Thailand seems to always wake up ready to snatch a crown and this time it’s a big one. The country now ranks first in the world for gender equality in education. According to the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum (in collab with Chulalongkorn University), Thai girls are absolutely crushing it, earning a perfect score of 1.000.
In the classroom, girlies are conquering but outside the situation is, well, still loading…
Despite this educational glow-up, Thailand ranks only 66th overall in gender equality and 105th in political empowerment. So here comes the million-baht question: If Thai girls are thriving in school, why aren’t they running the world (yet)?
These women have been showing up and showing out for years. They lead school councils, dominate university halls, win national contests and break academic records. And yes, Thailand has seen two female prime ministers or even a first Miss World from the nation but beyond those wins, boardrooms, parliament seats and corner offices are still mostly a boys' club.
This mismatch hints at something deeper. Education might look equal on paper, but power, opportunity and visibility are still a mixed bag. Even within the country, not all girls get the same shot. Those from rural areas or lower-income backgrounds often face different realities, from being pulled out of school to help with the family shop to being nudged into early marriage. So no, not everyone’s Thailand looks the same.
And representation matters, too. Sure, Thai pop culture is bursting with beautiful, confident women from beauty queens to social media stars. But how often do young girls see Thai women leading in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, politics or executive roles? Because when you can see it, you can dream it. And when you can dream it, you can become it.
Still, let’s give credit where it’s due. These young generations have done their homework, aced the tests and earned the gold stars. The next move is to make sure the world outside the classroom steps up to meet their brilliance.
If Thai girls can lead the world in education, they have the potential to lead it in every way – if only given them the opportunity.