Sharp rise in the number of childless couples: UN report

[rooster59]

Sharp rise in the number of childless couples: UN report

By The Nation

 

THE NUMBER of childless couples in Thailand has risen three-fold between 1987 and 2015.

 

Nattaya Boonpakdee, an official at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has attributed the increase in the number of childless couples to the cost of raising children, a perception that children are a burden, and the fact that many Thais are getting married at a later age and hence encountering infertility problems. 

 

“Back in 1987, childless couples accounted for just 6 per cent of total Thai families,” Nattaya said earlier this week. 

 

The percentage of childless-couple families soared to 16 per cent in 2015, she said.

Nattaya said the increase in childless-couple families was higher in urban zones than in rural zones, according to population reports. 

 

According to a 2015 report, the percentage of childless-couple families stood at 16 per cent while that of parents living in families with children totalled 27 per cent. 

 

“The number of three-generation families in which children, parents and grandparents live under the same roof was at 37 per cent,” Nattaya said. 

 

“Two years ago, the percentage was at 33.6 per cent. 

 

This means extended families are the biggest group in the country – not nuclear families.

 

The percentage of people living alone was at 14 per cent. About 2 per cent of Thai families are children living with their grandparents. 

 

“About 1 per cent of Thai families are people living together without blood or marital ties,” said Nattaya. “They are friends. They are like family members who are supporting one another.”

 

The Health Department’s director-general, Wachira Pengjuntr, said Thailand’s birth rate was now only 1.6, while the country needed a birth rate of 2.1 to replenish itself.

 

 

“As it is very difficult to encourage people to have more children, we have now focused on ensuring children have a quality upbringing,” he said. 

 

According to Wachira, his department has drawn up a plan for the wonderful 1,000 first days of life.

 

“We count the stage of lives from the time human foetuses are developed during pregnancy. This stage takes 270 days,” he said.

 

He said during this stage, pregnant women should seek pre-natal care and meet a doctor before the 12th week of pregnancy. 

 

Nurturing communities

 

“They should also meet doctors at least five times while pregnant,” he said, to ensure they get proper advice on nutrition, physical activities and sleep. 

 

“Pregnant women should also be prescribed iodine and iron,” he said.

 

He added that the second stage would cover 180 days – babies aged up to six months old. 

 

“Our clinics will promote breastfeeding and inoculation,” he said. 

 

He added that parents or baby carers would also be trained to ensure proper upbringing. 

 

“We will assign teams to visit young babies at home to follow up on their development and check on their health,” he said. 

 

Wachira said the third stage covered children aged between six months and two years. “We will monitor children’s development and give parenting advice,” he said. 

 

According to him, communities will be nudged to provide free milk and eggs to children during the third stage. Communities should also have playgrounds and reading corners for them. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343129

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-14

 

[clokwise]

Without children my wife and I are free to travel wherever and whenever we want. We are free to live wherever we want. And we have a lot more time and money to to do whatever we want.

 

Friends and family have accused us of being selfish for choosing NOT to have children. We keep hearing "but kids are so cute" and "you'll never understand or experience such love" and "who's going to look after you when you're old" - those are actually selfish reasons TO HAVE children, but it's near impossible for people with children to acknowledge or understand that. Those with children lose at least 20 years of their young lives devoted to raising their children when they could have been fully enjoying their life or working to make the world a better place.

 

The climate is rapidly headed for disaster and it would be heartbreaking to know that my children are going to live in a world torn apart by the multitude of effects of climate change and over population, possibly even horrifically dying as a direct result.  MY wife and I are wealthy enough to be able to look after ourselves into our old age, and we have dogs, which are at least as cute and loving as any human child. We didn't choose to be born, so the least we can do is not make things worse by creating even more humans.

 

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, clokwise said:

Without children my wife and I are free to travel wherever and whenever we want. We are free to live wherever we want. And we have a lot more time and money to to do whatever we want.

