Over 5 million senior Thais still working without formal education

[webfact]

 

The National Statistical Office (NSO) reveals that over 5 million senior Thais, with the majority lacking formal education, continue to work to sustain their livelihoods.

 

This demographic represents approximately 19.5% of the nation’s 66 million population, or 13.64 million individuals aged 60 and above, according to the NSO’s annual survey conducted in July and August of the previous year.

 

Suwannee Wangkan, the NSO deputy director, disclosed that the number of seniors needing to work — approximately 37.5% of the over-60s population — showed a rise from 4.74 million in 2022 to the current 5.11 million. Men accounted for 48.1% of this workforce, while women comprised 29.4%.

 

The elderly population predominantly resides in the northeastern, northern, and southern regions of Thailand. In Bangkok alone, nearly a quarter of the senior population is employed.

Additionally, the NSO observed an uptick in the number of elderly individuals living and working in solitude. Of the 5.11 million seniors who are employed, a staggering 68.1% either never attended school or only completed elementary school. A further 15.6% didn’t finish primary school, 11.3% never completed secondary school, and 5% did not graduate from university.

The labour distribution among the senior population shows that 59.3% are employed in the agriculture and fishing industries, 30.5% in the service sector, and the remaining 10.2% in manufacturing. The average monthly income for a senior worker stands at 12,151 baht, with those in agriculture earning an average of 5,796 baht.

 

The NSO also uncovered a significant proportion of elderly workers in informal jobs lacking access to social security benefits. A worrying 86.8% face job instability. The NSO has recommended state agencies, including the labour ministry, devise strategies to support the growing senior workforce, ensuring better welfare such as fair pay and employment opportunities.

 

In the NSO’s 2023 Household Economic and Social Situation Survey, nationwide households were found to earn an average monthly income of 29,030 baht. Of this income, 70.5% is derived from daily wages, salaries, business profits, and farm produce, while 14.5% is sourced from non-monetary avenues.

 

The average monthly expenditure per household is 23,695 baht, with the top three expenditure categories being food and water (35.3%), housing and rent payments (21.9%), and travel-related costs including vehicle payments (16%).

 

Households carry an average total debt of 197,255 baht, with 77.7% tied to housing expenses such as home or land purchase or rental, consumption payments, and education debt. The remaining 22.3% of the debt is related to investments and other reasons, reported Bangkok Post.

 

by Mitch Connor

Picture courtesy of Eco-Business

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-04-22

 

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[mfd101]

My MIL (approx 6 years older than me c80) has never been to school. She signs her name with a thumb print. She spent most of her life as a labourer in the cane fields and the rice paddies. She used to walk bent over in an ¬ shape (as did many other elderly women when I first came to live here in Isaan 9 years ago). She no longer does, as though release from backbreaking labour has released her from soul-destroying serfdom.

 

My FIL (3 years older than me at 77) can sign his name and that's all. He was 'taught by the monks'. He still works on his little farm despite being 2/3 blind. It's what keeps him alive.

[ikke1959]

THere should be a decent  social welfare system, instead of 3000THB a month. But therefor everybody should register in place they live instead of the blue book, Everyone should fill in a tax form, everybody should be paid monthly.  A better tax policy could solve a lot of problems including a good medical care for everybody.

[newbee2022]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

The National Statistical Office (NSO) reveals that over 5 million senior Thais, with the majority lacking formal education, continue to work to sustain their livelihoods.

 

This demographic represents approximately 19.5% of the nation’s 66 million population, or 13.64 million individuals aged 60 and above, according to the NSO’s annual survey conducted in July and August of the previous year.

 

Suwannee Wangkan, the NSO deputy director, disclosed that the number of seniors needing to work — approximately 37.5% of the over-60s population — showed a rise from 4.74 million in 2022 to the current 5.11 million. Men accounted for 48.1% of this workforce, while women comprised 29.4%.

 

The elderly population predominantly resides in the northeastern, northern, and southern regions of Thailand. In Bangkok alone, nearly a quarter of the senior population is employed.

Additionally, the NSO observed an uptick in the number of elderly individuals living and working in solitude. Of the 5.11 million seniors who are employed, a staggering 68.1% either never attended school or only completed elementary school. A further 15.6% didn’t finish primary school, 11.3% never completed secondary school, and 5% did not graduate from university.

The labour distribution among the senior population shows that 59.3% are employed in the agriculture and fishing industries, 30.5% in the service sector, and the remaining 10.2% in manufacturing. The average monthly income for a senior worker stands at 12,151 baht, with those in agriculture earning an average of 5,796 baht.

