LONDON \u2014 Economic anxiety likely outweighs most other issues on Thai voters\u2019 minds ahead of their general election on Sunday. When asked in 2025 to name the most important problem facing their country, 48% of Thais cited the economy, more than three times the percentage mentioning any other concern.<\/p>\n
Gallup\u2019s latest survey of Thailand took place between September and November, several months after clashes first flared up along the border with Cambodia in July. However, concerns about safety and security rank a distant second to the economy, with 13% of Thais saying security is the biggest issue facing their country, compared with 71% in Cambodia.<\/p>\n
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Thailand\u2019s Central Bank affirms the public\u2019s concerns about the economy, warning in January that the country\u2019s economic competitiveness is declining under pressure from U.S. tariffs, high household debt, sluggish growth, and a strong currency that hampers Thailand\u2019s exports. National GDP growth has been below 3% every year since 2019, and when asked to evaluate economic conditions today, about twice as many Thais say circumstances are \u201cpoor\u201d or \u201conly fair\u201d (67%) as \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cexcellent\u201d (32%).<\/p>\n
Trust in Key Thai Institutions Fractures Ahead of Election<\/p>\n
Aside from the economy, issues related to politics and safety and security were the next most salient issues on Thais\u2019 minds toward the end of 2025. Gallup\u2019s trends over the past two decades show a recent shift in views about two institutions connected to these broader concerns: the national government and the military.<\/p>\n
Thais now show near-universal confidence in their military, at 95%, while 37% express confidence in their national government. From 2006 to 2023, these measures moved closely in tandem, but they have since gone their separate ways.<\/p>\n
Last year, Thailand posted one of the world\u2019s highest trust ratings in the military, even as confidence in the government tumbled by 18 percentage points. The resulting 58-point gap between military and government confidence is not only the widest ever recorded in Thailand but among the highest measured globally over the past two decades.<\/p>\n
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This divide carries particular weight in a country that has alternated between military and civilian rule for decades, with public confidence in both institutions historically moving in lockstep. The timing is significant given the recent border conflict and upcoming election. The two leading parties hold very different positions on military reform: The People\u2019s Party advocates ending conscription and reforming the armed forces, while the ruling Bhumjaithai Party maintains close ties with the military establishment.<\/p>\n
Geopolitical Balancing Act: Japan Leads, U.S. and China Tied<\/p>\n
Thailand\u2019s election unfolds against a backdrop of global uncertainty. After the U.S. imposed a 19% tariff rate on Thailand (reduced from an initial 36%), approval of Washington held steady at 37%, although disapproval rose from 19% to 33%. The historically close U.S.-Thailand relationship has cooled since the 2014 coup that brought Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha to power. Between 2006 and 2013, average approval of U.S. leadership was six points higher than 2014 onward.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, approval of China \u2014 Thailand\u2019s largest trading partner \u2014 increased by nine points to 36%, bringing it back in line with its historical average and matching the U.S. after hitting a low point in 2024. Thailand\u2019s king visited Beijing in November 2025, marking the first time a Thai monarch has visited China.<\/p>\n
Japanese leadership commands the highest approval among Thais of any global power, at 48%, about 10 points ahead of both Washington and Beijing. Japan has invested heavily in Thailand in recent years and has become its top foreign investor, with more than 6,000 Japanese companies operating in the country.<\/p>\n
Approval of Russia has risen modestly to 29%, the lowest leadership rating overall but still nine points higher than in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. Despite Western sanctions, Thailand was among several countries that continued business relations with Russia.<\/p>\n
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For years, Thailand has practiced \u201cbamboo diplomacy\u201d \u2014 named for the plant with strong roots but flexible branches \u2014 pursuing a balanced foreign policy among competing global powers. This approach has long been reflected in public opinion, with the U.S., China and Japan fluctuating in relative approval ratings over time. Beyond restoring economic confidence, Thailand\u2019s next prime minister will need to navigate increasingly complex geopolitical currents.<\/p>\n
Bottom Line<\/p>\n
Thailand\u2019s general election could produce the country\u2019s fourth prime minister in less than three years. The winner will inherit many challenges, from economic pessimism and ongoing border tensions to declining confidence in the national government. Against shifting global alignments, the election results will play a key role in determining Thailand\u2019s trajectory in the months and years ahead.<\/p>\n
Stay up to date with the latest insights by following @Gallup on X<\/a> and on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup’s Country Data Set details<\/a>. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll<\/a> works.<\/p>\n ###Embeddable###<\/p>\n