013 Thailand was rated as "partly free".
• International Telecommunications Union (ITU): In their 2012 report, ranked Thailand 92 of 155 countries for telecommunications infrastructure.
• Ookla Speedtest: The company known for its popular Internet utility, Speedtest, ranked all nations for rolling mean download speed in Mbps (megabit per second) in May 2015. Rankings are based on throughput over the previous 30 days to servers not more than 480 km from the client computer. Thailand ranked 52nd of 200 nations (20 Mbit/s). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore (1 of 200 nations) 122 Mbit/s; Vietnam (61 of 200) 20 Mbit/s; Cambodia (110 of 200) 9 Mbit/s; Brunei (116 of 200) 8 Mbit/s; Malaysia (130 of 200) 7 Mbit/s; Laos (133 of 200) 7 Mbit/s; Indonesia (139 of 200) 7 Mbit/s; Myanmar (140 of 200) 7 Mbit/s; and the Philippines (176 of 200) 4 Mbit/s.
• According to Romanian internet security software firm Bitdefender, Thailand ranked fifth of 25 Asian nations in quantity of internet malware detected. India, Indonesia, China, and Vietnam were the top four cyber-security risks in Asia. Globally, Thailand's exposure to cyber-attacks was ranked 11th of 200 nations (1=worst, 200=best). The report echos a similar finding by Microsoft researchers in 2015.

Logistics

• In the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2016 Thailand ranked 45 of 160 nations (1=best, 160=worst). Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 5; Malaysia, 32; Indonesia, 63; Vietnam, 64; Brunei, 70; Philippines, 71; Cambodia, 73; Myanmar, 113; and Laos, 152.

Military strength

• Thailand ranked 19th of 133 nations in "total available military manpower reaching service age annually" (1=most, 133=fewest). Other ASEAN nations ranked were: Indonesia, 3; Philippines, 10; Vietnam, 13; Myanmar, 22; Malaysia, 44; Cambodia, 62; Laos, 79; and Singapore, 116.
• Global Firepower 2017 ranks Thailand as 20th of 133 nations in military strength (1=most powerful, 126=least powerful). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Indonesia, 14; Vietnam, 16; Myanmar, 31; Malaysia, 33; Philippines, 50; Singapore, 65; Cambodia, 89; and Laos, 124.
• Global Firepower 2015 ranks Thailand as 20th of 126 nations in military strength (1=most powerful, 126=least powerful). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Indonesia, 12; Vietnam, 21; Singapore, 26; Malaysia, 35; Philippines, 40; Myanmar, 44; Cambodia, 96; and Laos, 117.

Misery Index

• Bloomberg's Misery Index 2017 ranked Thailand 65 of 65 nations (65=least miserable, 1=most miserable). The index measures the unemployment rate coupled with the inflation rate. Bloomberg comments that "The least miserable country is once again Thailand--in large part due to its unique way of calculating employment..." Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 64; Malaysia, 55; Vietnam, 54; Philippines, 37; Indonesia, 23.
• Bloomberg's Misery Index 2016 ranked Thailand 63 of 63 nations (63=least miserable, 1=most miserable). The index measures the unemployment rate coupled with the inflation rate.

Mobile network speeds

• In a 2017 report published by the UK firm, OpenSignal, Thailand ranked 70 of 89 nations (1=fastest, 89=slowest). The report drew on 19 billion samples collected by more than one million OpenSignal users from November 2016 to January 2017. Thai mobile users can expect an average mobile data speed of 6.09 Mbps compared with number one South Korea's 37.5 Mbps. Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, ranked fourth; Brunei, 46; Malaysia 57 (7.86 Mbps); Cambodia, 74; Myanmar, 78 (4.81 Mbps); Indonesia, 80 (4.72 Mbps); Philippines, 86 (3.33 Mbps).

Obesity

• The British medical journal, Lancet published a study examining trends in mean body mass index (BMI) for adults in all countries. Obesity was defined as a BMI score greater than 30. Age standardized obesity rates in 2014, broken down by country and gender were extracted from these data. Included were all countries with a population of 10 million or more. Thailand ranked 34 of the top 55 countries (of 200 total irrespective of population) (1=most obese). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Malaysia, 32; Indonesia, 41; Philippines, 42; Myanmar, 48; Vietnam, 55. In all ASEAN nations listed, the rate of female obesity exceeded that of males.

