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Population Ageing and the Well-Being of Older Persons in Thailand ...

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Executive Summary<br />

Introduction<br />

<strong>Population</strong> age<strong>in</strong>g is occurr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> much <strong>of</strong> Asia. In<br />

Thail<strong>and</strong> where fertility rates have fallen sharply over<br />

<strong>the</strong> past decades, this process is recent <strong>and</strong><br />

pronounced. Thail<strong>and</strong> is particularly fortunate <strong>in</strong><br />

hav<strong>in</strong>g a series <strong>of</strong> nationally representative surveys <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> older population that permit determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

important trends <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> well-be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> older age<br />

population <strong>and</strong> an up-to-date assessment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

current situation. In this report, we exam<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> demography<br />

<strong>of</strong> age<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Thail<strong>and</strong>, explore <strong>the</strong> health<br />

<strong>and</strong> social <strong>and</strong> economic well-be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> older<br />

population, <strong>and</strong> describe government policies <strong>and</strong><br />

programmes related to population age<strong>in</strong>g. Particular<br />

attention is given to differences <strong>in</strong> relation to age,<br />

gender <strong>and</strong> place <strong>of</strong> residence (urban or rural).<br />

Demography <strong>of</strong> age<strong>in</strong>g<br />

As a result <strong>of</strong> an exceptionally rapid decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong><br />

fertility <strong>in</strong> which <strong>the</strong> total fertility rate fell from above<br />

6 <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1960s to its current level below replacement,<br />

Thail<strong>and</strong> is undergo<strong>in</strong>g an extensive process <strong>of</strong><br />

population age<strong>in</strong>g. Changes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> age structure will<br />

be pr<strong>of</strong>ound <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> older age<br />

population truly dramatic. From a situation prior to<br />

<strong>the</strong> fertility transition when older persons constituted<br />

only 5 per cent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> population, more than one <strong>in</strong><br />

four Thais are likely to be age 60 or older with<strong>in</strong> just<br />

a few decades from now. Moreover, <strong>in</strong> just a little<br />

more than ano<strong>the</strong>r decade, persons age 60 <strong>and</strong> older<br />

will exceed those under age 15 for <strong>the</strong> first time <strong>in</strong><br />

Thail<strong>and</strong>’s history. This pace <strong>of</strong> population age<strong>in</strong>g is<br />

many times faster than experienced historically <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

West. Moreover, <strong>the</strong> older population itself is age<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is a pronounced sex imbalance with women<br />

greatly outnumber<strong>in</strong>g men especially among <strong>the</strong><br />

oldest old. With<strong>in</strong> Thail<strong>and</strong>, <strong>the</strong> flow <strong>of</strong> young adults<br />

from rural to urban areas comb<strong>in</strong>ed with many<br />

migrant to cities leav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir young children <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

care <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rural gr<strong>and</strong>parents has resulted <strong>in</strong> higher<br />

concentrations <strong>of</strong> both children <strong>and</strong> elderly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rural<br />

compared to urban areas. The population <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> most<br />

economically productive ages relative to that <strong>in</strong><br />

elderly ages where economic dependency is common<br />

is virtually certa<strong>in</strong> to decl<strong>in</strong>e to only a fraction <strong>of</strong> what<br />

it has been <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> recent past. Thus <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong><br />

material support for older persons will take on quite a<br />

different dimension than has been or currently is <strong>the</strong><br />

case. Likewise, given <strong>the</strong> far greater likelihood <strong>of</strong><br />

serious health problems among older persons<br />

compared to <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> population, pressures on<br />

health facilities <strong>and</strong> services will <strong>in</strong>crease enormously.<br />

In brief, <strong>the</strong>se demographic developments will have<br />

important consequences for families, communities,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Thai society as a whole.<br />

Demographic, social <strong>and</strong> economic<br />

characteristics<br />

The social <strong>and</strong> economic pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> today’s elderly <strong>and</strong><br />

trends over <strong>the</strong> recent past as presented <strong>in</strong> this report<br />

are encourag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> several respects. Significant<br />

improvement <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> material well-be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> older<br />

population has clearly occurred. Compared to just a<br />

little over a decade ago, older Thais <strong>in</strong> 2007 live <strong>in</strong><br />

households with far more appliances <strong>and</strong> amenities<br />

that make daily life more convenient. Their<br />

households are also more likely to have a motorized<br />

vehicle mak<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>g transportation needs easier.<br />

Particularly dramatic is <strong>the</strong> rapid <strong>and</strong> recent spread <strong>of</strong><br />

telephones, especially mobile phones, a development<br />

that greatly improves <strong>the</strong> ability <strong>of</strong> elderly <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

children <strong>and</strong> relatives who live elsewhere to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><br />

contact with each o<strong>the</strong>r. This not only contributes to<br />

social well-be<strong>in</strong>g but facilitates seek<strong>in</strong>g assistance at<br />

times <strong>of</strong> health emergencies or when o<strong>the</strong>r critical<br />

situations arise.<br />

ix

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