Immediate government intervention is necessary to address Thailand’s declining birth rate, a situation that, if left unchecked, could significantly reduce the nation’s workforce, an expert cautioned.
Chalermpol Chamchan, the director of Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research, voiced his concerns during a recent press briefing.
According to the Bureau of Registration Administration of the Department of Provincial Administration, Thailand’s population was recorded at 65,951,210 as of December 31 last year.
Mr. Chalermpol noted that last year, only 462,240 births were registered, marking the first time since 1949 that the figure fell below 500,000. He emphasized that 2024 was the fourth consecutive year in which deaths outnumbered births.
From 1963 to 1983, Thailand experienced over one million births annually.
He suggested that the government reevaluate its strategies, including the “Give Birth, Great World” campaign, to understand why they are failing to boost the birth rate.
Launched in 2023 by the Public Health Ministry, the campaign aims to promote the advantages of parenthood to young couples, many of whom are postponing or opting out of having children.
Mr. Chalermpol stressed the urgency of addressing this issue, pointing out that Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation experiencing a declining birth rate, unlike most high-income, developed countries facing similar trends.
Last year, Thailand’s total fertility rate dropped to 1.0, lower than Japan’s 1.2, placing it among nations with critically low fertility rates, such as South Korea and Singapore.
He projected that Thailand’s population could decrease to around 40 million in the next fifty years if current trends continue, which would mean a loss of roughly one million people every two years from the current population of just over 65 million.
This decline would significantly impact Thailand’s workforce, potentially leaving only 22.8 million workers in fifty years if the trend is not reversed.
A survey conducted by the Institute for Population and Social Research involving 1,000 Thais aged 28 and older revealed that approximately 71% view the declining birth rate as a crisis.
Yet, only 35.8% of respondents are considering having children, with about 30% undecided. Mr. Chalermpol suggested that with appropriate support, those who are undecided might be persuaded to start families.
