What Worries Thailand? September 2025
A significant shift in public sentiment has occurred in Thailand, as the public's primary concerns return to domestic issues. According to the September 2025 edition of Ipsos' What Worries the World global survey, worry about financial/political corruption is now back as the top concern, with 51% of Thais citing it as one of their most worrying topics. This marks a return to the long-standing trend of domestic issues dominating the national conversation.
This shift comes just one month after military conflict between nations became the number one concern for the first time in August 2025, a result of the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia. While the worry about military conflict has dropped 9 percentage points from last month, it remains the second-highest concern at 41%, underscoring that regional tensions are still a significant anxiety for the Thai public. The rise in political/financial corruption concern in Thailand is also part of a broader trend in the APAC region, as the global What Worries the World survey for September notes a significant increase in worry about this issue across the area, with Thailand's score rising by seven points from last month.
Other top worries in Thailand for September 2025 include:
- Poverty & social inequality: 33% (up 4 points from last month)
- Unemployment: 19% (no change from last month)
- Inflation: 19% (down 1 point from last month)
State of the Country and Economy
The public's perception of the country's direction and economic situation shows a mixed outlook. A slight majority of Thais (54%) believe the country is on the wrong track, while 46% believe it is heading in the right direction. This reflects a six-point drop in optimism compared to this time last year.
When asked to describe the current economic situation, sentiment is predominantly negative, with 67% of Thais describing it as bad.
Personal Situation and Consumer Confidence
In terms of their personal lives, Thais are feeling less comfortable with major purchases but slightly more comfortable with day-to-day household spending.
- Major Purchases: 54% feel less comfortable making a major purchase like a home or car compared to six months ago.
- Household Purchases: 57% feel more comfortable making other household purchases compared to six months ago.
Looking ahead, the outlook on personal financial strength is generally positive, with 41% of Thais expecting their personal financial situation to be much/somewhat stronger six months from now, compared to only 16% who expect it to be weaker.
