A survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) found that the majority of elderly individuals surveyed in Thailand anticipate receiving care from their families, particularly from their daughters.
The survey, which aimed to identify who should be responsible for caring for senior citizens, was conducted nationwide from March 14-17, among a sample of 1,310 individuals aged 60 and above. The survey was conducted on National Elderly Day, the first day of the Songkran festival, which was yesterday.
The survey found that 53.1% of the respondents expect their families to take care of them; 41.9% want care to come from government organisations, such as state-run elderly care facilities; 3.6% expect care from temples, foundations, associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and 1.5% from private organisations.
Of those who prefer care from their family members, almost 36% want it from their eldest or second eldest daughters; 23.9% from their eldest or second eldest sons; and 19.1% from all their children.
Among those who expected care from the public sector, 84.8% wanted medical and treatment services. Of them, 85.1% said they had already used the public services, and 56.9% were satisfied with the services.
Concerning those seeking elderly care from the private sector, 65.7% said they expected medical and treatment services. However, 62.5% of them had never received services from this sector.
Yesterday, Pairoj Chotikasathien, the director-general of the Department of Employment, announced that the department is introducing a new initiative called the Civil State Project for the Elderly. This project seeks to provide employment opportunities for elderly individuals, with the goal of enhancing their quality of life and promoting their dignity.
Mr Pairoj said that the project has already helped 813 elderly individuals find employment opportunities through the Department of Employment's job-finding service. Out of these, 702 individuals have been hired by a total of 1,057 employers.
He added that the top five job positions offered through this project include production line workers, housekeepers and cleaners, security guards, drivers, and workers employed by state organisations.
The department also recently arranged 694 additional job opportunities for elderly individuals who are seeking employment. These positions include roles such as baristas, production line workers, housekeepers, store or branch managers for chain businesses, and state employees, said Mr Pairoj.
In a recent analysis, Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC) revised its projection of Thailand's ageing population, stating that the onset of the "super-aged society" will in fact occur two years earlier than previously expected. According to their earlier projection, the super-aged society was expected to begin in 2031.
KRC attributed the earlier onset of the super-aged society to a rapid decrease in Thailand's population that occurred between 2020 and 2022. During this period, the death rate exceeded the birth rate for the first time, partially caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both birth and fertility rates in Thailand have been declining, while about one million individuals from Generation X (born between the mid-1960s and early-1980s) are expected to reach the age of 60 this year, said the KRC.