 

Friends and family have accused us of being selfish for choosing NOT to have children. We keep hearing "but kids are so cute" and "you'll never understand or experience such love" and "who's going to look after you when you're old" - those are actually selfish reasons TO HAVE children, but it's near impossible for people with children to acknowledge or understand that. Those with children lose at least 20 years of their young lives devoted to raising their children when they could have been fully enjoying their life or working to make the world a better place.

 

The climate is rapidly headed for disaster and it would be heartbreaking to know that my children are going to live in a world torn apart by the multitude of effects of climate change and over population, possibly even horrifically dying as a direct result.  MY wife and I are wealthy enough to be able to look after ourselves into our old age, and we have dogs, which are at least as cute and loving as any human child. We didn't choose to be born, so the least we can do is not make things worse by creating even more humans.

 

Yes, I hate the old “who is going to look after you?” question. If I have kids, they ain’t gonna be an investment. They owe me nothing. And they never will. All I’ll expect my kids to be is decent people. 

 

I love my freedom and disposable income. If that makes me selfish, it’s a good job I don’t have kids. I see many selfish people with kids and think, “you’re the worst”. 

[BuaBS]

Intelligent people don't have kids.  The more advanced a society becomes , the less children . Look at Japan and some western states.

Notice how in movies & TV series , they manipulate people to have kids and show that it's wonderful . Well it isn't .  It must be the most selfish thing a human can do.

The thing that puts us appart from animals is , that humans can ignore their DNA firmware to make kids , while animals can't (some exceptions aside).

[Sir Dude]

Always remember seeing that film Idiocracy...truly a good one to watch. 

[DrTuner]

Not a bad thing. The world is overpopulated as it is. Unfortunately the sections still breeding are 5000 years behind progress and they will drive the general direction in the future.

 

For once, I need to credit feminists for something. More effective than China's one child policy. Nobody wants to breed with them, zero children.

[Antonymous]

How come the 2015 stats are only now being used in 2018?

 

And it adds up to 104% of the population.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The Health Department’s director-general, Wachira Pengjuntr, said Thailand’s birth rate was now only 1.6, while the country needed a birth rate of 2.1 to replenish itself.

This <deleted> is always used to justify wanting people to have children, but it's a complete fallacy. Thailand has millions of potential citizens on it's borders, What is needed is a change in attitude to LEGAL immigration, not having more people. There are already more people than the world can support, and people should wake up and stop having more than one, or preferably none.

If the population isn't reduced voluntarily, Gaia will do it, and people won't like that.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, BuaBS said:

Intelligent people don't have kids.  The more advanced a society becomes , the less children . Look at Japan and some western states.

Notice how in movies & TV series , they manipulate people to have kids and show that it's wonderful . Well it isn't .  It must be the most selfish thing a human can do.

The thing that puts us appart from animals is , that humans can ignore their DNA firmware to make kids , while animals can't (some exceptions aside).

Yeah. Seems that all the people that shouldn't be allowed to breed are the ones popping them out, while the ones that can actually afford children and would bring them up properly don't.

It's not going to change while taxpayers are forced to subsidise other people's children.

[soalbundy]

21 hours ago, clokwise said:

Without children my wife and I are free to travel wherever and whenever we want. We are free to live wherever we want. And we have a lot more time and money to to do whatever we want.

 

Friends and family have accused us of being selfish for choosing NOT to have children. We keep hearing "but kids are so cute" and "you'll never understand or experience such love" and "who's going to look after you when you're old" - those are actually selfish reasons TO HAVE children, but it's near impossible for people with children to acknowledge or understand that. Those with children lose at least 20 years of their young lives devoted to raising their children when they could have been fully enjoying their life or working to make the world a better place.

 

The climate is rapidly headed for disaster and it would be heartbreaking to know that my children are going to live in a world torn apart by the multitude of effects of climate change and over population, possibly even horrifically dying as a direct result.  MY wife and I are wealthy enough to be able to look after ourselves into our old age, and we have dogs, which are at least as cute and loving as any human child. We didn't choose to be born, so the least we can do is not make things worse by creating even more humans.

