Share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand
Thailand: Share of global plastic waste imports was 3.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand, 1988–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Thailand recorded 3.1% for share of global plastic waste imports in 2024.
That represents a change of down 28.1% on the previous year and up 534.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand peaked at 7.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2006.
That places Thailand 13th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 1.3% | — |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -65.7% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -21.1% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -25.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -48.7% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -50.0% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -37.5% |
| 1996 | 0.0% | -50.1% |
| 1997 | 0.0% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -35.5% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | +27.8% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -33.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -32.1% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | +108.4% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -43.6% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +39.8% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -32.9% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | -55.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | +264.9% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +281.7% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +10.1% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +59.4% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | +54.8% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +24.0% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | +45.6% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +60.9% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -23.8% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | +11.9% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +182.7% |
| 2018 | 7.6% | +538.8% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -66.9% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +56.2% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -28.1% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 3.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 729.7× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 3.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%, 1023.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +538.8% | 1.2% | 7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 0.1% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 2.7% | 4.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More environment data for Thailand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.54 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.306 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.01 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.1009 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Thailand was 3.1% in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2006.
- How does Thailand rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Thailand ranks 13th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 534.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of global plastic waste imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.