5 pressures reveal Thais are losing their freedom without realising

Thailand is on the brink of becoming a super-aged society, with people aged over 60 now accounting for more than 20% of the population. 

At the same time, household debt has climbed to its highest level in four years — an average of 740,596 baht per family — while chronic diseases among those aged 40 and over, as well as accidents from falls among the elderly, continue to surge. 

A staggering 82.9% of older adults who suffer falls do so at home, and 23.12% of senior citizens have become victims of online scams. All these factors together are eroding the freedom of every generation. 

To raise awareness, The Cloud, Superjeew Event, AIS Academy, centralwOrld, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation jointly organised “Life Fest 40+ Better to Know Early”, a festival featuring talks and workshops on five key aspects of independent living. 

The event, held from October 17–19, 2025, at centralwOrld PULSE, 7th floor, encouraged Thais of all ages — both above and below 40 — to prepare for a freer and more self-reliant future.

Wiwat Wongpattaratiti, executive director of Superjeew Event, said the most alarming aspect of an ageing society is not the number of elderly people, but the way it robs freedom from every family member. 

According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), the proportion of Thais aged 60 and above rose to 20% in 2024 — roughly one in five citizens. The dependency ratio has fallen to around 3.2 working-age people per elderly person, meaning income, time and energy must increasingly be shared to support older family members.

“As economic and health vulnerabilities deepen, the freedom of every generation is being squeezed,” Wiwat said, adding that other social pressures are also making it easier than ever for Thais to lose their independence.

5 pressures stealing Thais’ freedom

1. Debt traps

According to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting, 95% of Thai households remain in debt in 2025, with the average burden soaring to 740,596 baht per family — the highest in four years.

The NSO found that 35.7% of the elderly depend on financial support from their children, while 33.9% still earn income from work. Over 5.26 million older Thais, or 37.2% of the elderly population, continue working out of necessity.

When they can no longer work or have no place in the labour market, the debt and living costs inevitably fall on the younger generation.

2. Health challenges

Thailand has around 14 million people suffering from high blood pressure, yet only half — about 7 million — are registered for treatment, according to the Department of Disease Control. Around 6.5 million people, or one in ten Thais, have diabetes, with many more unaware of their condition.

These non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a major threat to those aged 40 and over, often persisting into old age. The high cost of long-term treatment and the toll on household well-being are steadily undermining people’s independence.

3. Mental health and isolation

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that at least one in four elderly people experience social isolation. In Thailand, NSO data show that 12.9% of seniors — about 1.7 million out of 14 million — live alone.

This loneliness can silently develop into depression, while isolation increases the risk of fatal falls or untreated illness. Without family or community support, older adults face higher mortality risks.

4. Unsafe homes

NSO data show that 82.9% of elderly falls occur at home — 50.5% around the house and 32.4% inside. The Department of Disease Control notes that one in three elderly Thais falls every year, leading to more than 165,000 hospital admissions and over 40,000 hip fractures annually. Tragically, 17% of those who suffer hip fractures die within a year.

These numbers highlight how Thailand’s housing design remains dangerously unfriendly to older adults.

5. Online scams

Elderly victims of online scams have surged from 16% in 2021 to 23.12% in 2024, with common frauds including fake product sales (73%), charity scams (39%), and personal data theft (18%). Many fall prey because of limited digital literacy and poor information verification skills.

Between March 2022 and December 2024, Thailand recorded 773,118 cybercrime cases with total damages of over 79.5 billion baht, according to the Royal Thai Police. This points to an urgent need to upgrade digital awareness among older adults to protect their assets and dignity.

Freedom is a universal goal — yet for many Thais, it is slipping away under the weight of economic, health, and social pressures. 

The path to regaining it requires collaboration between government, private sectors, and families to tackle the realities of an ageing society and to ensure that all generations — regardless of age or gender — can live freely and independently.