Thailand encourages families to have more children
Each Thai family should aim to have at least two children to help halt the country's falling birthrate, a senior health official said on July 11 – the UN's World Population Day.
People at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - Each Thai family should aim to have at least twochildren to help halt the country's falling birthrate, a senior health officialsaid on July 11 – the UN's World Population Day.
As reported by the Bangkok Post, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Thai Department of Health, saidthere had been at least one million births in Thailand each year from 1963 to1983, but the birthrate fell to 502,107 last year and is likely to be below500,000 this year.
At the same time, the number of elderly citizens is rising.In 2021 Thailand became an aged society with people 60 years or moreconstituting 20% of its population. By 2036 the country will be a hyper-agedsociety, with senior citizens making up 30% of its population, if the trendcontinues.
Since 2016, the Thai government has tried to encourage people to have more childrenbut these measures have not worked. Recent measures included the opening of morenurseries, improved rights to maternity and paternity leave, work-from-homepolicies and flexible working hours. The government also postponed compulsoryretirement and promoted retirement savings and vocational programmes to helpcope with an aged society./.
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People at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
