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Thailand
Women in decision-making positions
21%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (18,089 elected women)
No woman is Head of Government
20%
Parliamentarians are women
16%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Thailand is a unitary monarchy with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and one or two tiers of local government.

  • Head of State: The Monarch assumes the role of Head of State hereditarily.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is appointed by a royal decree of the King, countersigned by the President of the House of Representatives.
  • Legislative body: The National Assembly is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the House of Representatives). Members of the Senate are appointed. Members of the House of Representatives are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Council of Ministers is composed of the Prime Minister and ministers appointed by a royal decree of the King.

  • Organization: Local government is organized into one or two tiers in Thailand.
  • In urban areas, there is one tier, consisting of the City Bangkok government, the City of Pattaya government, and municipalities (30 city municipalities (เทศบาลนคร), 178 town municipalities (เทศบาลเมือง), and 2,232 sub-district municipalities (เทศบาลตำบล)).
  • In rural areas, there are two tiers, consisting of an upper tier of 75 provincial administrative organization-level local government units (PAO) and a lower tier of 5,770 sub-district administrative organization-level local government units (SAO). There is a PAO for each of the 75 provinces; a SAO comprises a rural area with a population of over 2,000 inhabitants.
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for enacting ordinances and an annual budget and receiving income through local taxes.
  • Ministerial oversight: The Ministry of Interior is responsible for central government oversight of local government.

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The Bangkok Metropolitan Council (สภากรุงเทพมหานคร) is composed of 60 elected members. A council chairperson (ประธานสภากรุงเทพมหานคร) is elected by and from the council to preside over it; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The secretariat (สำนักงานเลขานุการสภากรุงเทพมหานคร) is composed of appointed members and is presided by the Governor of Bangkok (ผู้ว่าราชการกรุงเทพมหานคร).

Deliberative body: The Pattaya City Council (สภาเมืองพัทยา) is composed of 24 elected members. A council chairperson is elected by and from the council to preside over it; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The secretariat is composed of appointed members and is presided by the Mayor of Pattaya (นายกเมืองพัทยา).

Deliberative body: The municipal council (สภาเทศบาล) is composed of 24 elected members (in city municipalities), 18 elected members (in town municipalities), or 12 elected members in sub-district municipalities. A council chairperson is elected by and from the municipal council to preside over it; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The secretariat is composed of appointed members and is presided by the municipal mayor (นายกเทศมนตรี).

Deliberative body: The provincial administrative organization council (สภาองค์การบริหาร) is composed of 24-48 elected members. A council chairperson is elected by and from the council to preside over it; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The secretariat is composed of appointed members and is presided by the provincial administrative organization president (นายกองค์การบริหาร).

Deliberative body: The sub-district administrative organization council (สภาองค์การบริหาร) is composed of two elected members per each village. A council chairperson is elected by and from the council to preside over it; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The secretariat is composed of appointed members and is presided by the sub-district administrative organization president (นายกองค์การบริหาร).

Local government elections

Electoral system for local deliberative bodies: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post or block vote)

  • The candidate with the most votes is elected in an uninominal constituency. In multi-member constituencies, the candidates are given scores and then listed in descending order to be elected. In the event that the candidates have equal votes, lots are drawn.

Electoral system for executive heads of local government: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

  • The executive head of local government (the governor, mayor, or administrative organization president) is directly elected by voters.

Source: Local Council Elections Act, 2002 (amended through 2019), sections 100 and 110

  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No

  • Term length: 4 years
  • Last local elections: 2021 
  • Next local elections: 2022 (in Bangkok), 2025

Election Commission of Thailand

National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2017;
  • Local Council Election Act, 2002 (amended through 2019);
  • Local Government Organization Act, 1999;
  • Pattaya City Administrative Organization Act, 1999; 
  • Provincial Administrative Organizations Act, 1997 (amended through 2009);
  • Tambon Council and Administrative Authority Act, 1994;
  • Bangkok Metropolis Administrative Organization Act, 1985 (amended through 2010);
  • Municipalities Act, 1953 (amended through 2019);
  • Local Government Act, 1914.

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Thailand. According to Sections 249 and 250 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand of 2017, “local administration shall be organised in accordance with the principle of self-government according to the will of the people in the locality, as per the procedure and form of local administrative organisations as provided by law. A local administrative organisation has the duties and powers to regulate and provide public services and public activities for the benefits of the people in the locality, in accordance with the principle of sustainable development, and to promote and support the provision of education for the people in the locality, as provided by law.”

The National Assembly is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation which regulates local government is the Local Government Organization Act of 1999, which provides the basic framework for decentralization in Thailand.

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.