Fertility Rates

[12DrinkMore]

Here is the graph.

http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/dataset/fertility/wfd2015/index.htm

Up to 1970 the average woman produced six kids.

Then there was a rapid reduction down to the current 1.5 kids, which is not enough to sustain the population.

I would guess that around 1970 contraception was made more available, Mechai was running his campaign and young jobseekers were moving from the farms into the cities.

It may also explain why the "old hands" fondly remember the period 1990 to 2000 as the time where the numerous bars were full of young women, but now the number of bars (my subjective opinion) and the number of girls has gone way down, and the average age of a girl in the bar is well above 30 (also my subjective opinion).

Possibly internet dating and attractive girls being "snapped up" by increased numbers of foreign tourists will also have an effect. But surely the reason the bar industry is in such as state of decline is that the number of women available has been reduced by 75%?

It is interesting to compare with the Philippines

http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/dataset/fertility/wfd2015/index.htm

The long slow reduction from seven to three kids/woman is probably (?) due to religion.

And Cambodia

http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/dataset/fertility/wfd2015/index.htm

Where the same marked fall occurred twenty years later than Thailand.

(Just thought I'd provide a Sunday distraction from the usual "how much Sin Sod?", "Things are getting worse", "how can I buy/sell property?", "Is it a murder of suicide?" and the old chestnut, "how much do I need to live?".)

[NancyL]

The declining birth rate has much bigger implications for Thailand than the availability of young women to work in the hospitality industry. This country will soon face a crisis in caring for its elderly, especially since they don't have anything like an old age pension system.

[Oxx]

This country will soon face a crisis in caring for its elderly, especially since they don't have anything like an old age pension system.

Did you actually bother to engage your brain before posting this nonsense? Thailand's first government pension scheme was initiated by King Rama V in 1902. Then there's the Social Security Fund and the Government Pension Fund and the National Savings Fund and the Old Age Allowance as well as private pension provision assisted by tax relief on RMFs.

[NancyL]

This country will soon face a crisis in caring for its elderly, especially since they don't have anything like an old age pension system.

Did you actually bother to engage your brain before posting this nonsense? Thailand's first government pension scheme was initiated by King Rama V in 1902. Then there's the Social Security Fund and the Government Pension Fund and the National Savings Fund and the Old Age Allowance as well as private pension provision assisted by tax relief on RMFs.

Oh, you're right -- I forgot about the 500 baht/month Universal Pension.

(Admittedly, some workers do receive pensions, esp gov't workers, but few would agree that the country has a good universal old age pension program http://www.social-protection.org/gimi/gess/RessourcePDF.do?ressource.ressourceId=24378

[lostinisaan]

This country will soon face a crisis in caring for its elderly, especially since they don't have anything like an old age pension system.

Did you actually bother to engage your brain before posting this nonsense? Thailand's first government pension scheme was initiated by King Rama V in 1902. Then there's the Social Security Fund and the Government Pension Fund and the National Savings Fund and the Old Age Allowance as well as private pension provision assisted by tax relief on RMFs.

Oh, you're right -- I forgot about the 500 baht/month Universal Pension.

(Admittedly, some workers do receive pensions, esp gov't workers, but few would agree that the country has a good universal old age pension program http://www.social-protection.org/gimi/gess/RessourcePDF.do?ressource.ressourceId=24378

Yep, you did forget this pension which helps my mom and dad in law tremendously.

1,000 baht a month is good money. even for farmers with one crop a year.

Some here might take the time and drive around for a while to see the wealthy old people in this country.