Thailand is entering elderly society

BANGKOK, April 14 (TNA) - Thailand is entering elderly society and the situation is expected to deteriorate in the next two decades if nothing is done to rectify, said Somchai Charoenumnvaisuke, Director of Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s Office of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, on Sunday. His alarming remarks were made as Thailand celebrates the Family Day on April 14 every year. Thai families used to have three generations consisting of grandparents, parents and children staying in the same family before but to date the parents are not staying with them, leaving the grandparents staying with the children, Somchai said. Worse still, more divorces are seen nowadays due to miscommunication and economic problems, forcing husband and wife not to have enough time to spend together. Nowadays, men and women possess more self-confidence and believe they could stay alone and this is partly attributed to telecommunication equipment which people could communicate with people worldwide, he said. It is projected that Thai people would in future prefer to stay solitarily and this negative sign is being seen clearly. Family institution in this country is now facing crisis with many families shattered and if nothing is done it could become worsen within the next 20 years and the society would become an elderly society, Somchai warned. Realising the problem, he said the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has started mapping out population planning programme and would submit it to the government for consideration. (TNA)