The tax on alcohol and cigarettes will increase by two percent to finance the increase in the elderly allowance in Thailand. The current AOW is rather meager. The government expects the increase to yield 4 billion baht. The bill still needs to be approved by parliament.
The applications for a welfare program showed that 2 million elderly people have an annual income of 100.000 baht or less. There are about 10 million elderly people in Thailand (over 60s), of whom 8 million receive benefits. That costs the government 70 billion baht a year.
Because Thailand is aging strongly, in 2025 20 percent of the population will be older than 60 years, the state pension costs will increase from 290 billion baht in the 2016 budget year to 698 billion baht in 2024.
The current government wants the elderly to do better in not having to live in poverty, but that comes with a hefty price tag. The aging population is a dilemma because an increase in the state pension must also be affordable for the government in the future. The NESDB has calculated that all social services will cost 2028 trillion baht by 1,4, up from 400 billion baht in 2013. Thailand now has 11,2 million elderly people (17 percent of its population of 65,52 million), a number that will increase in 2036 rises to 19,52 million (30 percent of 65,1 million). Between 1963 and 1983, the birth rate fell from 1 million to 700.000. 2018 is the first year in which Thailand has more elderly people than young people.
NESDB Secretary General Porametee warns of the decline in the labor force. This could have far-reaching consequences for long-term economic growth and productivity.
Source: Bangkok Post
Now drink well and puff away in the interest of the elderly. Heard the rumor that soon you will not even be allowed to take cigars or cigarettes to Thailand in your luggage. In the interest of the elderly, violation will be punished very severely. Community service in hospitals and homes for the elderly is being considered.
Totally agree, if it benefits our old people in our village.
If that means that the beer will be even more expensive, I will consider Germany or Austria as the last station for my final resting place. The mountains and villages are also much more beautiful there. One could simply reserve part of the already extremely high excise duty for the elderly instead of purchasing military equipment.
That the government of Thailand has an eye for the elderly is a good thing and this action is one that I am not opposed to. I do want to make that contribution as a compassionate act. The fact that much earlier and much more should (should) have happened, that should also be applauded by every sane person in my view. But a lot of people don't get that way. The training and appointment of qualified personnel and managers in the relevant companies must be tackled drastically. There must be a policy and implementation for tackling the illiterates in Thailand. The control of labor and earnings/income as well as tax withholding is a joke in this country. Among other things, tax reform must be introduced and corruption must be tackled much more. Whether this will ever happen is highly questionable. The money in Thailand is with a small group of the very rich and they are not there to share. Their own profit is what drives them. As long as there is not a broad willingness to do more for our fellow human beings, we will continue to see the harrowing situations that can be seen everywhere in this country.
A self-respecting government body, including the government, has the task of taking care of its citizens and fellow countrymen. This means that they must set a good example and provide solutions for a safe and healthy society in which it is good to live. Definitely not an easy task with a lot of people who are only after personal gain and apply the every man for himself and god for us all principle.
I fear that if all noses do not move in the same direction, we will experience this poverty story for a long time to come.
I have little confidence that the old ones will really get it better.
A lot is always promised, but care is nibbled at, for example, the electricity rates are pushed back – which I thought went up considerably last year, or else two years ago.
If you take all the pluses and minuses of the government measures together, I don't think the old people will be better off at the end of the ride.
Increase in income of 4 billion distributed over the current 8 million recipients of the elderly allowance is 500 baht per year, so the benefit will increase by 42 baht per month. There is an inflation of 2% per year, so this 12 baht as price compensation over 1 year and 30 baht real increase.
In addition, the number of elderly people will increase by 2025 million until 7, which means approximately 15 million people who will receive an allowance. I don't read in the article where they get the money for 7 million new recipients.
I don't know how they will finance the increase in all elderly costs, including health costs, from 290 billion to 694 billion, I think. Maybe one of the readers?
Let them get that money from the polluters of this beautiful country and not from the people who want to enjoy a beer, so fine those smoking buses and not take to the road until the problem has been solved, that also applies to illegal dumping of waste etc etc