Thai children in crisis, threatening nation's future

Currently, Thailand is facing the challenges of becoming an "ageing society", but there are also issues within the child population that need to be addressed. 

First, the number of children has decreased because of a continuous decline in birth rates. 

Thailand may experience GDP growth of less than 2%

Over the past five decades, the fertility rate has rapidly declined. The total fertility rate (TFR), or the average number of children a woman will have during her reproductive years, was 6 children per woman between 1960 and 1965, while in 2022, it was only 1 child per woman.

Somchai Chitsuchon, director of research on inclusive development at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said the low birth rate will lead to a reduced labour force, which will impact the country’s ability to generate income, or gross domestic product. This will result in slow to minimal economic growth.

In the past, Thailand’s economy grew at a rate of 5-7% per year, but it has now slowed to 3-4%. In the future, there is a possibility that Thailand’s GDP growth may be less than 2% if the country fails to improve the quality or productivity of its existing and future workforce.

The trend of delayed language development is increasing

The Department of Health has surveyed the early development of children to monitor and track their development using the Denver II tool, a standardised international screening tool. 

The findings from 2022-23 show that 82.1% of children in this age group (0-5 years) were screened for developmental progress, and 22.5% of children showed signs of delayed development, with most delays in language development, including both language use and comprehension.

This trend has been observed over the past five years (2019-2023), with an increasing number of children showing delayed language development. In 2023, 60.9% of children had delayed receptive language skills, and 74.8% had delayed expressive language skills.

Concerns regarding the mental health of Thai children

Mental-health issues among Thai children are also concerning. According to the Department of Mental Health, about 1 in 14 children aged 5-9 years show signs of developmental delays, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cognitive issues (low IQ), and learning disabilities. These children are at risk of mental-health problems that may persist into adolescence and lead to substance abuse.

Data from Suanprung Psychiatric Hospital in 2023 show that 213 children aged 6-12 sought treatment, and in 2024, over nine months, 164 children sought treatment, with a noticeable increase. The five most common issues reported were:

ADHD
Hyperactivity disorders
Depression
Learning disabilities
Anxiety

The Ministry of Education also noted that mental-health problems in school-age children stem not only from home or societal environments but also from stress related to academic pressure, competition within the education system, and expectations from families and peers. These stressors often lead to emotional and stress-management difficulties for children and adolescents.

Children should play, but they cannot

Play is a vital activity that helps children grow with quality, as it contributes to physical, mental, and cognitive development. According to Associate Professor Piyawat Ketwongsa, director of the Thailand Physical Activity Knowledge Development Centre (TPAK), Mahidol University, a study titled "Smart Play Schools" tracked students from grades 4 to 6 and found that physical activity enhances five dimensions of development:

Physical 
Emotional/Social 
Communication/Life Skills 
Cognitive 
Academic 

However, the data show that only 20% of Thai children engage in sufficient physical activity, meaning 4 out of 5 children do not get enough physical activity, which affects their long-term learning. Generally, children should engage in 60 minutes of physical activity per day to meet the recommended amount.