Malaysia vs Thailand
Malaysia vs Thailand: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $4.55B in Malaysia and $5.57B in Thailand, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Thailand, by $1.02B, or 1.22 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Thailand has been higher since 2009, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2025, Malaysia ranked 50 and Thailand ranked 45 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Malaysia | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.55B | $5.57B |
| 2024 | $4.38B | $5.52B |
| 2023 | $3.98B | $5.74B |
| 2022 | $3.69B | $6.14B |
| 2021 | $3.59B | $7.01B |
| 2020 | $3.43B | $7.13B |
| 2019 | $3.23B | $6.88B |
| 2018 | $3.34B | $6.71B |
| 2017 | $3.66B | $6.56B |
| 2016 | $4.36B | $6.23B |
| 2015 | $4.55B | $5.91B |
| 2014 | $4.23B | $5.71B |
| 2013 | $4.2B | $5.48B |
| 2012 | $3.85B | $5.51B |
| 2011 | $4.04B | $5.31B |
| 2010 | $3.6B | $5.77B |
| 2009 | $4.12B | $5.39B |
| 2008 | $4.37B | $4.37B |
| 2007 | $4.27B | $3.5B |
| 2006 | $3.82B | $3.09B |
| 2005 | $3.91B | $3.04B |
| 2004 | $3.65B | $3.32B |
| 2003 | $3.78B | $3.39B |
| 2002 | $2.97B | $3.39B |
| 2001 | $2.61B | $3.41B |
| 2000 | $2.1B | $3.42B |
| 1999 | $2.31B | $3.58B |
| 1998 | $1.71B | $4.03B |
| 1997 | $2.33B | $5.11B |
| 1996 | $2.48B | $5.26B |
| 1995 | $2.57B | $5.35B |
| 1994 | $2.42B | $5.36B |
| 1993 | $2.23B | $4.95B |
| 1992 | $2.1B | $4.82B |
| 1991 | $2.12B | $4.42B |
| 1990 | $1.55B | $3.99B |
| 1989 | $1.45B | $3.72B |
| 1988 | $1.21B | $3.6B |
| 1987 | $1.86B | $3.57B |
| 1986 | $1.28B | $3.6B |
| 1985 | $1.49B | $3.77B |
| 1984 | $1.67B | $3.5B |
| 1983 | $1.81B | $3.2B |
| 1982 | $2.03B | $3.17B |
| 1981 | $2.13B | $2.97B |
| 1980 | $1.58B | $3.04B |
| 1979 | $1.27B | $3.17B |
| 1978 | $1.09B | $2.73B |
| 1977 | $1.28B | $2.16B |
| 1976 | $952M | $1.8B |
| 1975 | $922M | $1.46B |
| 1974 | $873M | $1.35B |
| 1973 | $777M | $1.44B |
| 1972 | $839M | $1.54B |
| 1971 | $851M | $1.49B |
| 1970 | $759M | $1.24B |
| 1969 | $557M | $1.06B |
| 1968 | $572M | $904M |
| 1967 | $552M | $752M |
| 1966 | $599M | $655M |
| 1965 | $482M | $608M |
| 1964 | $344M | $564M |
| 1963 | $246M | $549M |
| 1962 | $183M | $517M |
| 1961 | $177M | $396M |
| 1960 | $214M | $457M |
| 1959 | $232M | $490M |
| 1958 | $266M | $478M |
| 1957 | $253M | $539M |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Malaysia vs Thailand
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023Thailand: 76.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024Thailand: 0.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Thailand: 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017Thailand: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Thailand: 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023Thailand: 71.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023Thailand: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023Thailand: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025Thailand: 62.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023Thailand: 39.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023Thailand: 14.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Thailand: 0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025Thailand: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Thailand: $84 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025Thailand: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalaysia: 136,000 people in 2020Thailand: 455,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022Thailand: 0.79% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020Thailand: 1.13% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024Thailand: 33 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024Thailand: 15 million TIV in 2024