Thailand Drops to 80th in Global Rule of Law Rankings Amid Declines in Anti-Corruption and Enforcement

Key summary

The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2026 report, published on 24 October 2026, shows Thailand falling three places to rank 80th out of 143 countries. The decline is driven by lower scores in anti-corruption and law enforcement. Thailand scored 0.50 overall, ranking 10th in East Asia and Pacific (of 15) and 24th among upper-middle-income nations globally. It exceeded the global average only in Order and Security (0.75 vs 0.72), while scoring below average in seven other factors including Absence of Corruption (0.44 vs 0.51) and Regulatory Enforcement (0.44 vs 0.54). Compared to 2025, scores dropped in Absence of Corruption (from 0.45) and Regulatory Enforcement (from 0.45). Over five years (2021–2026), the absence of corruption metric fell by 5.6% and regulatory enforcement by 4.0%. Specific declines were noted in freedom of expression, assembly, civic participation, and judicial constraints on executive power. Thailand joins 86% of nations that saw deterioration in at least one anti-authoritarian mechanism over five years. Civil justice affordability and accessibility did not improve, contrasting with global progress in more than half of surveyed countries. Dr Phiset Sa-ardyen, executive director of the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), stated the index offers empirical data for reform, linking strong rule of law to economic prosperity, price stability, creditworthiness, investor confidence, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He noted these factors support Thailand's 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan and OECD membership target by 2028. Globally, scores declined in 62% of countries this year, the ninth consecutive year of more regression than improvement. Denmark, Norway, and Finland led globally; New Zealand topped East Asia and Pacific (7th globally), followed by Australia and Singapore, with the Philippines, Myanmar, and Cambodia at the bottom regional spots.