Livelihoods for elderly now a top priority

[webfact]

Livelihoods for elderly now a top priority
By The Nation

 

An old Japanese man carries on working – a source of income, independence and motivation. Thailand is now also encouraging its citizens to remain in employment past the age of 60.

 

BANGKOK: -- WITH most elderly Thais having no or hardly any savings, Thailand has an acute need to keep people in work as long as possible.

 

Creating job opportunities for the country’s greying population is now top of the agenda at various organisations, both in the government and private sector.

 

To mark the National Elderly Day on Thursday, the Skill Development Department will launch short vocational courses today for the elderly in the hope of boosting elderly Thais’ quality of life.

 

“We intend to give the elderly some means of livelihood. We hope they will have a sustainable occupation and more income,” department director-general Theerapon Khunmuang said.

 

He said the move was necessary as Thailand had already become an ageing society.

 

With a falling birth rate and much longer life expectancy, old parents can’t just wait for support from their grown-up children anymore. In 2011, Thailand had 5.5 people in the |working age per one elderly Thai. But the ratio fell to 2.7 to 1 in 2015 and looks set to drop further.

 

Sadly, the National Statistical Office has also found that two thirds of about 11 million elderly Thais have no savings at all and that the other third have a “nest egg” of less than Bt100,000.

 

Theerapon said three- to five-day vocational courses for the elderly proved effective in helping them earn income.

 

“Records show elderly participants in our previous courses can later earn Bt2,735 a month on average,” he said.

 

There were a variety of practical courses for older people to choose from, all free for those aged over 50, he said. These include cooking, making essential oils, broom-making, and basketry.

 

Older Peoples Department chief Somkid Somsri said this year his department would focus on elderly employment too as the Elderly Assembly was now set to push for a law that will require private firms to hire employees until the age of 60, instead of the current threshold of 55 years.

 

“People aged between 56 and 60 can still work. Their number is quite huge too,” he said.

 

While the new law is pending, the government has offered tax incentives to employers of older citizens.

 

The Se-Ed Book Centre recently announced that it welcomed job candidates over 60 years old for the position of bookshop assistant. Its move won widespread praise and now an award from Assembly of the Elderly.

 

The award presentation ceremony will also take place today. Among recipients are General Charan Kullavanich and Thanpuying Chatchanee Chatikavanich.

 

Charan is being honoured for handing out free spectacles to people with eyesight problems at Sanam Luang every month. Chatchanee founded a school that has offered free computer courses to people aged 45 for nearly two decades.

 

As Thailand moves to become a fully-fledged ageing society, the spotlight on elderly care and |management will grow stronger.

 

Siriwan Arunthippaitoon, from the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, said that Cabinet had measures planned to take care of elderly Thais in four areas – employment, housing, pensions and reverse mortgages.

 

“We plan to help senior citizens get jobs and continue contributing to the country’s development,” she said.

 

The government also provides monthly subsidies to Thai over-60 who register for financial support. Subsidies range from Bt600 to Bt1,000 a month – which is a regular source of income for the greying population.

 

Foundation for Older Persons' Development (Fopdev) director Sawang Kaewkanta said his foundation had been conducting a four-year project to promote good elderly-related policies and the wellbeing of older persons in three northern provinces.

 

“We focus on educating senior citizens about their rights and how to exercise them. We also seek to boost their income security,” he said.

 

For example, elderly locals can form a small group to seek funding for their income-generating activities.

 

“We offer Bt35,000 grants when they come up with projects such as lantern-making, weaving, and decorative-float making. These activities can generate income for them,” Sawang explained.

 

Sawang said that about 30 groups of elderly had now registered for such grants with his foundation. Together, they have about 3,000 members.

 

# This is the first part of a series on elderly Thais’ livelihood to mark National Elderly Day on Thursday.

 

Thai population: 66 million

Elderly population: about 11 million

 

Definition of elderly: people aged over 60 years old

 

Do elderly Thais have savings?

65.4 per cent: No

34 per cent: Yes, but less than Bt100,000

0.6 per cent: Yes, and over Bt100,000.

 

Do elderly Thais earn an income?

33 per cent: Yes, but less than Bt20,000 a year

25 per cent: Yes, with amounts ranging from Bt20,000 to Bt40,000 a year

42 per cent: Yes, and more than Bt40,000 a year.

