I read the news from back home in the UK. So often there are reports of Old Age Pensioners getting attacked in their own homes, robbed and even murdered. Somehow I cannot imagine Thai old people getting attacked in the street or in their homes. Does this sort of thing ever happen in Thailand? or is it the case that it just never makes the news? Personally, I do not think Thais are capable of this sort of thing. Although I believe it may have happened to old age ex pats, but never Thais attacking old people of their own kind. What do others think?

I'm sure the Thai prisons are overcrowded like ours for a reason.

Old people are neglected in Thailand just as they are in the west. It's just done Thai style.

Hilarious.

A thai government pension is 500 THB per month.

Here is the answer to your question.

99% of old folks are in dire poverty.

Very little managed to save for old age

Only the one looked after by family, hence living with them, hence not a thief target, can live decently

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

Now there's a thread stopper, or starter.

It does happen and I think yaba can be blamed for a lot of the thefts and violence.

2 weeks ago an old lady living alone a few villages away from where I base myself was found dead. Her skull had been bashed and valuables stolen.

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

500 thb a month to live is a joke even by Thai standards, or Indian or any standards.

Even in the sticks you can't survive on that

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

500 thb a month to live is a joke even by Thai standards, or Indian or any standards.

Even in the sticks you can't survive on that

That is one reason my wifes Mum lives with us in a small house we built with this retirement thing in mind.

She does't HAVE to do anything and 99% of the time there is always somebody no more than 50 metres away.

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

500 thb a month to live is a joke even by Thai standards, or Indian or any standards.

Even in the sticks you can't survive on that

And didn't Abhisit introduce the 500B pension ?

As said most old people live with family here.

Also most burgalars have guns, people know just to let them get on with it and not confront.

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

500 thb a month to live is a joke even by Thai standards, or Indian or any standards.

Even in the sticks you can't survive on that

And didn't Abhisit introduce the 500B pension ?

It has been going on for longer than that.

Hilarious.

A thai government pension is 500 THB per month.

Here is the answer to your question.

99% of old folks are in dire poverty.

Very little managed to save for old age

Only the one looked after by family, hence living with them, hence not a thief target, can live decently

Thai-Government pension MUST be higher than that, otherwise nobody would be willing to work for the "government" at lower wages than in private-industry during their lifetime. This must be a misquote.

Cheers.

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

Well said Barry. The old people around our way are well looked after by their families and the village. Poor is a relative term. If you ask them do they want to travel live in a big house, etc the answer is no. They get a lot of pleasure from the endless round of village celebrations, and in my view are far less lonely than in many western countries.

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

This was my observation over 12 years. Today's living standards in some rural villages are incomparable with ten years ago.

Hilarious.

A thai government pension is 500 THB per month.

Here is the answer to your question.

99% of old folks are in dire poverty.

Very little managed to save for old age

Only the one looked after by family, hence living with them, hence not a thief target, can live decently

Thai-Government pension MUST be higher than that, otherwise nobody would be willing to work for the "government" at lower wages than in private-industry during their lifetime. This must be a misquote.

Cheers.

It's not just for government worker

It's THE pension for old people here

Ask any Thai person

Every person of the age of 65 fitting the conditions of resources gets it

Hilarious.

A thai government pension is 500 THB per month.

Here is the answer to your question.

99% of old folks are in dire poverty.

Very little managed to save for old age

Only the one looked after by family, hence living with them, hence not a thief target, can live decently

Thai-Government pension MUST be higher than that, otherwise nobody would be willing to work for the "government" at lower wages than in private-industry during their lifetime. This must be a misquote.

Cheers.

It's not just for government worker

It's THE pension for old people here

Ask any Thai person

Every person of the age of 65 fitting the conditions of resources gets it

Aged pension of 600 baht a month is for those not covered by government pensions, private pensions etc In other words those in the cash economy. I have two Thai family members who started receiving the payments when they reached the age of 55. Detail on the Thai pensions system at:

http://www.gpf.or.th/eng2012/about_thaipension.asp

Hilarious.

A thai government pension is 500 THB per month.

Here is the answer to your question.

99% of old folks are in dire poverty.

Very little managed to save for old age

Only the one looked after by family, hence living with them, hence not a thief target, can live decently

Thai-Government pension MUST be higher than that, otherwise nobody would be willing to work for the "government" at lower wages than in private-industry during their lifetime. This must be a misquote.

Cheers.

It's not just for government worker

It's THE pension for old people here

Ask any Thai person

Every person of the age of 65 fitting the conditions of resources gets it

Aged pension of 600 baht a month is for those not covered by government pensions, private pensions etc In other words those in the cash economy. I have two Thai family members who started receiving the payments when they reached the age of 55. Detail on the Thai pensions system at:

http://www.gpf.or.th/eng2012/about_thaipension.asp

Ooooh 600, they raised it !

Now Thai pensioners can go travel abroad on their fat checks

You got it wrong Kitsune. The 500 is from social welfare, for those in dire need. My father-in-law gets 7000 baht per month and he used to be a teacher.

You got it wrong Kitsune. The 500 is from social welfare, for those in dire need. My father-in-law gets 7000 baht per month and he used to be a teacher.

Or Thai people who told me so lied?

I have never heard of violence against old people (home invasions etcetera) although it probably does occasionally happen, I have heard of the elderly having their valuables stolen (often by relatives). Not all the elderly live with their families however there is usually family close at hand. As you well know many grandparents look after the children whilst parents are away working in the metropolis. I disagree that 99% are living in 'dire' poverty. I have been coming/living in my village for over 20years, and the improvement in the standard of living of the rural poor here has been remarkable. Sure many are poor by Western standards, but you should have seen them 25 years ago. They can largely thank Thaksin for that.

Well said Barry. The old people around our way are well looked after by their families and the village. Poor is a relative term. If you ask them do they want to travel live in a big house, etc the answer is no. They get a lot of pleasure from the endless round of village celebrations, and in my view are far less lonely than in many western countries.

i have 3 oaps living on our moo-ban looking after the house and grand children,the house's are valued at around 3million do they like it a big no they would rather be in their old shacks in the village,as for older people getting attacked yes it happens if they wear anthing of value.

Does it really matter to anyone here what the details of the social support schemes are here?

Whether it's 500 or 700, for retired civil servants or the desperately poor, obviously no one can actually live on what they are given.

The main point here is that no one expects the government to take care of their needs, that's the job of the community, families and temples.

Europe and Aus/NZ have chosen a different model, and perhaps they will be able to continue to work that way in the future.

The US is somewhere in between and the trend is to cut it lower and lower as the rich become more and more in control, will most likely end up closer to the Thai model than Europe's.

If my mum was hungry and didn't have a place to sleep obviously I'd look after her, I assume the same's true for most on the board.

Ooooh 600, they raised it !

Now Thai pensioners can go travel abroad on their fat checks

Not after they have spent the money on the village lottery....

You got it wrong Kitsune. The 500 is from social welfare, for those in dire need. My father-in-law gets 7000 baht per month and he used to be a teacher.

Or Thai people who told me so lied?

Well either that or you misunderstood each other