Home alone: The elderly citizens being abandoned as population change grips Thailand

While family gatherings are common during the Songkran festival, many elderly Thais will be spending the holiday alone just as they do for the rest of the year. At the age of 74, Buakaew is one of them.

“I am childless and now a widow,” the elderly woman said. “Although I raised a niece, she moved to another province three or four years ago.”

Her relatives have not completely abandoned her. Her niece has kept in contact. But Buakaew knows not to bother or burden her younger relative, as they no longer live under the same roof.

“I am fine. Overthinking will just worry me,” Buakaew said. “I will just live this way.”

Currently, about 12 percent of Thailand’s 12.6 million elderly people live alone. Another 21.1 percent live with their spouse – in most cases another elderly person.

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/home-alone-the-elderly-citizens-being-abandoned-as-population-change-grips-thailand/

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Another 21.1 percent live with their spouse – in most cases another elderly person.

My missus exactly! 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

many elderly Thais will be spending the holiday alone just as they do for the rest of the year.

They spend the Songkran holiday alone all year?  I doubt that somehow.

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

They spend the Songkran holiday alone all year?  I doubt that somehow.

Why do you doubt that?

'Thailand’s elderly population is now growing by about one million per year. The size of Thai family units, meanwhile, is getting smaller. On average, there are now only three people per Thai household'.

Thailand's birthrate has been falling for many years and this is the inevitable result. It's happening in many countries worldwide.

53 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Why do you doubt that?

 

'Thailand’s elderly population is now growing by about one million per year. The size of Thai family units, meanwhile, is getting smaller. On average, there are now only three people per Thai household'.

 

Thailand's birthrate has been falling for many years and this is the inevitable result. It's happening in many countries worldwide.

He was being sarcastic in order to highlight the bad grammer. Obviously, the elderly can't be alone on Songkran the whole year, which is what the sentence implies.

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Why do you doubt that?

Because Songkran holiday doesn't occur all year long.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“I am fine. Overthinking will just worry me,” Buakaew said. “I will just live this way.”

As do thousands of single people in Thailand.

50 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the grammar.  It is the meaning that is the problem.

 

"While family gatherings are common during the Songkran festival, many elderly Thais will be spending the holiday alone just as they do for the rest of the year."

 

It says that they spend the holiday alone, this holiday is the Songkran holiday.

 

So it says "many elderly Thais will be spending [Songkran] alone just as they do for the rest of the year."

 

The "as they do" refers to spending Songkran alone.  So this means they will be spending Songkran alone for the rest of the year.  This is not the case, as Songkran does not occur over the rest of the year, only during the Songkran period.

 

In order to make the meaning correct, they should have written something like "Many elderly Thais will be alone during the holiday, as they are for the rest of the year".

I disagree to a point with your interpretation of the sentence as both interpretations are somewhat correct, BUT I also agree that there should have been a comma between holiday & as thus eliminating any confusion as to the exact meaning of the sentence.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

At the age of 74, Buakaew is one of them.

 

“I am childless and now a widow,” the elderly woman said. “Although I raised a niece, she moved to another province three or four years ago.”

To be fair, this lady has had someone living with her 71 of her 74 years !! Think thats pretty good !

Sounds just like Australia. 

8 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

My mil has never helped her parents, never worked, never saved even 1 lousy baht and tried to live on my wife's money and properties. Bad luck for her that I stepped in and explained how finance is done in the new, not feudal, global world. We save and invest in our children, not in freeloading and very dominant mothers. She now lives alone in 1 of our properties and gets a monthly allowance, just enough to make ends meet. I am not evil.

You are not kind either

7 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

I guess one of these days I might have to help take care of my Thai wife's elderly parents. Except I am older than they are.

Did you become your father?

I invited the mother in law to come over and stick her head in a bucket of water but she was having none of it to busy with Tik Tok what ever that is  ????

5 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the grammar.  It is the meaning that is the problem.

 

"While family gatherings are common during the Songkran festival, many elderly Thais will be spending the holiday alone just as they do for the rest of the year."

 

It says that they spend the holiday alone, this holiday is the Songkran holiday.

 

So it says "many elderly Thais will be spending [Songkran] alone just as they do for the rest of the year."

 

The "as they do" refers to spending Songkran alone.  So this means they will be spending Songkran alone for the rest of the year.  This is not the case, as Songkran does not occur over the rest of the year, only during the Songkran period.

 

In order to make the meaning correct, they should have written something like "Many elderly Thais will be alone during the holiday, as they are for the rest of the year".

OMG! Enough already. STOP THE INSANITY!!!!

15 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

OMG! Enough already. STOP THE INSANITY!!!!

This is 100% semantic sanity.

So Thailand is catching up go the West in elder neglect. Was bound to happen. Soon just lock them in a facility and sedate them to keep them under control. 

reported grammar police post removed

Back in the 1980s the Thai government encouraged contraception and a limit on family numbers. Their citizens are now reaping the consequences.

9 hours ago, itsari said:

You are not kind either

I am very kind, just not to everyone. Kindness, respect or friendliness are a 2 way street.

12%

Hmmmm....find this figure hard to swallow.