Euthanasia a service not a sin for the elderly

Euthanasia a service not a sin for the elderly

Have you ever imagined how you might die in old age? I remember once telling a close friend that I would use a "sleeping pod" -- if euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide were legal. But in Thailand, it is only terminally ill patients who have the right to forgo treatment in such a way that allows them to die "naturally". Under Section 12 of the Public Health Act, they can make a will denying the use of public health services that would prolong the end stage of their illness.

A thought experiment popped into my mind this week. I joined thousands of others in paying respect to my ancestors during the Chinese New Year. Firecrackers, lion dances and lanterns lightened the mood amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. Relatives relished one another's companionship until another commonly asked question arose: When will you marry and have children?

This was hardly a surprise, however, as I've seen this question asked of various relatives since I was young. Thais of Chinese descent are told to marry to preserve their lineage. But when they passed the baton to my generation, I informed them that marriage is a choice, not a necessity. After I made my point, silence descended, forcing someone to veer the conversation to other topics. And this kind of situation is common in many families.

More people nowadays are choosing to stay single, delay getting married, have fewer kids (or none at all) for various reasons, financial and otherwise. One expert recently drew attention to figures provided by the National Statistical Office highlighting a decade of falling infant births. The number hit a record low of 545,000 last year, in stark contrast to the "baby boom" from 1963-1983 when it stood at over 1 million per annum.

Unless something happens to reverse the trend, more people will live and die alone. Even though they will still have friends and relatives, they are more likely to live in different places. No matter how advanced technology is, it cannot compensate for the need for human contact, especially during one's final moments.

In my opinion, people should have the right to choose how to die. My thoughts on this subject mark a departure from those of previous generations, who have faced pressure to reproduce to maintain their family bloodlines and provide financial security. In developing countries, children are expected to show filial piety by supporting their parents once their grow up.

Public health authorities have encouraged families to have more kids in vain for years. For example, they launched a "smart family" planning campaign to pair singles and support couples last year, urging them to wiwah sang chart (marry to build the nation) and pump look pheu chart (breed children for the nation). This harks back to the nation-building programme of Field Marshal Por Phibunsongkhram, a former prime minister who hoped to increase the population to 40 million some seven decades ago (the current population is around 70 million).

While working adults should be independent in terms of health, finance, and community networks when they get older, the government should support them given that we are facing the prospect of becoming a super-aged society in 2031, with those aged 60 and over accounting for 28% of the population. Pro-birth campaigns are not enough given the economic crisis.

Unfortunately, we are living in a country where welfare services are far from inclusive. Seniors are given small pensions ranging from 600-1,000 baht per month.

Moreover, not everyone can afford expensive medical treatment. With the falling fertility rate, the number of those who can look after the older generations will decline. So how can they survive?

Given this demographic crisis, the government should consider legalising euthanasia for elderly people. The subject remains taboo here because, for Buddhists, killing is sinful. However, ending one's life to relieve suffering transcends religion. People deserve the right to die peacefully.

Some may say euthanasia glamorises death or hinders the development of medical research and encourages vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely. Others find the idea of climbing into a suicide pod filled with nitrogen appalling. For example, what if the person suddenly changes their mind after the oxygen is reduced and they only have 10 minutes left to live?

But this is not the only option for those who will grow old and die alone. The system can be designed to ensure they meet certain requirements, such as informing their relatives of their voluntary departure from this world. Better yet, the government can improve the welfare system for those who are still alive and plan on sticking around longer.

Thana Boonlert

Bangkok Post columnist

Thana Boonlert is a writer for the Life section and a Bangkok Post columnist.

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