Thailand slips two places to 47th in IMD World Talent Ranking 2025
Thailand falls from 45th to 47th globally for its ability to attract and retain skilled talent, improving in some areas but losing ground in overall appeal.
Thailand has dropped two spots in the 2025 IMD World Talent Ranking, moving from forty-fifth to forty-seventh among sixty-nine economies assessed.
The country saw modest gains in investment & development indicators, but suffered a decline in its overall appeal to skilled professionals.
The IMD ranking measures three core pillars: Investment & Development; Appeal; and Readiness.
In the latest results, Thailand improved within Investment & Development, scoring higher than many peer nations in health infrastructure, while also performing well in the number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates.
Readiness saw a slight change, with some education and worker-skills metrics slipping.
Thailand’s appeal to talent dropped most sharply, driven by worsening performance in metrics such as brain drain and minimum wage.
However, the country held steady or improved in cost of living, work motivation, and personal income tax rankings compared to last year.
Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand remains behind Singapore and Malaysia for its ability to attract and keep skilled professionals.
The country ranks around tenth out of the Asia-Pacific economies surveyed.
IMD’s report highlights that financial security and tangible benefits are increasingly decisive factors for talent globally, over traditional priorities like quality of life and cultural fit.
The country saw modest gains in investment & development indicators, but suffered a decline in its overall appeal to skilled professionals.
The IMD ranking measures three core pillars: Investment & Development; Appeal; and Readiness.
In the latest results, Thailand improved within Investment & Development, scoring higher than many peer nations in health infrastructure, while also performing well in the number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates.
Readiness saw a slight change, with some education and worker-skills metrics slipping.
Thailand’s appeal to talent dropped most sharply, driven by worsening performance in metrics such as brain drain and minimum wage.
However, the country held steady or improved in cost of living, work motivation, and personal income tax rankings compared to last year.
Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand remains behind Singapore and Malaysia for its ability to attract and keep skilled professionals.
The country ranks around tenth out of the Asia-Pacific economies surveyed.
IMD’s report highlights that financial security and tangible benefits are increasingly decisive factors for talent globally, over traditional priorities like quality of life and cultural fit.
