15-6-2024 (BANGKOK) In the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, Sira Kitpinyochai and Boontarika Namsena stand as a modern portrait of Thailand’s evolving societal landscape. Four years into their marital union, the couple’s happiness stems not from the presence of children, but from the companionship of their 11 feline companions.
Sira and Boontarika’s decision to forgo parenthood was a conscious choice made before they exchanged vows. To them, “children were more like a burden because of all the expenses involved,” coupled with the uncertainty surrounding their financial plans for the twilight years.
Moreover, their demanding professional lives – Sira as an equity trader and Boontarika as a procurement manager – left little room for the responsibilities of child-rearing. “It’s mostly 10 to 12 hours at the office a day,” Boontarika remarked, “How would we find time to care for our children?”
Their sentiments echo across the corporate landscape of Thailand, where Anchalee Chaichanavijit, the executive director of the Marketing Association of Thailand, grappled with similar concerns. “I don’t want to have children because … my own life is already tough enough,” she confided, reflecting a mindset increasingly prevalent among Thai professionals.
A National Institute of Development Administration survey last September revealed a striking statistic: 44 percent of respondents expressed a lack of desire to have children, citing child-rearing expenses, societal concerns, and the burden of childcare as primary deterrents.
These aversions are mirrored in Thailand’s fertility rate, which stood at a mere 1.08 last year, the second-lowest in Southeast Asia after Singapore’s 0.97. Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin issued a dire warning: if this trajectory persists, Thailand’s population could plummet from its current 66 million to a mere 33 million within 60 years.
While declining fertility rates are a global phenomenon, Thailand’s situation is unique. Neighboring countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia maintain fertility rates close to or hovering around the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman.
Ironically, the very foundations that propelled Thailand’s economic growth may have inadvertently precipitated its current demographic challenges. In 1970, the nation launched its national family planning program, aimed at moderating population growth and fostering economic progress. By 1976, the program had not only lowered the population growth rate to 2.55 percent but had also exceeded its target of 26 percent contraceptive acceptance, a success that endures today, with nearly three in four married women practicing contraception.
Tiffany Chen, a policy experimentation expert at the United Nations Development Programme’s Thailand Policy Lab, suggests that the country’s outperformance could be linked to religion. With up to 95 percent of the population practicing Buddhism, which allows certain forms of birth control, Thailand stands apart from neighboring countries where religions that often prohibit contraception, such as Islam or Catholicism, hold sway.
Traditional attitudes about patriarchy have also evolved in Thailand, according to Sutthida Chuanwan, an associate professor at Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research. Thai women now outnumber men in the pursuit of higher education, and their labor force participation surpasses that of women in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
“That actually limits the number of children that women tend to have, compared to those who might be housewives and just stay home,” explained Kirida Bhaopichitr, research director for international economics and development policy at the Thailand Development Research Institute.
However, unlike countries such as Japan and South Korea, where declining marriage rates may contribute to dwindling birth rates, Thailand has sustained a consistent level of marriages for over a decade. Married couples are simply choosing to remain child-free, either temporarily or permanently.
Nevertheless, as a developing economy, Thailand faces the unique challenge of “getting old before getting rich,” as Sakarn Bunnag, the interim executive director of the Asean Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation, cautioned. “When population ageing is gradual, it’s easier to adapt to the needs of an ageing society, whether it’d be in terms of healthcare, socio-economic infrastructure or the environment. When change happens quickly, keeping up with it could be a struggle.”
Thailand’s ageing population is a direct consequence of not only declining birth rates but also an increase in the elderly demographic. Seniors aged 60 and over already constitute a fifth of the population, and their plight is embodied in the story of Thawatchai Potin, a 74-year-old fan repairman in Bangkok.
Fourteen years past the retirement age, Thawatchai continues to work to ensure his survival. “During COVID-19, for example, I had to share one egg with another person for a meal,” he shared. “If I go home (to Ubon Ratchathani province), I’ll be more like a burden to my children because I can still work.”
The National Economic and Social Development Council reported that in 2021, 41.4 percent of seniors had savings of less than 50,000 baht (approximately S$1,840), and 78.3 percent earned less than 100,000 baht per year. In contrast, around 4.3 million baht in savings is needed for retirement in the city.
To address this, the Thai government allocated almost 78 billion baht last year for the Old-Age Living Allowance, a monthly subsidy program of up to 1,000 baht for senior citizens who are not pensioners or receiving welfare.
As the elderly population continues to rise, however, this initiative will increasingly strain the government’s budget. Projections indicate that Thailand could transition into a super-aged society, with those aged 60 and over constituting at least 28 percent of the population, by 2033 or earlier.
This demographic shift will necessitate another slew of eldercare-related expenses, including caregivers, quality medication, and specialized nurses and physical therapists. Adult children are already feeling the pinch, as providing care for their parents leaves little in the money pot for future offspring.
Although Thailand provides 12 years of free education at public schools, its central bank estimates that parents must still pay 1.6 million baht to support a child from kindergarten to university – more than six times the gross domestic product per capita.
Furthermore, even for those who decide to have children, raising one is not easy in Thailand’s increasingly urban setting. More than half of Thailand’s population resides in urban regions, notably the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, whose high population density has translated into challenges such as a high cost of living, social inequality, lack of green space, pollution, and overcrowding.
“Given the current economic climate, unless the family is well off, both parents often must work. So a lot of people decide to put off having children,” said Bunyarit Sukrat, the director of the Bureau of Reproductive Health.
Despite this increasing focus on career and income among urbanites, Thailand’s labor force participation rate has declined since the last decade, highlighted Kirida Bhaopichitr. A reduced pool of workers impacts productivity and income generation necessary for sustaining families and launching ventures in the country. If left unaddressed, Thailand’s declining fertility rate could raise concerns among potential investors, possibly shifting their focus to other countries.
To diffuse the demographic time bomb, the Thai government has outlined three main strategies.
The first two strategies involve fostering an environment that promotes both childbearing and child-rearing, as well as improving public attitudes towards family upbringing. “We aim to reduce the burden on parents as much as possible,” said Bunyarit Sukrat.
This includes providing support such as designated breastfeeding areas, day-care facilities, and financial assistance, ranging from subsidies on essential items to tax benefits for parents with multiple children.
Flexible working hours for women with young children is another area slated for improvement. In this regard, economist Piyachart Phiromswad emphasized the importance of private sector collaboration in developing policies to support working women in raising children.
The third strategy focuses on enhancing access to various reproductive health services. The government plans to expand access to assisted reproductive technology for young singles who aspire to raise children. Furthermore, with the country set to legalize same-sex marriages, access to the same services may be extended to gay and lesbian couples.