Passport power

• Arton Capital's Passport Index 2017 ranks 193 member nations of the UN, as well as six territories, a total of 199 passport-issuing entities, on the number of countries a given passport can enter either visa-free (VF) or with a visa on arrival (VOA). Thailand ranked 107th of 199 nations in the number of VF/VOA countries granting its citizens visa-less entry (1=most passport power; 199=least passport power). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, 3; Malaysia, 19; Brunei, 49; Philippines, 127; Indonesia, 137; Cambodia, 154; Vietnam, 159; Laos, 169; and Myanmar, 180. The Passport Index also ranks countries by the number of countries to which they extend VF or VOA visas, a "Welcoming Index". Thailand ranked 62nd of 104 nations (due to numerous ties) (1=most countries granted VF or VOA entry; 104=fewest countries granted VF or VOA entry). Other ASEAN nations ranked were Cambodia, 1; Laos, 15; Indonesia, 16; Malaysia, 17; Singapore, 18; Philippines, 19; Brunei, 70; Vietnam, 83; Myanmar, 96.

Physical activity

• The Global Matrix 2.0 on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (2016) gave Thailand a score of D-minus (A=best, B-C-D, F=worst). The only other ASEAN country in the study of 38 nations was Malaysia, which received a score of D.

Pickup trucks

• Thailand ranks number two in the world in pickup truck sales, after the US, but is number one in pickup trucks per capita.

Press freedom

• World Press Freedom Index 2016: Reporters Without Borders ranked Thailand 136 of 180 (1=best, 180=worst) countries. ASEAN as a whole ranked poorly, with Cambodia the best at 128 and Vietnam the worst at 175.
• World Press Freedom Index 2015: Reporters Without Borders ranked Thailand 134 of 180 (1=best, 180=worst) countries
• Freedom of the Press 2015: Thailand was ranked 166 of 199 (1=best, 199=worst) nations by Freedom House.

Prison population rate

• Thailand ranks seventh in the world in prison population per 100,000 citizens (1=highest prisoner rate; 221=lowest prisoner rate). Thailand jails 450 persons per 100,000 population. Other ASEAN nations, their world ranking, and their incarceration rates: Singapore ranked 63 (prisoner rate, 219); Malaysia, 85 (167); Vietnam, 102 (146); Philippines, 109 (140); Brunei, 116 (134); Laos, 134 (119); Cambodia, 136 (116); Myanmar, 141 (113); Indonesia, 167 (76).

Prosperity

• The Legatum Institute's yearly Legatum Prosperity Index for 2015 ranks Thailand 48 of 142 (1=best, 142=worst) nations. The ranking is based on a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth, education, health, freedom, personal well-being, and quality of life. Other ASEAN nations ranked were Singapore, 17; Malaysia, 44; Vietnam, 55; Indonesia, 69; Philippines, 74; Laos, 95; Cambodia, 112.

Prostitution

• Number of prostitutes: Of 29 nations, Thailand is ranked eighth in number of prostitutes (1=most; 29=fewest). Thailand is estimated to have 250,000 prostitutes. Other ASEAN nations making the list were the Philippines (fourth, 800,000 prostitutes); Cambodia (13th, 70,000); Vietnam (17th, 33,000). The world total is estimated at 13,828,700 prostitutes. China is number one, with an estimated five million.
• Prostitution revenues: In a list of 24 nations, Thailand ranked eighth (1=most prostitution revenue; 24=least prostitution revenue), with revenues estimated at US$6.4 billion (no date). China topped the list at US$73 billion. Other ASEAN nations listed were the Philippines (ninth, US$6bn); Indonesia (12th, US$2.25bn); and Cambodia (19th, US$511 million).

Quality of living

• Bangkok was ranked 129th of 230 (1=best quality of living, 230=worst quality of living) cities worldwide in Mercer's 2016 Quality of Living survey rankings. Vienna was ranked number 1, Baghdad last. Singapore (26) is the highest-ranked Asian city. Behind Singapore, the second highest-ranked city in Southeast Asia is Kuala Lumpur (86). Manila is ranked 136 and Jakarta 142. On the "personal safety" component of the ranking, Bangkok was ranked 173rd, due to political unrest and terrorist attacks.

