Will ageing society feature in next Thai election fight?

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Will ageing society feature in next Thai election fight?
By The Nation

 

The growing Predominance of old people is likely to affect many things nationally 

 

BANGKOK: -- The concern that Thailand is steadily becoming an ageing society was fleetingly mentioned when the country’s oldest political party celebrated its birth anniversary last week.

 

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party would be ready for the first general election after the 2014 coup, and prepared to tackle pressing matters such as the economic slowdown, income disparity and a population that is getting old. Most of what he said is old news, except the looming arrival of something the nation has never experienced before.

 

Businesses are the first to adapt. Signs of the future have emerged in mega-stores, with products catering to old people increasing in numbers and getting more prominent displays. Politically, however, not much has been seriously said. “Ageing society” remains a scary term, which is indeed more depressing than a “political crisis” or “constitutional deadlock”. When a nation grows too old, various problems can present themselves at virtually every sector – from the smallest unit, the family, to the biggest, the government.

 

Estimations vary, but all of them worrisome. According to a certain forecast, the number of people older than 65 will reach 1.371 billion in 2035, or around 15 per cent of the world’s population.

 

About 20 years from now, it is estimated by some, over 20 per cent of the Thai population will be “old”. That’s one in every five Thais and will likely be the second-highest in Southeast Asia after Singapore, which has been implementing related state policies, some of which have made people chuckle all over the world.

 

Thailand will need a lot more than just cheap adult diapers. A wholesale rethink will have to take place at all levels, starting with the family. Public transport, housing, healthcare, labour or employment benefits, business strategies, education, among others, will be all severely affected, warranting fresh visions and immediate and comprehensive implementation.

 

“Competitiveness” will have an added meaning. Diplomacy can be a whole new game. With Thailand hot on Singapore’s heels on ageing population, how much longer can Thai athletes maintain superiority at the SEA games? Should military conscription rules be altered? Should smartphones and TV sets come with hearing aids? As far as people like Abhisit are concerned, instead of promising computer tablets in election campaigns, will political parties soon vow to build daycare centre for the elderly at every 

tambon in order to get government powers? How about taxation?

 

There is also the issue of sensitivity, of how to strike a balance between helping the old physically and mentally. Measures do not necessarily go hand in hand. For example, government plans to build state-funded daycare homes can be seen as a threat to the Thai social fabris, and extending the mandatory retirement age can trigger humanitarian and budgetary debate.

 

One thing is certain: An older population will add to countries’ financial burdens. Older people normally have lower incomes and their health requires greater expenditure. In a future not so far away, political parties running the government or being in the opposition must seriously consider the fact that families’ financial responsibilities will significantly grow.

 

Both the Democrats, whose electoral base seems to be more in the cities, and their rivals, the Pheu Thai Party, which has strong support upcountry, will realise that their voters are equally affected. Policies, therefore, must take away all the prejudices, or the country’s political divide will have an added dimension, making the problem all the more harder to solve.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/today_editorial/30311840

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-10

[wakeupplease]

Not a problem here as no election to have to worry about in your lifetime or mine!

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

Thailand will need a lot more than just cheap adult diapers.

At this point I quit reading this article. 

 

An indictment of a cruel, ignorant, mocking mindset. 

 

A perfect example of the casual  prejudice the elderly face in society. 

 

Absolutely pathetic. 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Bluespunk

[maewang99]

Thai, Chinese and Japanese aging demographics are big things.... all over the place.. and certainly includes politics and economics. 

for Thailand, it's more accelerating than Climate Change..... and beginning to be just as pervasive as an education system that now produces the opposite of what fast moving technology changes will require as manufacturing returns to home markets... more mechanized and run by AI software... 3D printing, and yeah robots not just cleaning the house. 

this is a very big thing.  it's a daily issue now even in the kind of media that won't even mention the realities of Climate Change.. for which we are now so late on that that one is no longer political at all.. at least in the USA.. because it is too late.

this issue they can... and are.. making adjustments for.. that could actually work... including tax policy and compliance... not something to ignore.
 

Edited April 10, 2017 by maewang99

[elgordo38]

When it comes to elections the elderly have a more passive approach. Don't bother me and do what you damn well please. 

[Jimbo2014]

This is an incredibly important and dire looming issue on Thailands horizon.  The present generation (40-65 year olds) has really left very little to future generations but will demand support in old age through direct support, social services and infrastructure.  They have squandered Thailands opportunities and have also not ensured enough children or proper immigration which will see a decline in the population and commensurate decline in economic lynch pins such as real estate and the stock market.  At the same time they leave the young saddled with poor governance and bad debts through banks.  Not sure if its too late or not for Thailand.

[PatOngo]

I'm sure a lot of the ageing society will have passed on before they get a chance to feature in the next election!

[jesimps]

What next election?