Thailand becoming complete ageing society in 7 years

[webfact]

Thailand becoming complete ageing society in 7 years
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, April 10 – Thailand ranks second after Singapore among Southeast Asian countries with the highest number of elderly people and it will become a complete ageing society in the next seven years, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Jedsada Chockdamrongsuk, director general of the Mental Health Department, said the latest census on December 31, 2013 reported 8,970,740 people older than 60 years, representing 14 per cent of Thailand’s population. There are more women than men.

The number of the country’s elderly will jump to 13 million or one-fifth of the population in the next seven years and it will become a fully ageing society in 2031.

Ageing societies are those in which the number of people older than 60 exceed the number of children, and in Thailand that is projected to occur for the first time in Thailand’s history in 2018, he said.

Dr Jedsada said the number of people older than 65 in the world reached 8 per cent of the global population of 7 billion people two years ago. Thailand ranks second after Singapore with the highest number of elderly people.

April 13, Songkran Day, is Thailand's National Day of the Elderly. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-04-10

[trainman34014]

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

[GuestHouse]

And the boom years being pished down the drains.

Million's of Thais believing they can live off their kids… hundreds of thousands more believing they can live off a foreigner and all the while the land dripping out of the hands of the rural Thais.

Land owning farmers to tenant factory fodder in one generation - but at least they had their first car, I-phone and a couple of bottles of JW Black along the journey.

Sa-Nuk!

[bkkbarbara]

Saw George Burns being interviewed on his 100th birthday. A member of the audience asked, Who'd want to live to be a hundred?" Without losing a beat, he answered, "Anyone who's ninety-nine."

[chainarong]

The place sure has problems, Japan has a aging problem , I have one, so I guess we are not getting any younger.

[madmitch]

The problem with Thailand is collapsing birthrates not people living longer....

1.28 births per woman on last count.

But what about over the age of 18?

[Sayonarax]

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

Money has no value, like your input on this subject.

[tim armstrong]

Saw George Burns being interviewed on his 100th birthday. A member of the audience asked, Who'd want to live to be a hundred?" Without losing a beat, he answered, "Anyone who's ninety-nine."

Now he was a legend. On his 90th birthday someone asked him - 'Mr. Burns you chain smoke cigars all day, what does your doctor say' ? - he replied, 'my doctor is dead!'

[Lupatria]

Welcome to the hub of vintage bar girls!

Edited April 10, 2014 by Lupatria

[rubl]

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

When you reach that age you may feel different about the issues. In principle I'm in favour of voluntary euthanasia assuming there is a clear medical and a clear legal framework, but i'm aware that once such a legal framework exist it may be too tempting to modify to 'better' suit certain government needs.

"Soylent Green is people!"

[tullynagardy]

The problem with Thailand is collapsing birthrates not people living longer....

1.28 births per woman on last count.

Very regional however. In the more rural parts of Issan big families still very much the norm whilst in Bangkok quite the opposite.

Thailands population will start to shrink in the next 5 years which this article doesnt say.

Basically more old people needing taking care of and less tax payers to pay for it.

[oxo1947]

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

How bloody incosiderate of them--I supose they will just go on breathing in and out, without even a 2nd thought of how much money it will cost the country.

[Eloelo]

These facts are alarming in more ways than people think! apart from the younger generation being the buyers of investment products from the people who are retiring so as to fund there retirements, there will be obviously less young people to purchase these investments equating to a loss and maybe having to work considerably longer to prepare for retirement, and now governments world wide are too broke to pay out pensions.so while working your whole life to have a comfortable retirement is simply not going to happen for many. And with less children to take care of there aging parents and there asset base decreasing and with budget restrictions on aging health care and pensions it will be affecting a greater percentage of the coming demographics of aging and no one seems to have an answer. japan being a good example of rice and fish no healthcare options and assets being confiscated to help pay for your care!! also what has not been factored in is the young who will be constantly called to bail out governments with tax increases and who are usually the first to be called up for military duty. Euthanasia has been discussed as an option by the EU recently??.and the biggest population of them all being china is in far worst state than any other country. due to there long one child policy.

[ggt]

The two Thai ladies in the picture above...will be your bargirls of the future...enjoy...

[Prbkk]

These facts are alarming in more ways than people think! apart from the younger generation being the buyers of investment products from the people who are retiring so as to fund there retirements, there will be obviously less young people to purchase these investments equating to a loss and maybe having to work considerably longer to prepare for retirement, and now governments world wide are too broke to pay out pensions.so while working your whole life to have a comfortable retirement is simply not going to happen for many. And with less children to take care of there aging parents and there asset base decreasing and with budget restrictions on aging health care and pensions it will be affecting a greater percentage of the coming demographics of aging and no one seems to have an answer. japan being a good example of rice and fish no healthcare options and assets being confiscated to help pay for your care!! also what has not been factored in is the young who will be constantly called to bail out governments with tax increases and who are usually the first to be called up for military duty. Euthanasia has been discussed as an option by the EU recently??.and the biggest population of them all being china is in far worst state than any other country. due to there long one child policy.

