The newly-founded Universal Design Centre has been asked to advise on design for accommodation and infrastructure for the elderly to reduce the risk of physical accidents.
"The centre aims to provide guidance on architectural design and advanced technology to create a proper living environment for the elderly. These designs can help reduce and prevent common accidents such as slips and falls that are prevalent among the elderly," said Supreeda Aduyanon, manager of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.
The Universal Design Centre is a joint project between public and private agencies including the Thai Health Foundation, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as well as five education institutes: Chulalongkorn, Chiang Mai, Thammasat, Mahasarakham and Prince of Songkhla University. It is located at Chulalongkorn University.
The centre was established on April 4 as part of the authorities' drive to give provide care for Thailand's increasingly ageing population.
Trairat Charuthat, chief of the centre and an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture, said the centre will serve as a hub to provide advice and disseminate information relating to architecture and technology for the elderly as well as the disabled.
It will open its doors to visitors and offer consultations with anyone who wishes to use elderly-friendly designs in their homes.
The Universal Design Centre will also help to promote the development of universal design curricula in other universities. It plans to open centres in four new regions by August next year.
The concept of universal design is currently getting attention from academic institutes as well as the public sector.
For instance, Prince of Songkla University is going to build a prototype home for elderly people to display at its university hospital, which it hopes members of the public will visit for inspiration on assisting the elderly in their own communities.
The establishment of the Universal Design Centre comes at a time when Thailand's age demographics see it moving towards becoming a "grey society" with a larger proportion of its population in older age groups.
In three years' time, over 20% of the population will be aged over 60. By 2031, 28% of Thai people will be officially classified as elderly, according to information from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.
And with an ageing population comes an increased risk of domestic injury. According to the Ministry of Public Health's Strategy and Planning Division, nearly 1,000 elderly people died from falls and slips in 2014, or around three people a day.
One-fifth of elderly patients who experience bone fractures due to falls are unable to walk again, resulting in an increase in senior care expenses.
In the same year, figures also indicated almost half of Thais aged over 80 still use a squat toilet, while only 24.6% of the accommodations of people over 60 has been adjusted to suit them, with 15.2 % having a handrail inside the restroom and 5.8% having one in their bedrooms.