OBJECTIVES: Adequate diabetes knowledge is considered a key component of controlling and preventing diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of DM among the Thai general population and to identify areas of deficiency for targeted improvement. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey recruiting 1000 subjects aged 15 years or over was conducted in Bangkok (the capital) and other four provinces in Thailand during mid June to July 2007. A structured questionnaire comprised 8 sections: sociodemographics; general knowledge; risk factors; symptoms and complications; treatment and management; monitoring; female diabetics; and miscellaneous was used. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 33.8 ± 13.4 years and 57.5% of them were female. The mean diabetes knowledge score was 59.6 ± 19.9 %. Generally, the respondents were knowledgeable about risk factors, symptoms and complications, treatment and management, and monitoring parameters. The mean scores were poor (<50%) in the sections of general knowledge and female diabetics. Overall score was significantly higher in respondents who had higher education, who were aged 45 years or over, who had a family member, relative or friend with diabetes and who were diabetics. Majority of the respondents acquired diabetes information from friends or relatives and mass media. More than half of the respondents knew that there are diabetes organizations in Thailand, but most could not recognize the names of those organizations. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes knowledge among the Thai general population was at an acceptable level although there were some areas of deficiency. The results obtained would provide important baseline information for planning targeted health-promotion programs to improve diabetes knowledge among the general population in Thailand.