[polleroy]

Aging population

GREYING SOCIETY: : Thailand is shifting towards an aging society as a quarter of its population will become senior citizens in the next 22 years, says a report.

The number of senior members of the population, aged over 60, will increase from 11 to 25% while the young population, aged below 15, will decrease from 21.5 to 13.5%, according to Mahidol University's Population and Social Research Institute.

The country's current population, as of July 1, is 63.1 million.

"It is worrying that an elderly population will increase the burden of working age people and this will affect national development in the long run," said Wicharn Meenchainant, deputy public health minister.

In Thailand, at present the birth rate is 0.4 % per year.

However, an imbalance between male and female populations could make the birth rate fall even further, he said.

Bangkok Post