Thailand Climbs to 26th in Global Competitiveness Ranking

Thailand rose four places to 26th in IMD’s 2026 ranking, powered by stronger business efficiency, infrastructure and investment.

Thailand’s climb to 26th place in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking offers a timely sign that the country’s business environment and infrastructure are regaining momentum.

The kingdom rose four positions from 30th in 2025 among 70 economies assessed by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development. The result places Thailand third among the six ASEAN economies in the ranking, behind Singapore and Malaysia and one position ahead of Vietnam. 

The ranking is more than a league table. IMD combines 172 statistical criteria with 92 indicators drawn from a survey of about 6,900 executives, grouping the results under economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.

Business Efficiency Provides the Clearest Lift

Thailand’s strongest upward movement came from business efficiency, which advanced three places to 21st. Within that pillar, the labour market rose seven positions to 10th, finance improved six places to 31st, and management practices reached 24th. 

Infrastructure also moved in the right direction, climbing two places to 45th. Basic infrastructure gained five positions to rank 20th, reinforcing the foundations on which trade, investment and business expansion depend. 

Economic performance remained within the global top 10, at 10th place. International investment climbed six positions to 24th, while the price-related sub-factor improved to 12th. Government efficiency held steady at 32nd, with tax policy standing out at seventh globally. 

A Stronger Platform in a Competitive ASEAN

The regional picture gives the result added weight. Singapore returned to the top of the global ranking, while Malaysia placed 15th. Thailand followed at 26th, ahead of Vietnam in 27th, the Philippines in 47th and Indonesia in 48th. 

For Thailand, the significance lies in the combination of an established economic base, improving infrastructure and a business sector showing greater efficiency. These strengths provide a platform from which the country can attract more investment in advanced manufacturing, digital services and other future-facing industries.

The four-place rise also comes in a year when IMD placed particular emphasis on credible institutions, predictable rules, enforceable commitments and public trust. In an increasingly fragmented global economy, the institute argues that these qualities give businesses the confidence to invest, plan and continue operating through periods of disruption. 

Turning the Result into a Reform Agenda

Thailand’s policymakers are treating the ranking as a guide for the next phase of reform rather than a finish line.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas has linked the IMD findings to work on the energy transition, workforce development, technology and simpler investment regulations. These priorities are expected to feed into the government’s public-private economic reform mechanism. 

Thailand FastPass, designed to shorten approval and licensing procedures for strategic projects, has been presented as an example of how administrative reform can unlock investment without relying solely on additional public spending. 

The next opportunity is to build on the progress in business and basic infrastructure by accelerating AI adoption, raising productivity, developing future skills and making regulation more agile and predictable. The 2026 ranking gives Thailand a clearer view of where momentum already exists and where focused action could produce the greatest return. 

A four-place climb will not define Thailand’s economic future on its own. But it is a useful signal that coordinated improvements in business conditions, investment capability and infrastructure can move the country upwards.

With sustained reform, the 26th-place result can become a launchpad for a more productive, technology-ready and resilient Thai economy.