Thailand prepares for entering complete aged society

BANGKOK, June 27 (TNA) - As Thailand will begin entering the complete aged society, or the silver society, in 2021, he Office of Small and Medium Enterprize Promotion (OSMEP) and other 18 public agencies have agreed to work together to drive forward the country's socio-economic growth on the quality and sustainable basis. OSMEP Director-General Suwanchai Lohawattanakul told journalists that the agreement was reached at the latest meeting, held in Bangkok on June 27, of the OSMEP and the other 18 public agencies, which have been established by special laws. Suwanchai said executives of OSMEP and the 18 public agencies viewed the entry to the complete aged society by Thailand and other countries as a key mega-trend that should widely affect the global societies, including the Thai society, and they, thus, clinched the cooperative agreement. Suwanchai acknowledged that at Wednesday's meeting, the 6th of its kind annually, the public agencies' executives also exchanged their opinions and experiences with each other, as well as presented their agencies' relevant projects in four areas, namely science and technology, themed "innovations and technologies for the elderly", public health, themed "health care", economic circle, themed "silver entrepreneurship" and social sphere, themed "financial knowledge for the elderly". The OSMEP chief revealed that Thailand will begin entering the complete aged society, or the silver society, in 2021, the second only to Singapore in the ASEAN Community (AC), after the Thai Kingdom has been gradually approching the silver society since 2005. Based on updated figures, released by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Thailand had a total population of 66.4 million at the end of 2018, about 16.06 per cent of whom, or 10.67 million, were those aged 60 years and above, with the male and the female elderly standing at about 4.72 million and 5.95 million respectively. The updated statistics also showed five Thai areas where most citizens were the elderly, including Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani. Meanwhile, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) estimated that the Thai population who are 60 years old and above should stand at least 13 million by 2021, or about 20 per cent of the country's total population, and should increase to about 20 million, or one-third of the total population, by 2040 with Thai citizens aged 80 years or above to reach 3.5 million. According to an official assessment, the Thai government should spend a state budget of up to about 2.2 trillion baht on taking care of the elderly comprehensively, prompting the relevant agencies to, thus, be aware and jointly prepare for coping with the situation. (TNA)