Real estate

• Global Real Estate Transparency Index 2016: Thailand ranked 38 of 109 nations (1=most transparent, 109=opaque).

Rice

At the 2017 World Rice Conference held in Macau, Thailand's hom mali 105 (jasmine) rice was declared the world's best rice, beating 21 competitors. Thailand had entered three rice varieties in the competition. This marks the fifth time in the last nine years that Thai jasmine rice has won the honour. The judges of the competition were chefs from Macau restaurants. Criteria were taste and the shape of the rice grains. Cambodia finished second, Vietnam third.

Richest royals

• The Crown Property Bureau presides over the wealth of Thailand's king and royal family, judged to be the world's richest. Its holdings include over 7,588 rai (3,000 acres) of land in central Bangkok and shares in Siam Cement and Siam Commercial Bank. The king also owns the 545-carat Golden Jubilee Diamond, the largest cut and faceted diamond in the world.

Risk (natural disaster)

• The World Risk Report 2016 ranked Thailand 89th of 171 nations at risk (1=most at risk; 171 least at risk) from natural disasters.

Road traffic death rate

• Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015: Thailand has an "Estimated Road Traffic Death Rate" of 36.2 persons per 100,000 population, ranked 2 of 180 countries (1: worst, 180: best). Seventy-three percent of fatalities involved two- or three-wheeled motorized vehicles. In other ASEAN countries, corresponding death rates were: Vietnam, 24.5; Malaysia, 24; Myanmar, 20.3; Cambodia, 17.4; Indonesia, 15.3; Laos, 14.3; Philippines, 10.5; Singapore, 3.6.

Rule of law

• World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index 2015 ranked Thailand 56 of 102 nations, and 11 of 15 in the region.

Scientific journal ranking

• SCImago Journal Rank: Thailand ranked 43 of 239 nations in the number of articles published in scientific journals between 1996 and 2014.

Services offshoring

• Global Services Location Index 2014: Thailand ranked number six of 50 countries among the best locations to offshore service functions.

Sex

• Average number of lifetime sexual partners: In 2005 Thailand ranked 16 of 34 countries with an average of 10.6 sexual partners. This statistic shows the average number of sexual partners of people in selected countries all over the world. The global average number of sexual partners is nine. Thais have sex with 10.6 different people on average during their lifetime.
• Most adulterous countries: Percentage of Thai married adults who have admitted to having an affair: 57 percent. Thailand ranks number one of ten. In an unrelated study by condom manufacturer Durex, Thai men were ranked number one in the world for infidelity and Thai women are ranked second as the world's most unfaithful lovers, with well over half of them admitting to frequent infidelity. Durex's findings have been hotly disputed.

Slavery

• The Global Slavery Index 2016, published by the Walk Free Foundation, ranked Thailand 20 (tied with eight other countries) of 167 nations (1=worst) for the estimated percentage of its population in "modern slavery". ASEAN is well-represented in the index: Cambodia was ranked 2; Myanmar, 9; Brunei, 14; Malaysia, 29; Philippines, 33; Laos, 37; Indonesia, 39 (tied with one other country); Singapore, 45 (tied with one other country); and Vietnam, 47.

Social

• Social Progress Index 2017: Thailand ranked 62 of 128 nations (1=best; 128=worst). Other ASEAN nations ranked were: Malaysia, 50; Philippines, 68; Indonesia, 79; Myanmar, 96; Cambodia, 98; and Laos, 99.
• Social Progress Index 2015: Social progress is the capacity of a society to meet the basic human needs of its citizens. Thailand ranked 57 of 113 nations (1=best; 133=worst). Other ASEAN states were ranked: Philippines, 64; Indonesia, 86; Cambodia, 99; Laos, 102; and Myanmar, 119.
• Social Progress Index 2014: Thailand ranked 59 of 132 countries
• State of the World's Mothers 2014: Ranked 72 of 178 countries.

Stability

• Fragile States Index 2015: Thailand ranked 71 of 178 nations (1=worst, 178=best). Lowest ranking ASEAN neighbour state is Myanmar, ranked 27, and Singapore, highest ranking, ranked 159.