 

but you would still like a pension and a functioning health service

[soalbundy]

10 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yeah. Seems that all the people that shouldn't be allowed to breed are the ones popping them out, while the ones that can actually afford children and would bring them up properly don't.

It's not going to change while taxpayers are forced to subsidise other people's children.

It's 'those other people's children' that will keep society functioning so that you can fly away on holiday. It is only right that the childless are taxed higher, parents raise the next generation that will be paying for your pension. Social services,especial the health system and pension funds are already strained to the limit, but no we don't want immigration either.

[soalbundy]

12 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Not a bad thing. The world is overpopulated as it is. Unfortunately the sections still breeding are 5000 years behind progress and they will drive the general direction in the future.

 

For once, I need to credit feminists for something. More effective than China's one child policy. Nobody wants to breed with them, zero children.

Look what is happening in China, the one child policy has backfired, now they want people to have more children but they aren't following, now they have a lopsided demographics, not enough young consumers, (the old don't consume much) a faltering health and pension system that was modeled on billions. Yes, an overall reduction in the world population is absolutely necessary but gradually, now the baby is being tipped out with the bath water.

[sirineou]

Money and vacations are great and no one loves them more than me , but having a child is a different type experience that to understand it one has to have it,

 it is impossible to explain,   much in the way that explaining a color to a blind from birth person is. 

 I would not trade having my daughter for all the money or vacations in the world, In fact I would gladly trade my life for hers.

 To live one's life without having experiences that kind of love is IMO sad.

Edited April 15, 2018 by sirineou

[soalbundy]

13 hours ago, BuaBS said:

Intelligent people don't have kids.  The more advanced a society becomes , the less children . Look at Japan and some western states.

Notice how in movies & TV series , they manipulate people to have kids and show that it's wonderful . Well it isn't .  It must be the most selfish thing a human can do.

The thing that puts us appart from animals is , that humans can ignore their DNA firmware to make kids , while animals can't (some exceptions aside).

In Japan they, like much of the West, don't want immigration, how society is to continue functioning isn't quite clear, for the moment the old have a high amount of savings, robots are being tried out in the health service and elsewhere, nappy producers now cater more for incontinence in the old. Quick changes in demographics come at a high cost and unforeseen consequences, similar to Mao's dabbling in nature, kill off all the sparrows, they eat too much grain, the next few years later millions starved to death because insects like locusts had to few natural enemies and ate more grain than the sparrows ever would have done.

[jaltsc]

"THE NUMBER of childless couples in Thailand has risen three-fold between 1987 and 2015."

Difficult to interpret this since the guy runs away as soon as his girlfriend mentions that she's pregnant. Therefore, in many instances "couples" don't really exist. 

[PatOngo]

On ‎14‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 8:00 AM, rooster59 said:

Sharp rise in the number of childless couples

Nevermind, unwanted teen pregnancy will take up the slack!

[soalbundy]

Just now, PatOngo said:

Nevermind, unwanted teen pregnancy will take up the slack!

no shortage of that in Isaan

[theguyfromanotherforum]

23 hours ago, clokwise said:

Without children my wife and I are free to travel wherever and whenever we want. We are free to live wherever we want. And we have a lot more time and money to to do whatever we want.

 

Friends and family have accused us of being selfish for choosing NOT to have children. We keep hearing "but kids are so cute" and "you'll never understand or experience such love" and "who's going to look after you when you're old" - those are actually selfish reasons TO HAVE children, but it's near impossible for people with children to acknowledge or understand that. Those with children lose at least 20 years of their young lives devoted to raising their children when they could have been fully enjoying their life or working to make the world a better place.

