The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 provides a crucial snapshot of the global community’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within this global context, Thailand demonstrates a commendable performance and ranking. However, the report also highlights significant structural challenges that remain, necessitating a clear and intensified development strategy to elevate progress across all dimensions.
1. Global Overview of the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025
The SDR 2025 reveals that, despite progress in areas like education and energy access, the world remains significantly “off-track” to meet the SDGs by 2030. It is estimated that less than 20% of the targets are on course to be achieved in time. Geopolitical conflicts, the escalating climate crisis, and the lingering effects of the global pandemic are key factors undermining progress.
A key finding is that the East and South Asia region has made faster progress on the SDGs than any other region since 2015, driven by rapid socioeconomic advancements. Nevertheless, the report calls for a comprehensive reform of the global financial architecture to scale up SDG investments and emphasizes the need for urgent action across six key transitions: food systems, energy access, digital transformation, education, social protection, and addressing climate change and biodiversity.
2. Thailand’s Sustainable Development Status
According to the SDR 2025 data, Thailand’s performance is noteworthy in many aspects when compared to global and regional averages. However, deep-seated structural challenges require immediate and decisive action.
Overall Performance:
- Rank and Score: Thailand is ranked 43rd out of 167 countries with an overall score of 75.3, which is significantly above the regional average for East and South Asia (69.5). It also holds the top position in ASEAN for the seventh consecutive year.
- Trend: The country’s score has increased by a substantial 7.1 points since 2015, reflecting continuous positive development.
SDG Dashboard Analysis:
- Goal Achieved (Green): SDG 4 (Quality Education). Thailand has successfully maintained a high standard of education, particularly evident in its high literacy rate.
- On Track (Yellow): SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) show strong progress. Notably, extreme poverty at the $2.15/day line has been eradicated (0%), and access to electricity and clean water is comprehensive.
- Challenges Remain (Orange): The majority of Thailand’s goals fall into this category. This includes SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), where malnutrition persists; SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which faces challenges from non-communicable diseases and road traffic fatalities; and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), with issues like youth unemployment.
- Major Challenges Remain (Red): This group represents the country’s most significant hurdles, with some indicators showing a worsening trend.
- SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Female representation in parliament remains low at 16%, and gender gaps persist in the labor market.
- SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Disparities in income and opportunity remain a structural problem.
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): CO₂ emissions (3.7 tonnes per capita) are still high and the trend is decreasing, indicating a worsening situation.
- SDG 14 & 15 (Life Below Water & On Land): Biodiversity remains threatened by unsustainable imports and overfishing.
- SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The Corruption Perception Index score is low (43/100), and press freedom remains constrained.
3. Conclusion and Recommendations for Advancement
While Thailand has achieved impressive success in fundamental social development, the remaining challenges are complex, interconnected, and structural, particularly in the environmental and equality dimensions. To accelerate progress and achieve all goals by 2030, Thailand should consider the following strategic pathways:
- Implement Serious Environmental Policy Reform:
- Accelerate the Energy Transition: Establish clear policies and incentives to reduce fossil fuel dependency, fully promote investment in renewable energy, and develop a smart grid infrastructure.
- Drive the Circular Economy: Enact laws and measures that promote waste reduction, recycling, and resource efficiency, especially in the industrial and consumer sectors, to mitigate negative environmental spillovers.
- Protect Biodiversity: Enforce strict laws to protect terrestrial and marine ecosystems, regulate the import of goods linked to environmental degradation, and promote sustainable agriculture and fisheries.
- Build an Equitable and Inclusive Society:
- Promote Gender Equality: Implement proactive measures to increase the proportion of women in political and economic leadership positions while guaranteeing the rights and welfare of female workers.
- Reduce Structural Inequality: Reform the tax system to be more progressive, expand investment in quality public services in remote areas, and develop a social protection system that covers all population groups.
- Enhance Governance and Strengthen Institutions:
- Increase Transparency and Combat Corruption: Rigorously enforce anti-corruption laws, foster public participation in monitoring government, and ensure open access to public data.
- Promote Rights and Freedoms: Protect freedom of expression and freedom of the press to create an environment conducive to checks and balances and active citizen engagement.
Achieving these challenging goals requires unwavering political will, integrated cross-ministerial policymaking, and strong collaboration from all sectors—including the private sector, civil society, and academia—to transition Thailand towards a truly sustainable society that leaves no one behind.
Sachs, J.D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., & Iablonskyi, G. (2025). Financing Sustainable Development to 2030 and Mid-Century. Sustainable Development Report 2025. Paris: SDSN, Dublin: Dublin University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25546/111909