Sustainable cities

• Sustainable Cities Index 2016: In this study by Arcadis NV, a Dutch design, engineering, and management consulting company, Bangkok ranked 67 of 100 (1=best; 100 worst) global cities. Other ASEAN cities ranked were Singapore, 2; Kuala Lumphur, 55; Hanoi, 87; Jakarta, 88; and Manila, 96.

Talent

• Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2017: Thailand ranked 73 of 118 countries (1=best; 118=worst). Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 2; Malaysia, 28; Philippines, 52; Vietnam, 86; Indonesia, 90; and Cambodia, 108.
• IMD World Talent Report 2016: This study purports to measure investment in and development of talent and the ability to attract and retain talent. Thailand ranked 37 of 61 nations (1=best; 61=worst), down three spots from 2015. Other ASEAN nations were ranked: Singapore, 15; Malaysia, 19; Indonesia, 44; Philippines, 51.

Tourism

• The World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017 Report, ranked Thailand 34 of 136 nations (1=most competitive, 136=least competitive). Other ASEAN nations ranked were: Singapore, 6; Malaysia, 26; Indonesia, 42; Vietnam, 67; Philippines, 79; Laos, 94; Cambodia, 101.

• International Tourist Arrivals and Receipts: Thailand ranked number nine in 2016, with 32.5 million arrivals. It ranked third in international tourism receipts, US$49.9 billion.
• Global Destinations Cities Index 2016: In this seventh annual survey published by MasterCard, Bangkok ranked number one of 100 cities worldwide as the top global destination city as determined by number of visitors. It displaced London, the previous number one. Other ASEAN cities ranked in the survey were Singapore, 6; Ho Chi Minh City, 42; Hanoi, 52; Jakarta, 66; and Manila, 74.
• Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015: Thailand ranked 35 of 141 nations. Among ASEAN nations, Singapore was ranked 11; Malaysia, 25: Indonesia, 50; Philippines, 74; Vietnam, 75; Laos, 96; Cambodia, 105; and Myanmar, 134.
• International Tourist Arrivals: Thailand ranked number ten in 2013, up five places from 2012 with 26.5 million arrivals.
• International Tourist Receipts: Ranked number seven in the world in 2013, up two places from 2012, with receipts estimated at US$42.1 billion.
• Total tourism contribution to GDP: Thailand ranked 18 of 184 nations in 2014, with travel and tourism income totalling 2,345 billion baht or 19.3 percent of GDP.

Traffic congestion

• TomTom, the Dutch manufacturer of land navigation products, ranked Bangkok as the second-most traffic-clogged city of 189 cities studied worldwide. Mexico City topped the rankings. Other ASEAN cities listed were Jakarta, third, and Singapore at 55.
• The INRIX 2016 Global Traffic Scorecard ranked Thailand as the most congested nation of 38 studied for "average peak hours spent in congestion". Thais spent an average of 61 hours in 2016 stuck in traffic. Bangkok was ranked 11 of 100 cities for "peak hours spent in congestion", 64 hours.
• Based on 2015 data, Dutch navigation and digital mapping company, TomTom NV, ranked Bangkok number two in a listing of the 174 most traffic congested cities worldwide (1=most congested; 174=least congested). Mexico City ranked number one. No other ASEAN cities made the list.

Tyre exports

• Thailand is the world's fifth largest exporter of tyres, shipping 150 million per year.

Universities

• According to the CWTS, CWUR, QS World, QS Asian. Chulalongkorn University was ranked the no. 1 in Thailand and 45th in Asian in 2016.
• Meanwhile, Mahidol University was ranked the top Thai university among the top 200 Asian (including Middle Eastern) universities in 2016 by Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2016 :.

Uploading photos to social media

According to the Bangkok Post, Thais uploaded 495 million photos to social media in 2015, the highest number in the world.

Vehicle manufacture

• Thailand output 1.95 million vehicles in 2015, ranking 12th in the world.

Volkswagens

• Largest gathering of Volkswagens: Thailand broke the Guinness World Record for the largest congregation of Volkswagens. That honour was held previously by Brazil. A total of 490 Volkswagens gathered at the First Army Area to break Brazil's previous record of 460 Volkwagens.

References

Source of article : Wikipedia