Thailand holds the 45th position in the Global Innovation Index 2025 rankings.
Switzerland Remains Global Innovation Leader, While Thailand Faces Challenges
Switzerland has once again secured its position as the world's most innovative economy, marking the 15th consecutive year it holds this title. However, the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 has cast doubt on the effectiveness of Thailand's flagship strategies, such as Thailand 4.0 and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
The GII 2025 warns that standing still in ASEAN's fast-moving innovation arena is tantamount to falling behind. WIPO assessed Thailand's innovation performance as "in line with its level of development", but the results indicate the need for increased innovation efforts to stay competitive in ASEAN.
Thailand has been recognised as an "innovation overperformer" for the 11th time, but it secured the fourth spot in Southeast Asia, behind Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Bangkok was highlighted as one of the notable innovation clusters, though still outside the global top 100.
The GII 2025 results raise questions over whether these initiatives are delivering outcomes swiftly enough compared with regional competitors. To improve its innovation landscape, Thailand must increase investment in research and development (R&D), strengthen public-private-academic partnerships, and foster an ecosystem conducive to technology-driven enterprises.
The ASEAN region is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic innovation battlegrounds. High-tech exports in ASEAN more than doubled between 2015 and 2022, and China has entered the top 10 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 for the first time. Between 2000 and 2023, ASEAN recorded an average annual R&D growth rate of 8.5%.
The world's top 10 innovators in 2025, in order, are: Switzerland, Sweden, United States, South Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, and China. Thailand ranks below these countries, with a global ranking of 45th and an overall score of 36.7 points. Within its income group, Thailand placed fourth among upper-middle-income economies.
The GII 2025 is a clear warning for Thailand to urgently address its innovation strategy to regain momentum and secure a leadership role in ASEAN's innovation landscape. Thailand must act swiftly to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving global innovation landscape.
