The elderly bear the burden in aging Thailand
Thailand is unprepared to care for its rapidly aging population, says demographer Pramote Prasartkul, of Mahidol University's Institute for Population and Social Research.
Facilities for the elderly are extremely limited and the Thai state pension is too low for a reasonable life. Currently, the monthly allowance for the elderly between 60 and 69 years is 600 baht, 700 baht for the elderly between 70 and 79, 800 baht for the elderly between 80 and 89 and 1.000 baht for the elderly aged 90 and older.
The numbers are not very promising. In 1990, 7,36 percent of the population was over 60 years old; in 2030 that percentage will have risen to 25,12 percent. Life expectancy is 83 years, of which 1 year will be associated with disability for men and 1,5 years for women.
Poverty
Many elderly people are already helpless. They live in poverty, have physical disabilities, feel lonely and humiliated. Children and grandchildren live and work in the big city and often don't look back at them. With Songkran it can only be done with a phone call.
For Khom Khongngoen (67), on September 10 last year (World Suicide Prevention Day), this was reason to pour gasoline on his house and himself and set it on fire. His grandchildren did not want Grandpa to live with them. "They are disgusted with me," he wrote in his suicide note. 'I don't want to ask for anything else. […] No one will have to be bothered with my life anymore. The cremation is done.'
Facilities for the elderly
Especially in Bangkok there is a great need for facilities for the elderly. If they already live there with their children, they are on their own for 10 to 12 hours of the day, because the children leave early and come home late. Some may be able to afford a housekeeper, but they are not trained to care for the elderly.
A former nurse and friends opened a care and nursing home for the elderly in Phutthamonthon late last year, called Master Senior Home. It is home to 20 elderly and recovering patients, who are fully cared for. There is an internal nurse, a physiotherapist visits them once a week and a doctor comes by once a month. The costs are 14.000 to 25.000 baht per month. A commendable initiative, but a drop in the ocean. And you have to dig deep into your pockets for it.
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
What a stark contrast, in Maem's family in Ban Namphon (Udon Thani)
Of the 6 children, 5 live in the same village.
One of them is the head of the local hospital and Maem takes excellent care of her mother.
As you have read, Maem's father passed away last year.
The family lovingly cares for their mother.
The eldest daughter has lived in the parental home practically all her life, since the death of her husband.
Her daughter and her son-in-law gave up their jobs in a resort in Kananchiburi (on the Mekong) where they worked for 12 years and therefore had a fixed reasonable income .... and therefore also moved to the same house, where I also lived 3x per year stay for now 6 weeks…
It's great fun together and I really feel like a family member...
The mother who was left alone is therefore taken care of wonderfully and she also has to laugh when I make jokes.
Yes I really feel at home here with this family and often have tears in my eyes when I go back to Hua Hin…..
In contrast to the above message, this is a completely different world.
In this family, love is shown to each other and care is taken for each other…
I have sometimes stated that if the Euro completely collapses and I have no money left, what should I do?
The answer was: "Mali don't worry because then the family will take care of you !!!!"
I am therefore convinced that this loving caring family will do this….
So it can also be different…
But if they've given up the job, where do the resources come from to have it so good?
The family has 100 rai of land (1 rai = 1600m2)
35 Rai rubber trees where the harvest started last year, that's where the income comes from.
Then also another 35 rai rice.
30 rai other products….
So that's where the livelihood comes from.
So they take care of the land.
They also have a point of sale for food and fruit shakes….
All other family members have good jobs.
See my forum about Thailand, where I have described this in detail. You can ask me about this by email:[email protected].
So here in this family no one will ever be left uncared for, but will be surrounded with loving care
Dear M.Mali
Nicely written, but. Most 98% of the old people live in poverty or they must have met a farang who gives the poor people a little money. Come and have a look in Ubonratchathani, most of them weigh less than 45 kg and the children have it too busy with our own problems. And we shouldn't be so difficult about it. has been so for thousands of years.
http://www.dickvanderlugt.nl writes:
A former nurse and friends opened a care and nursing home for the elderly in Phutthamonthon late last year, called Master Senior Home. It is home to 20 elderly and recovering patients, who are fully cared for. There is an internal nurse, a physiotherapist visits them once a week and a doctor comes by once a month. The costs are 14.000 to 25.000 baht per month. A commendable initiative, but a drop in the ocean. And it takes a lot to dig into the pouch…..
98% of the Thais cannot afford that amount. A drop in the ocean?
Hello Dick van der Lugt. Had never heard before that older people received an AOW of 600 baht to 1000 baht per month. Where can I find this.
Dear Nitnoy,
I cannot answer your question. I have taken the data in my piece from an article in Bangkok Post, which mentioned these amounts.
Hi Dick,
Can you give me the date or can you scan the piece from the Bangkok Post. Try to find out but here in the small village where my mother-in-law lives no one gets any money. So with that piece from the Bangkok Post maybe I can get a little further and do something for all those old people here. Email known to editors.
Dear Nitnoy,
I'm doing my best, but the internet shop is closed for Songkran right now. So patience.
I know from my wife's family that her old mother gets 500 BHT every month.
That is the maximum in Thailand. Amounts of 600 or 1000 Bht do not exist.
There will of course be municipalities that don't even pay that 500 and that let it disappear into their own pockets. But officially those old people are entitled to that.
You just won't die for 500 BHT. You can survive for a very long time just drinking water.
J. Jordan.
Dear Jordan,
Can you let me know which agency gives this. In the village where my mother-in-law lives, nobody gets anything. Want to find out so I can help these people. If they are entitled to it, they should get it. most already live in great poverty.
The municipalities must provide that, also in my village close to Pattaya. People here who are 65 or older and have no source of income are given that. Don't ask me who is responsible for this. I only know that the previous government instituted that. Vanderlugt, who checks all the news in Thailand, cannot answer that, how am I supposed to do that.
It is certain that many older people receive that amount. Do you think those municipalities just do that on their own? Don't believe that.
J. Jordan.
The government pays the 500 Th bath for old people. You have to arrange it where you are registered in the house book…
a good day
It may be advisable for those who have questions about the pension that the elderly in their village do not receive to contact the demographer featured in the article. His institute must have a website and an email address.
I will also scan the article from Bangkok Post of which my message is a summary and put it on my website. You will hear the URL from me.
Seems like a great idea if blog readers are committed to the elderly in their village who are unlawfully denied an allowance.
I have the pension story from Bangkok Post available as a pdf and I can send it to interested readers by email. Then comment below the article and I will see the email address. Unfortunately, WordPress doesn't want to put it on my own website.
@ Dick, send it to Thailandblog, and we'll put it on the blog.
Hello Moderator Thailandblog is this article already available
Moderator: No, not yet
As far as I have been told payment is the responsibility of the municipal government. In our village, the Baan Jai (village chief) and his assistant take care of payment. So Nitnoi inquire there I would say.