Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin cautioned that Thailand’s population could plummet from 66 million to a mere 33 million within six decades.
This alarming forecast, issued yesterday, spells out dire consequences for the nation’s economic vitality and security, with the working-age populace dwindling from 46 million to a mere 14 million, according to Somsak.
Speaking at a meeting of a committee on preventing teenage pregnancy, which he chairs, Somsak underscored the urgency of addressing the issue of plummeting birth rates.
Somsak cited statistics from the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). He highlighted a staggering decline in the fertility rate from 6.29 in 1970 to a mere 1.08 in 2023.
“The number of newborns in Thailand has plummeted below 500,000 annually, a stark contrast to the over 1 million births recorded in 1970.”
NESDC projections paint a grim picture, forecasting a peak population of 67.19 million in 2028, followed by a gradual decline to 66.18 million by 2037. The council anticipates a steady erosion of the working-age demographic, plummeting from 66.1% in 2017 to 56.8% by 2037.
Further exacerbating the crisis is the impending decline in the number of women of reproductive age, projected to plummet to 11.81 million by 2037, compared to 14.2 million in 2017. With over half of women in this cohort aged 30 to 44, a stage marked by declining fertility, the situation appears increasingly dire, reported The Nation.
Somsak advocated for targeted campaigns aimed at younger women to bolster the birth rate. Additionally, he proposed leveraging medical technology and implementing policies conducive to fostering a supportive life and work environment for women over 30, in a bid to augment childbirth rates.
In related news, China witnessed a massive decline in population last year with a decrease of two million, marking the nation’s second consecutive annual dip, according to government reports. The aftermath of Covid-19 restrictions lifting unleashed a demographic whirlwind, unveiling unforeseen challenges for the once-populous Asian giant.
The statistics bureau disclosed that deaths surged by a staggering 690,000, reaching 11.1 million – more than double the increase seen in the previous year.
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