Ageing society - by 2031, one-third of Thais will be over 60

Nearly one-third of the Kingdom’s population will be over 60 years old by 2031, according to the Office of National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), with impacts to be felt widely. 

“This does not mean just the elderly population is growing, but it means the percentage of young people at work is shrinking,” Deputy Prime Minister ACM Prajin Juntong said at a brainstorming forum yesterday. 

The Thailand Research Fund (TRF) organised the forum to address challenges from the growing elderly population and to nudge all stakeholders into making preparations to cushion impacts from the population shift. 

“We have to think about how to keep the elderly healthy, happy and fit for continuing their contributions to the country,” Prajin said. 

NESDB secretary-general Dr Porametee Vimolsiri said Thai society, as well as its elderly citizens, must change its attitudes to understand that the elderly could be independent and serve society. 

“Don’t see the elderly as a burden,” he said. 

Prof Worawet Suwanrada, dean of Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Economics, said the first challenge Thailand had to tackle was how to ensure the quality of life for the elderly. 

“It covers everything from financial security to daily-life activities,” he said. 

The second challenge, he said, was about ensuring economic vibrancy in the ageing society. 

The third challenge surrounded the promotion of family ties to prevent the elderly from being abandoned. 

“Moreover, the government will have to plan measures to accommodate the population shift. It must work with local administrative bodies and communities to find solutions,” Worawet said. 

Asst Prof Somprawin Manprasert said while the proposed measure of extending the mandatory retirement age beyond the age of 60 would stall economic impacts from the population shift by about a decade, it would by no means |be a permanent solution. 

“To solve problems in the long run, people need to develop specialised skills for their fields so as to boost the country’s productivity,” he said. 

Asst Prof Supachai Srisuchart, meanwhile, recommended that |the government should offer tax incentives or other measures to encourage employers to hire the elderly. 

“Employment should be made from the perspective that the experience and knowledge of the elderly are useful, not from a welfare perspective,” he added.