 

The NSO also uncovered a significant proportion of elderly workers in informal jobs lacking access to social security benefits. A worrying 86.8% face job instability. The NSO has recommended state agencies, including the labour ministry, devise strategies to support the growing senior workforce, ensuring better welfare such as fair pay and employment opportunities.

 

In the NSO’s 2023 Household Economic and Social Situation Survey, nationwide households were found to earn an average monthly income of 29,030 baht. Of this income, 70.5% is derived from daily wages, salaries, business profits, and farm produce, while 14.5% is sourced from non-monetary avenues.

 

The average monthly expenditure per household is 23,695 baht, with the top three expenditure categories being food and water (35.3%), housing and rent payments (21.9%), and travel-related costs including vehicle payments (16%).

 

Households carry an average total debt of 197,255 baht, with 77.7% tied to housing expenses such as home or land purchase or rental, consumption payments, and education debt. The remaining 22.3% of the debt is related to investments and other reasons, reported Bangkok Post.

 

by Mitch Connor

Picture courtesy of Eco-Business

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-04-22

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe
 

This number will change within the next years by nature,🙏

[Tarteso]

..Without counting the the other 5 Million immigrants from Burma, Cambodia and Lao 🤔

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The National Statistical Office (NSO) reveals that over 5 million senior Thais, with the majority lacking formal education, continue to work to sustain their livelihoods

Still happening with the students today... workers for the elites.

[retarius]

A shame too think these are probably Thailand's most productive workers with a work ethic that the youngsters won't match. Who will cut the rice when these oldsters die off? 

[john donson]

if a new 'disaster' would happen, they might be the only people surviving it, actually having a skill working the land...  city would be dead in a few weeks of no trucks/electricity...

[AboutThaim]

23 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

THere should be a decent  social welfare system, instead of 3000THB a month. But therefor everybody should register in place they live instead of the blue book, Everyone should fill in a tax form, everybody should be paid monthly.  A better tax policy could solve a lot of problems including a good medical care for everybody.

Which elderly people get 3000 baht a month?  My wife said her father got 700 baht a month a couple of years ago.  I doubt there's been an increase since then.

[Bday Prang]

23 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Still happening with the students today... workers for the elites.

Somewhat more worrying is the fact that the list probably includes Doctors, Teachers, Politicians, Police, and of course Immigration officials

[Bday Prang]

On 4/22/2024 at 10:25 AM, ikke1959 said:

THere should be a decent  social welfare system, instead of 3000THB a month. But therefor everybody should register in place they live instead of the blue book, Everyone should fill in a tax form, everybody should be paid monthly.  A better tax policy could solve a lot of problems including a good medical care for everybody.

who on earth do you think  gets 3000 baht a month state pension  here, ?  other than expats who have had theirs frozen of course

Why should everybody be paid monthly?  Some only work a few days here and a few days there, would you make them wait 4 weeks before receiving their money, what would that achieve? The majority here don't earn enough to pay any tax for gods sake. No point in them being burdened with trying to fill in a complicated tax return notwithstanding the fact that many are illiterate?

 What on earth has registering where they live other than in the "blue book" got to do with any of this?

 By "A better tax policy" i assume you mean more people paying more tax,  well in the UK we are taxed to the limit, and the health care system is pretty much a disaster,  for those that are forced to rely on  it

 Do you think the corrupt and clueless people in charge of such things here would manage tax payers money  any better?

 

Edited April 23 by Bday Prang

[Bday Prang]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:14 AM, webfact said:

The average monthly expenditure per household is 23,695 baht,

And at least half of that is consumed by repayments of "no deposit" finance for their brand new  3.0 litre turbo pick ups, then there are motorbikes and regular smartphone upgrades for them and their school age kids. The rest goes on the lottery

[Bday Prang]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:14 AM, webfact said:

a staggering 68.1% either never attended school or only completed elementary school.

its hardly staggering when one considers what things were like here 60+ years ago, who writes this rubbish. ?

[Bday Prang]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:14 AM, webfact said:

The NSO also uncovered a significant proportion of elderly workers in informal jobs lacking access to social security benefits.

What social security benefits are available here to anybody regardless of their jobs,  It seems whoever wrote this rubbish has never actually been here and knows absolutely nothing about Thailand

[Bday Prang]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:14 AM, webfact said:

Of this income, 70.5% is derived from daily wages, salaries, business profits, and farm produce, while 14.5% is sourced from non-monetary avenues.

What are "non-monetary avenues"

[Bday Prang]

Strangely no mention of those elderly Thais who are directly or indirectly subsidised by "charitable" expats who have joined the family, I am sure that is not an inconsiderable number either

[Sydebolle]

You can three if not fourfold this number ......