Thailand encourages families to have at least two children

Every Thai family should strive to have at least two children to halt the falling birth rate, a senior health official has said.

Health Ministry Director-General Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Tuesday, July 11:

"There were at least one million births in Thailand each year between 1963 and 1983, but the birth rate fell to 502,107 last year and will likely be below 500,000 this year."

He was speaking on the occasion of World Population Day organized by the United Nations.

Similar birth rates have been reported by 120 other countries, including China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam, in Thailand's immediate region, Dr. Suwannachai said.

At the same time, the number of elderly people is increasing.

In 2021, Thailand became an aging society, with people aged 60 and over making up 20% of its population.

By 2036, if the trend continues, the country will be a hyper-aged society, with elderly people representing 30% of the population.

“2023 is the first year when the number of people of working age (20-24 years) will not be able to compensate for the number of people leaving the labor market at the age of 60-64,” said Dr. Suwannachai.

See: Thailand will be a 'super-aged' society by 2029

Since 2016, the government has tried to encourage people to have more children, but these measures have not worked, he added.

Recent measures include opening more daycare centers, improving maternity and paternity leave rights, home working policies, and flexible working hours.

The government has also postponed mandatory retirement and encouraged retirement savings and work-based programs to help cope with an aging society, Dr. Suwannachai said.

Unfortunately, many young Thais do not want to have children because they do not have enough money to take care of them.

See: Thailand grapples with high household debt

Boonyarit Sukrat, director of the Reproductive Health Bureau, said the desired increase in Thailand's population may not occur in time to address the labor shortage, which could affect the nation's gross domestic product and security.

Importing high-potential workers could be one solution the government could invest in, Dr. Boonyarit said.

World Population Day has been celebrated annually on July 11 since 1989, when it was launched by the United Nations Development Programme to raise awareness of global population issues.

Source: Bangkok Post