Birth rate plunge triggers health minister’s urgent action plan

[webfact]

 

The national birth rate in Thailand is on a steep decline, prompting urgent action from the country’s Minister of Public Health Chonlanan Srikaew.

 

He plans to push fertility to the forefront of the country’s national agenda, aiming for swift implementation within 100 days as part of the ministry’s “quick win” policies.

 

Chonlanan revealed after Friday’s executive meeting that the current birth rate is significantly lower than the ideal rate of 2.1 per 100,000 population. At present, Thailand is witnessing only 1.5 births per 100,000, resulting in a sizable deficit. Instead of the expected 2 million newborns each year, Thailand is seeing only about 500,000 births each year.

 

This decline in fertility can potentially lead to a decrease in the working-age adult population and a 20% rise in the number of senior citizens. This demographic shift could classify Thailand as a “super-aged” society, Chonlanan cautioned.

“The low birth rate will take time to solve and it will be proposed that premier list it as a national agenda item.”

 

by Neill Fronde 

Image by Rene Asmussen from Pexels.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-09-18

 

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[hotchilli]

What's the plan,

Short-term.. wait for Valentines day and have an amnesty on condoms?

Or

Long-term... give the families a livable wage whereby they can afford to raise a family without going into poverty?

[redwood1]

Ban-Condoms....

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The low birth rate will take time to solve

Low birth rate vs aging society is not unusual in other developed countries and one of the quick solutions has been to liberalize immigration for citizenship, especially for young families. But in a nation where zenophobia and statelessness is a defense against national unity, 

 

[Skipalongcassidy]

3 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Low birth rate vs aging society is not unusual in other developed countries and one of the quick solutions has been to liberalize immigration for citizenship, especially for young families. But in a nation where zenophobia and statelessness is a defense against national unity, 

 

First of all.. it is xenophobia.  Secondly... Thailand may be smart when it comes to NOT opening up to immigrants en masse thus creating a problem far worse than a reduction in populace... being mindful of nationality is not xenophobic 

[ezzra]

The minister can point out the problem/s but there's isn't much he can do about it as this issue not about how to support new comers, it has a lot to to with the changing of times and thinking by old and young couples alike, and when people will feel they are comfortable with increasing their family size, they will...

 

 

 

[redwood1]

11 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Low birth rate vs aging society is not unusual in other developed countries and one of the quick solutions has been to liberalize immigration for citizenship, especially for young families. But in a nation where zenophobia and statelessness is a defense against national unity, 

 

Good they will roll out the red carpet for farangs and welcome us now..

[bamnutsak]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He plans to push fertility to the forefront of the country’s national agenda, aiming for swift implementation within 100 days as part of the ministry’s “quick win” policies.

Swift implementation, quick win, 100 days.

 

For a Doctor this chap seems unusually clueless.

 

How do you "push fertility" to the forefront? Have a mandatory five shagging sessions per each Lakorn episode?

 

Less talking, more doing. Take care of the people you already have.

 

Work to keep the children you already have alive (drownings, road deaths) in the short-, medium term.

 

Improve access to basic preventative health care.

 

Address income inequality, the economy, education all of which might have more impact on the birth rate than whatever the minister will come up with.

 

 

 

 

[Pesche]

Isn't it a weird coincidence?

If you compare the worrying numbers/percentages of birth rates decline and still born increase in Europe (down 30-50%) ?!

In Switzerland, England, Germany and more, this regress of birth rates is more and more related to the "vaccines"!

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-pandemic-tied-declining-birth-europe.html

 

My Salt & Pepper

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

Isn't it a weird coincidence?

If you compare the worrying numbers/percentages of birth rates decline and still born increase in Europe (down 30-50%) ?!

In Switzerland, England, Germany and more, this regress of birth rates is more and more related to the "vaccines"!

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-pandemic-tied-declining-birth-europe.html

 

My Salt & Pepper

The word 'vaccine' is not even mentioned in the narrative of the link you supplied! 

Edited September 18, 2023 by jacko45k

[koolkarl]

Already there are far too many people in this world.

[Tropicalevo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

This decline in fertility can potentially lead to a decrease in the working-age adult population and a 20% rise in the number of senior citizens.

Wrong.

A declining birthrate does not lead to a 20% rise of seniors. It jut changes the ratios.

They will grow old regardless.

 

[EVENKEEL]

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/population-crisis-elon-musks-reaction-on-biggest-threat-to-civilisation-4317182

 

Billionaire Elon Musk often tweets about "population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming." This time, he shared a retweet that highlighted the ongoing occurrence of a population crisis.

[wwest5829]

I recall years ago, when faced with this dilemma, a Mayor of a city in the Czech Republic  made this offer. Free stay in city hotel, romantic dinner to encourage childbearing aged couple to come and get pregnant ... I do not know the outcome on the birthrate.

[bamnutsak]

Singapore struggles with this issue as well...

 

They have a bunch of incentives: cash payouts, tax benefits, free fertility/health care, extended paid maternity/paternity leave, education subsidies (for the children), housing supplements.

 

 

 

 

[Artisi]

Lift the standard of living for the 80% of underpaid, under educated, under cared for Thai citizens and nature will take care of it. 