 

SOURCE: NATIONAL STATISTICAL OFFICE

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-10

[fforest1]

They have probley worked all their lives....Why should these old folks

expect any sort of retirement in their golden years?

The country can save piles of cash by making the elders work till they

drop....Instead of offering a on the job retirement plan they can offer

a on the job burial plan....  

[wakeupplease]

I hope Farangs have thought about and made plans for the time that will come to all of us when we need help and insurance polices are denied. That one worried the hell out of me, so now I do not have to, I hope you are ok on this

[robblok]

2 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

I hope Farangs have thought about and made plans for the time that will come to all of us when we need help and insurance polices are denied. That one worried the hell out of me, so now I do not have to, I hope you are ok on this

 

How about starting an health insurance policy before its too late.. they do accept you when your younger and then you just have to keep in the program so you won't get kicked out.

 

Other option is trying to work for a Thai company (even if on paper) getting fired later on but you can keep paying in social security. Then your under the same plan as most Thais.. its isnt great but its better than nothing. 

 

I am assuming your talking about health insurance here.. because that is the only thing that makes sense.

[SoilSpoil]

In feudal Thailand the elderly were supposed to be supported by their offspring. With increased economical mobility, access to credit and household debts, no savings and too much consumption, a drama is unfolding itself. The shoulders needed to carry the financial needs of an aging society are not strong enough. They are only getting weaker. 

[Thaidream]

The law is completely absurd. A person who is fit and able to do the job should be allowed  to work at any age. In the West, most people do not retire until 65 or even later.

For foreigners in Thailand, many who are here and teaching English making a minimal salary- and not paying into your countries retirement account- you better think about what you are doing. If you plan on retiring in Thailand- your home country won't be paying for you because you did not participate in the plan and Thailand will give you nothing. You are not living the dream but waiting for the coming nightmare.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

BANGKOK: -- WITH most elderly Thais having no or hardly any savings, Thailand has an acute need to keep people in work as long as possible.

Yes the old work till you drop syndrome is alive and well and flourishing in the minds of the powers that be anyways. 

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

In feudal Thailand the elderly were supposed to be supported by their offspring. With increased economical mobility, access to credit and household debts, no savings and too much consumption, a drama is unfolding itself. The shoulders needed to carry the financial needs of an aging society are not strong enough. They are only getting weaker. 

Well said. That was the case in feudal Thailand and it is now Thailand 4.0. Guess what nothing has changed except that the children helping parents now have their money diverted to the local banker for payments on cars and silly IT gimmicks. I keep telling my g/f if you ever have a child forget about him/her supporting you look forward to having them camping on your doorstep. In the west its called basement offspring here there is no basement. 

[elgordo38]

Interpretation: Sorry folks the pot is empty start fending for yourselves. 

[Krataiboy]

Creating job opportunities for the country’s greying population is now top of the agenda at various organisations, both in the government and private sector.

 

Well, it shouldn't be. Haven't they heard that 70-80 percent of ALL jobs are predicted to disappear in the next 20 years or so as a result of the Robotics Revolution?

 

Dreaming up imaginary jobs for the burnt-out older generation is living in la-la land. Top of the agenda should an urgent revamp of the State educational system to equip future generations with for the few high-tech jobs which will be left by the 2030's.

 

And what are the government/corporate sector's plans for the other 70 million or so Thai citizens? Are the vast majority going to be paid a Universal Basic Income and told to stay home - and if so where is the money coming from?

 

Time to get heads out of the sand and put on thinking caps.

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

The law is completely absurd. A person who is fit and able to do the job should be allowed  to work at any age. In the West, most people do not retire until 65 or even later.

For foreigners in Thailand, many who are here and teaching English making a minimal salary- and not paying into your countries retirement account- you better think about what you are doing. If you plan on retiring in Thailand- your home country won't be paying for you because you did not participate in the plan and Thailand will give you nothing. You are not living the dream but waiting for the coming nightmare.

Yes, but, they're having fun!!!!!

Back in UK i was told I was wasting my money on a couple of pension schemes that now pay me every month as well as my OAP, until I fall of the perch. 

It makes a big difference now.