Thailand does not appear to have a greying
population problem for now but expert warns the
number of people over age 60 will double in 20
years
By EDWARD TANG
THAILAND CORRESPONDENT
BANGKOK -- When Mrs Kham Sa-ard was younger,
her desire was to live to an old age to enjoy her "golden
years" with her family.
Today, the centenarian, who marked her 100th birthday
last year, probably wished she had not lived so long.
Abandoned by her children -- her husband died a long
time ago -- the Chiang Mai resident now seeks shelter in
a temple in the northern Thai province.
Lonely and ailing, she is seeing out her final days in a
small cubicle the size of carton box.
Mrs Kham, whose plight was highlighted in a recent
report on the ageing population in Thailand, is one of
about 3,000 elderly citizens living in 17 state welfare
homes across the country.
Most of them do not have families or have been rejected
by them.
Still, the number of abandoned elderly in Thailand is a
modest figure in a population of 62 million of which
under 10 per cent, or only 6 million, are above age 60.
It would appear that Thailand, unlike other Asian
countries, has been spared some of the worst problems
of an ageing population.
Compared with Japan, for instance, where one in five in
the society is above 60 years old, the situation here
seemed to be under control.
Even the elderly themselves agree.
Said Dr Banlu Siriphanich, a retired surgeon who serves
as President of the National Senior Citizens Council: "It's
not so serious because the elderly population is not
large. Most of the old people here stay with and are
looked after by their children."
Strong traditional family ties have played a major role in
containing the problem, he said.
"Unlike what I call bird families in America and Europe,
where children leave their parents and old people live
alone, Thais stay together in extended family," he told
The Straits Times.
And he does not see the familial bonds loosening despite
some reports which suggest that more old people in the
country are being abandoned as the country pushes
towards modernisation.
While he was aware that more young people were
heading for the big cities and overseas to work, the
migration has not affected family relations.
His views are supported by a recent population survey,
which showed only 4 per cent of elderly Thais are living
alone.
Almost half of their compatriots live in three-generation
households, and another one-third reside in
two-generation families.
However, such statistics may hide warning signs of a
growing problem.
Dr Napaporn Chayovan of Chulalongkorn University's
Population Studies Department, who has researched
extensively in this area, told The Straits Times: "The
ageing population is not regarded as an urgent problem
by the government, but as a demographer I think it is
going to be a serious problem in 10 to 20 years' time."
The number of Thais over age 60 will double in 20 years
to 11 million compared to the slower growth rate of 13
per cent for the entire population over the same period.
This, according to her, places Thailand in a more
precarious position than even Japan.
By then, old people will make up 16 per cent of the Thai
population and Thailand will be recognised, by
international standards, as an ageing society before the
end of the decade, she said.
Naturally, the burden on the younger population will
increase. The dependency ratio which measures the
number of elderly dependents in every 100 individuals
will increase to 24 in 2020 from 14 currently.
Dr Napaporn has identified two major problems arising
from a greying population.
The cost of health care is expected to rise sharply,
according to official figures, which showed medical
expenses incurred by the elderly doubling in the last
decade.
This has prompted the Health Ministry to review its
current policy of free medical care for persons over age
60 at government hospitals.
A less problematic issue but one which requires attention
nonetheless is the financial situation of the elderly.
A recent study by Dr Napaporn found that old people
formed the majority of Thais living below the poverty
line, with most receiving an average income of 10,000
baht (S$457) a year.
Currently, the state gives out to some 400,000 elderly
destitute a monthly token of 300 baht, a sum barely
sufficient for three meals.
But to the greying population who are found mostly in
the backwaters of rural Thailand, the money is,
surprisingly, enough.
Said Mr Prayad Chaiyakiat, a retired banker who
worked in Singapore for 13 years and is now a serving
member of the Senior Citizens Council: "Don't compare
with Singapore. It may seem little but for people who
live in the provinces, it is still better than nothing."
But like Dr Napaporn, he agrees that with rising living
costs the government must be more actively engaged
with the problems of an increasingly ageing population.
For a start, the social safety nets must be strengthened,
he said.
Thais must be encouraged to save for their old age
through schemes administered by the state or private
organisations.
With the exception of government employees who
receive pensions upon retirement, there is currently no
effective saving mechanism for the majority of the 30
million Thai workforce, of which more than half work in
the informal sector such as farming.
There is a state-run social security fund for Thai workers
but it lacks the resources to make a potent contribution
to improving the financial status of the aged.
Because of the economic crisis, workers' contribution to
the fund has been cut from 3 to 1 per cent of their
monthly salary since last year.
The employer and the government each contribute
another 1 per cent to the fund, making up a total savings
of 3 per cent of a worker's salary each month.
Under the scheme, workers will receive a monthly
pension amounting to 20 per cent of their last salary for
25 years after they retire.
But the fund has come under strain because of the wide
disparity between contribution and the expected huge
pay-out in the future.
According to the social security office, the fund will
collapse by 2029 with losses of 1.4 trillion baht unless
workers' contribution is raised to at least 8 per cent of
their salary.
This is a decision that is awaiting the government's
approval.
The Thai attitude towards preparing for old age must
also change.
Workers here are notoriously cavalier in this respect,
she said. "Thais are laid back. They don't worry about
the future."
The Buddhist influence has played a major role in
shaping this attitude.
"Thais are flexible and can adjust quickly to difficult
circumstances. They are also easily contented," she said.
Indeed, the temples in Thailand are not only places of
worship, they are an integral part of the community from
the day one is born.
And for many like Mrs Kham Sa-ard of Chiang Mai, it
could well be their final resting place.
Adapted from The Straits Times, 14 Feb 2000.