China has now modified its one child policy due to this very issue. Thailand has the least favourable demographics in the whole of ASEAN and it is more than mildly alarming to contemplate the future outlook for the economy. In 1960 the two wealthiest countries in Asia were Burma and RP, the poorest, Taiwan and Korea.

As Japan and the west struggle with the implications of the issue, Thailand is not far behind ( but its barely on the agenda here).. Mai Pen Rai .

[tx22cb]

We are a contributing factor too - I think that members of this forum are propping up the high average age of people in TH ..... ;-)

[wolfmanjack]

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

Money has no value, like your input on this subject.

I would be glad to take the valueless money off of your hands for you.

[harkish]

OK, big economic problems. But the fact is, we are eating this planet alive. One aspect of that is population growth. If Thailand, Indonesia, China and, let's dream, India can get its growth rates down at that 1.3 children level per woman, in a few generations our population will well decrease to a supportable level. Sure, this creates some economic challenges - how do we pay for these oldies (ie. us). But we are resourceful, we will find a way.

[zydeco]

These facts are alarming in more ways than people think! apart from the younger generation being the buyers of investment products from the people who are retiring so as to fund there retirements, there will be obviously less young people to purchase these investments equating to a loss and maybe having to work considerably longer to prepare for retirement, and now governments world wide are too broke to pay out pensions.so while working your whole life to have a comfortable retirement is simply not going to happen for many. And with less children to take care of there aging parents and there asset base decreasing and with budget restrictions on aging health care and pensions it will be affecting a greater percentage of the coming demographics of aging and no one seems to have an answer. japan being a good example of rice and fish no healthcare options and assets being confiscated to help pay for your care!! also what has not been factored in is the young who will be constantly called to bail out governments with tax increases and who are usually the first to be called up for military duty. Euthanasia has been discussed as an option by the EU recently??.and the biggest population of them all being china is in far worst state than any other country. due to there long one child policy.

Per your remarks about the failure of sufficient new investors to buy the assets of older ones. Yes, that's what happens when a Ponzi scheme collapses. And "investment products" are just that, a fancied up Ponzi scheme. Lower birthrates and declining population is actually good for Thailand and the rest of the world. Puts less stress on resources and might give polluted environments the chance to recover. But of course that means some people will not make as much money. So, keep the scams running as long as you can, I suppose.

[farang000999]

My wife is early thirties as are the majority of her friends. It is amazing how many of her friends have no children. I think maybe a couple have two children. Not a single friend has three children. The maximum anyone wants is two children, but most seem to want one or zero.

Many of our social constructs are based on the population increasing exponentially.

[Commander Tamson]

Welcome to the hub of vintage bar girls!

Brilliant! Can just imagine it

[Longtooth]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Massive problem almost World wide. My Father-in-law is 91 and in and out of Hospital in Thailand. Every time i go there the place is full of people over 85 that they are just keeping alive by one means or another. Just ten years ago these people would have been dead already and you have to wonder what the point of keeping them alive is when they have no quality of life, as it costs every country billions.

When you reach that age you may feel different about the issues. In principle I'm in favour of voluntary euthanasia assuming there is a clear medical and a clear legal framework, but i'm aware that once such a legal framework exist it may be too tempting to modify to 'better' suit certain government needs.

"Soylent Green is people!"

Science fiction is written by people focusing their immagination on the future. "Futurists". If the world doesn't radically change it's ways, "Soylent Green" will certainly come to pass. Think about what the info in this topic means. We will be dead, but our children will absolutely live in a declining world. I'm sad to say. The question is, "What can we do about it?" Humanity has the same intelligence as yeast. We are in our wine vat of fermenting grape juice (our world), multiplying till our own waste kills us all. (I think that would be about 14% alcohol, or until all the "sugar" is gone.) Just have to shake your head and say, "Dunno." It's human greed, I guess. So, go out there and "have a nice day", and try to not be so darn GREEDY!

[Mentors]

Dont worry Thailand. Migrants from Myanmar like ethnic Monh make a lot of babies here in the South.

[Mentors]

Dont worry Thailand. Migrants from Myanmar like ethnic Monh make a lot of babies here in the South.

[Pops]

The problem with Thailand is collapsing birthrates not people living longer....

1.28 births per woman on last count.

In the past, the rural Thais lived mostly of their own land and sufficed with what was readily available.

Kids went to the local temple school and kids took care of their parents when they were grown ups.

To guarantee a decent life after pension, people needed to have more children, to take care of them when old.

Result: big families !

Nowadays rural Thais want a better life for their kids including f.i. good education.

This means that current generation of rural parents already limits the amount of kids they will have, because school etc. is expensive.

The kids are sent to school in the nearest city and return with completely different views on life.

They want what other people also have, the cars, fashion items the lots.

They do not want to do the backbreaking farm work their parents did but want a better life.

From that perspective kids are a very expensive burden.

We have already seen that in the west.

First the big house, the cars, the beautiful garden and all the rest and than finally, if still fertile, a kid.

[belg]

2014 + 7 = 2031 ????????

thai math?