Thai youth value filial piety, but have mixed views on elder care
A recent study by IFD Poll & Survey found that most Thai youth continue upholding the values of filial piety and expressing gratitude towards their parents.
Released on Monday, the poll sampled 1,187 young people aged 15-24 nationwide from August 4 to 10. The study, employing a combination of field and telephone surveys, used a 50% probabilistic sampling method through stratified five-stage random sampling, with a 3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
The survey found that a large majority of respondents (60.15%) disagreed with the notion that parents should be solely responsible for their own care.
Additionally, 75.74% opposed the idea that the government should bear the full responsibility for elderly care, while 83.82% affirmed that looking after parents was the right thing to do.
Despite these positive findings though, the survey also uncovered some inconsistencies in attitude.
When combining those who agreed (14.83%) with those who were unsure about whether parents should support themselves resulted in a total of 39.85%. Some respondents expressed uncertainty, noting that while they feel a loving bond and desire to reciprocate care, they do not necessarily see it as an expression of “gratitude”.
The survey also highlighted demographic variations, with differing attitudes across age, gender, education level, and region.
According to the IFD Poll & Survey, which is part of the Institute of Future Studies for Development, these findings offer valuable insights into the values and attitudes of Thai youth.
While the results are largely positive, they also reflect the nuanced and complex nature of intergenerational relationships.