[RichardColeman]

The Thai birth pyramid shows a real doom filled future for many old people in the next 20 years , simply as there will not be enough people to fund it

 

https://www.populationpyramid.net/thailand/2022/

 

 

[realfunster]

3 hours ago, Pesche said:

Isn't it a weird coincidence?

If you compare the worrying numbers/percentages of birth rates decline and still born increase in Europe (down 30-50%) ?!

In Switzerland, England, Germany and more, this regress of birth rates is more and more related to the "vaccines"!

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-pandemic-tied-declining-birth-europe.html

 

My Salt & Pepper

Your linked article references a decline in birthrates (in some European countries, not others including Germany which you specifically mention) during the pandemic, which the article itself has a historical precedent during previous pandemics. The article implies this is due to a variety of socio-economic factors.

 

I don't see any reference to still born statistics or any claimed linked between this and vaccines.

 

Still, feel free to conspiracy theory away to your heart's content...

[realfunster]

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Low birth rate vs aging society is not unusual in other developed countries and one of the quick solutions has been to liberalize immigration for citizenship, especially for young families. But in a nation where zenophobia and statelessness is a defense against national unity, 

 

Not sure Thailand is considered "developed" and fairly sure it is still "developing".

What is does have is an unusual demographic profile for a "developing" country.

[daveAustin]

3 hours ago, koolkarl said:

Already there are far too many people in this world.

Indeed, but politicians are always thinking about revenue.

[freeworld]

26 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Indeed, but politicians are always thinking about revenue.

Exactly, its all about money with governments.

[baansgr]

Do what most western countries do..allow unfettered mass immigration, apparently it's makes for a rich, diverse country 

[pelagicpete]

Animals procreate most when certain conditions are met.

One is economic security, ie enough income/long term jobs.

Another is family life/security.

Another is availability of food that is affordable.

Another is a home to live in.

These items and more can be created by society itself, assisted in man's case by a strong beneficial government, mindful of humanity and not corrupt.

[John Drake]

University age population in decline since 2010.  

Quote

As the demographic balance in the country continues to shift quickly, the number of students enrolled in Thai universities has also peaked and begun to decline. The high point was in 2010 when just under 2.5 million students were enrolled in tertiary education. Total enrolment has trended downward in the years since and was just over 2.2 million in 2015.      https://monitor.icef.com/2017/10/thailands-growing-supply-demand-gap-higher-education/#:~:text=The high point was in,over 2.2 million in 2015.

 

[Moonlover]

4 hours ago, Artisi said:

Lift the standard of living for the 80% of underpaid, under educated, under cared for Thai citizens and nature will take care of it. 

Nope. It actually has the opposite affect. As the standard of living increases amongst a population, the birth rate declines. Just take a look at Japan, South Korea and Singapore for clear evidence of that.

[retarius]

Make condoms really expensive and have free sex for farangs. That would solve the problem.

 

The more I hear about declining populations the happier I am personally. There are way too many people for this poor earth to sustain, Klaus Schwab is correct on this, and it is time for people to stop having tens of children each in Africa. Don't have 10 kids and ask the west to bring them up for you with aid, or refugees status. Sounds a bit harsh, but it is reality unfortunately.

 

The other thing is that people were until very recently living longer and longer lives, women especially. When pensions were brought in in the west most folk (men) popped their clogs at around 70 or so, so they collected 5 years of pension, now they die at 80 and collect 15 years of pension. It is BS. The pension age should go up with life expectancy and should be 5 years less than average life expectancy.

 

Now before anyone points out that I have been a beneficiary of a pension for 15 years and I'm only 71 and hope to collect this pension for a good few years more. I'm lucky to have been born at the right time. But there is only so much younger people can give to support entitled old age pensioners. Now in Italy 100 workers support 40 pensioners, in the UK 100 working people support  32 pensioners; look forward to 2050 and those poor 100 workers will be supporting 74 and 47 pensioners respectively. We simply cannot afford and it is unethical to ask the younger generations to fork out more and more in taxes in the future, to pay for people who don't produce anything. It's a cast iron law and there is no escaping it. There is no amount of borrowing that will solve the problem.

 

So wringing of hands or gnashing of teeth won't do any good. Hard decisions are in the future of the whole human race, and pensions are only one aspect of it.

[BarstoolChang]

9 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Low birth rate vs aging society is not unusual in other developed countries and one of the quick solutions has been to liberalize immigration for citizenship, especially for young families. But in a nation where zenophobia and statelessness is a defense against national unity, 

 

How well has that gone for Europe?

[Burma Bill]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

birth rate in Thailand is on a steep decline, prompting urgent action

Create another public holiday - National Leg-over Day?

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, BarstoolChang said:

How well has that gone for Europe?

Why don't you tell me? The blame lies with the Europeans.

• "Record numbers of economic migrants and asylum-seekers are seeking to enter the European Union...The paradox is the police and security forces battle to keep them at bay, a demographic crisis....Europe desperately needs more young people to run its health services, populate it's rural areas and look after it's elderly  because, increasingly, it's societies are no longer self-sustaining."
• "Immigration also props uptrend fertility rate and Britain and France have received a similar flip to its population growth as a result."

'Europe needs many more babies to avert population disaster'

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/23

 

Blame the protagonist, not the victim.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Srikcir
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[Thingamabob]

There are way too many people worlwide. Better to find a more sophisticated way to raise government revenue than the tax system which is applied jn most countries today.