Ministry takes first step to address Thailand’s dwindling population numbers
The Social Development and Human Security Ministry is holding a workshop next month to address the problem of Thailand’s ageing society.
The seminar, “Enhancing the Security of Thai Families through Population Crisis Management”, will be held on March 7 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Social Development and Human Security Minister Varawut Silpa-archa explained that the workshop was being held to address the problem of Thailand’s changing demographics.
In 2023, Thailand had more than 13 million people aged 60 and above, while the number of newborns was less than 500,000. Over the past two years, the country’s population has dropped by about 35,000 people. If this trend continues, it is believed that Thailand’s population of 66 million people will drop by more than half in less than 50 years.
The event will see representatives from different sectors, including government, private sector and NGOs, coming together to exchange ideas and explore strategies to boost the population.
“It’s not as simple as getting two people to live together, but rather the focus is on creating a society that is happy and fosters warmth and stability for the next generation. The aim is to give them the desire to start families, have descendants and ultimately increase the population,” Varawut said.
Separately, the ministry initiated discussions on January 12 with the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) and the World Bank.
The conclusion of the discussion will be presented to the Cabinet in early April, and later in the month, the ministry will present the information to the United Nations. The aim is to make the global community aware that Thailand is taking steps to address issues with the population structure, a challenge faced by many countries worldwide.