 

The climate is rapidly headed for disaster and it would be heartbreaking to know that my children are going to live in a world torn apart by the multitude of effects of climate change and over population, possibly even horrifically dying as a direct result.  MY wife and I are wealthy enough to be able to look after ourselves into our old age, and we have dogs, which are at least as cute and loving as any human child. We didn't choose to be born, so the least we can do is not make things worse by creating even more humans.

 

 

The guy that told you that you have all this freedom because you rely on other people procreation is absolutely correct. The reason you are "wealthy enough" is because other people chose to procreate. 

 

Canada is a perfect example of that. They are in business of importing migrants for this very reason and because of this my 2 condos keep raising in value.

 

I don't have or want kids myself, but at least I'm not being a hypocrite writing how people who want one are selfish...or even worse make a comparison to dogs who's sole purpose is to exchange affection for food.

 

I think you should be ashamed of your hypocrisy.

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

The guy that told you that you have all this freedom because you rely on other people procreation is absolutely correct. The reason you are "wealthy enough" is because other people chose to procreate. 

 

Canada is a perfect example of that. They are in business of importing migrants for this very reason and because of this my 2 condos keep raising in value.

 

I don't have or want kids myself, but at least I'm not being a hypocrite writing how people who want one are selfish...or even worse make a comparison to dogs who's sole purpose is to exchange affection for food.

 

I think you should be ashamed of your hypocrisy.

I have two children, a grandchild,two step daughters and a step grandchild, they've all caused me trouble,worry and money but I love them all to bits and wouldn't have it any other way.

[nausea]

Looks like ThaIland is joining the First World club. Immigration is the gap-stop solution but I guess AI will sort it out eventually. Personally, I think a constant growth model is ridiculous anyway.

[soalbundy]

Just now, nausea said:

Looks like ThaIland is joining the First World club. Immigration is the gap-stop solution but I guess AI will sort it out eventually. Personally, I think a constant growth model is ridiculous anyway.

constant growth is as unsustainable as a large reduction, replacement is the answer, in the case of India and China a GRADUAL reduction is needed, for China it's too late, they went overboard on reduction and now see their folly.

[clokwise]

2 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

The guy that told you that you have all this freedom because you rely on other people procreation is absolutely correct. The reason you are "wealthy enough" is because other people chose to procreate. 

 

Canada is a perfect example of that. They are in business of importing migrants for this very reason and because of this my 2 condos keep raising in value.

 

I don't have or want kids myself, but at least I'm not being a hypocrite writing how people who want one are selfish...or even worse make a comparison to dogs who's sole purpose is to exchange affection for food.

 

I think you should be ashamed of your hypocrisy.

I'm not saying no one should have children, but just in my own lifetime the human population has more then doubled, the number of species on the planet is around half what it was when I was born, the essential marine ecosystem has become a slow motion train wreck. If we consider that the earth is a living organism "Gaia", then we humans are the cancerous tumor. We humans are genetically programmed to reproduce, just like cancer cells. It's an instinct which is very difficult to overcome for many. But just like all cancers which eventually consume and destroy their host, we humans are on a collision course with our demise - unless we somehow overcome our genetics. I personally have zero faith that humans will prevail - the "end of times" is near for us. I'm not religious, I'm just looking at it from an analytical perspective.

 

Like I said, I didn't choose to be born. But I was lucky to be well educated and was financially successful at a relatively young age. And by not having children, I am now able to devote a larger portion of my energies to making a difference to those less fortunate than myself, and by supporting issues which are affecting the planet in a positive way. This is a responsibility we all have, but sadly too many people are just trying to survive day to day.

[JimGant]

Quote

Yeah. Seems that all the people that shouldn't be allowed to breed are the ones popping them out,

Yeah, like in the inner cities of the US, where the large majority of births are bast......, er fatherless.Thus, our nation's slightly adjusted motto: E Unum Pluribus

 

Quote

It's 'those other people's children' that will keep society functioning so that you can fly away on holiday.

Per the above, not from prison they won't....