There is no such thing as an ‘average child’, especially in a diverse country like Thailand. While statistical averages can provide an overview of progress, they can mask the realities and disparities within the population. When UNICEF shares data with national and local authorities, we always ensure that children and families who fall outside the ‘average’ are highlighted.
UNICEF supports the Royal Thai Government in regularly collecting data through the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which sheds light on the inequalities affecting children, particularly those left behind by social and economic progress. This data-driven approach, outlined in our new report, Addressing the gaps: Ensuring every child in Thailand has an equal chance to thrive, helps the Government focus its efforts on the children who need it most.
Tackling gender disparities in education
For example, while 74 per cent of all Thai children attend upper-secondary school, only 67 per cent of boys stay enrolled compared to 81 per cent of girls. This means over half a million more boys than girls are dropping out early, confirming gender disparities in education. Targeted interventions are needed to reach adolescent boys at risk of leaving school. UNICEF plans to further analyse MICS data, using qualitative research and administrative records to better understand which children are most vulnerable to dropping out. The analysis will inform the Government’s Thailand Zero Dropout initiative which aims to reintegrate both boys and girls who have left school across all levels.
Addressing inequalities in early literacy
Gender isn’t the only inequality in Thailand’s education system identified by the 2022 MICS survey. There are also stark disparities between children living in rural and urban schools, with some regions lagging in educational resources and outcomes. In Thailand, more than one quarter (29 per cent) of children aged 7–14 lack basic reading skills. For children from poorer families and non-Thai speaking families, this rate rises to 40 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively.
Access to learning opportunities from an early age, such as age-appropriate books, is critical for early childhood development and literacy in later years. However, only 36 per cent of children under five have access to three or more books at home, a figure that drops to 19 per cent among children from poor families. Among 7–14-year-olds, only 40 per cent have access to age-appropriate books at home. To tackle this lack of access to reading materials, UNICEF’s mobile libraries deliver books to rural and remote primary schools, supporting foundational reading skills. In 2023, this network of 10 trucks, operating across five border provinces, engaged 13,151 children (49 per cent girls) in foundational learning activities, including the introduction of levelled reading materials and effective teaching methods.
“In Thailand, education can feel like a lucky draw,” says Monprayiya “Biwtie” Lobnongbua, a young education advocate who works closely with UNICEF on education reform. “If you are born in the right place or have a good supportive family background, you can be lucky and get a good education. But many people, including many of my friends, aren’t so lucky.”
Photo credit: UNICEF Thailand/2023/Roisri
Beyond education: nutrition and caregiving
The report reveals inequalities beyond education. Nationally, 13 per cent of children under five suffer from stunting, but this figure exceeds 20 per cent in some southern provinces (Ranong, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat) and reaches 34 per cent in Mae Hong Son in the north. Stunting and wasting are more common among children from poor households and those whose mothers have little or no education. To help vulnerable parents, UNICEF is strengthening nutrition communication by providing materials to hospitals and enhancing the capacity of health workers to offer nutritional advice.
Parental involvement is another area of concern. Nationally, only 31 per cent of fathers engage in learning or play activities with their children, and this drops to 16 per cent among the poorest families. Since early childhood is crucial for lifelong development, all adults, regardless of gender, must actively support a child’s growth. Research shows that fathers who bond with their babies from birth are more likely to play an active role in their development. UNICEF uses data to inform programmes that better support families facing these challenges. UNICEF is working with the Government on expanding parental leave, aiming to ensure both fathers and mothers have time to take care of their newborn children.
Turning data into action
By turning data into actionable insights, UNICEF promotes tailored solutions and directs resources to specific areas and families in greatest need. The report includes extensive recommendations, drawing on homegrown successes and from other countries.
In education, UNICEF has used learning data to advocate for strengthening foundational learning for all, including expansion of the “A Book A Week” reading campaign to reach more than 100,000 children and scaling up multilingual programmes in Central, Western, Eastern, Southern, Northern and Northeastern Thailand, particularly for young learners.
In nutrition, expanding programmes for young children and supporting their caregivers—especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds—is essential. Last year, UNICEF assisted the Ministry of Public Health in enhancing parent communication on nutrition, distributing information materials to over 2,300 hospitals. Additionally, we supported the Department of Health in providing online nutrition training for 3,700 health personnel. UNICEF is also advocating for the expansion of Thailand’s Child Support Grant to all children under six, aiming to reduce child poverty and address inequalities nationwide.
UNICEF is working to improve parenting education programmes, focusing on co-parenting that actively involves fathers. We are also advocating for family-friendly policies and labour law reforms in both the public and private sectors. These policies—including paid parental leave, flexible working arrangements, affordable childcare and child benefits—can boost the well-being of children and parents, improve workplace productivity and increase women’s participation in the workforce.
By addressing these inequalities, the report brings Thailand a step closer to breaking the ‘lottery of birth’ and ensuring that every child can thrive.
