Thailand’s low birth rate worries government, dating campaign launched
The Thai government has become worried about the low fertility rate in the country which has been tumbling since the 1970s from a whopping average of around six children per woman to 1.51 kids in 2020, the second-lowest rate in Southeast Asia behind Laos.
Overall, Thailand’s birth rate last year dropped below 600,000 for the first time. The country’ government has not done anything substantial to reverse the trend, critics say, but without any effective intervention, the rate is forecast to fall further to an average of 1.3 births per woman in less than a decade which would exacerbate already alarming societal problems.
Both the World Health Organisation and the World Bank have said that if a country’s total fertility rate goes below 2.1, its proportion of elderly will surge and problems associated with migrant workers will rise.
However, Thailand has been falling below this level already around 1990. Adding to the alarmingly low birth rate it the rising number of health problems experienced by babies born to older-than-usual mothers, such as Down Syndrome, doctors say.
The Thai health ministry is now resorting to experience with new ways of getting the birth rate up by starting family planning promotions.
Families ready to have a baby will be provided with “all the help they need” in order to ensure the baby’s good health from birth to adulthood, the ministry said.
It also launched campaigns aimed at promoting dating among singles and raising fertility health among married couples who want to have a baby.
Singles’ meeting campaign “to build the nation”
One campaign is called “Marriage for Building The Nation,” the latest in the annual series of initiatives conceived by the government, targeting both Thais and foreigners residing in the country (although webpage information and registrations forms are only in Thai). This campaign includes a singles’ meetup, as well as a giveaway of vouchers for prenatal care. The latter is intended for couples who have been together for more than a year and plan to have their first child.
However, past campaigns didn’t have any positive impact on the birth rate, and there is a likelihood of births in Thailand decreasing even further in 2021, undercutting the health ministry set goal for 700,000 live births this year.
Experts cited improving education, trends of more people staying single, people marrying later and economic uncertainty over providing for the children as reasons for Thais delaying or forgoing having children.
The Thai government has become worried about the low fertility rate in the country which has been tumbling since the 1970s from a whopping average of around six children per woman to 1.51 kids in 2020, the second-lowest rate in Southeast Asia behind Laos. Overall, Thailand’s birth rate last year dropped below 600,000 for the first time. The country' government has not done anything substantial to reverse the trend, critics say, but without any effective intervention, the rate is forecast to fall further to an average of 1.3 births per woman in less than a decade which would exacerbate already...
The Thai government has become worried about the low fertility rate in the country which has been tumbling since the 1970s from a whopping average of around six children per woman to 1.51 kids in 2020, the second-lowest rate in Southeast Asia behind Laos.
Overall, Thailand’s birth rate last year dropped below 600,000 for the first time. The country’ government has not done anything substantial to reverse the trend, critics say, but without any effective intervention, the rate is forecast to fall further to an average of 1.3 births per woman in less than a decade which would exacerbate already alarming societal problems.
Both the World Health Organisation and the World Bank have said that if a country’s total fertility rate goes below 2.1, its proportion of elderly will surge and problems associated with migrant workers will rise.
However, Thailand has been falling below this level already around 1990. Adding to the alarmingly low birth rate it the rising number of health problems experienced by babies born to older-than-usual mothers, such as Down Syndrome, doctors say.
The Thai health ministry is now resorting to experience with new ways of getting the birth rate up by starting family planning promotions.
Families ready to have a baby will be provided with “all the help they need” in order to ensure the baby’s good health from birth to adulthood, the ministry said.
It also launched campaigns aimed at promoting dating among singles and raising fertility health among married couples who want to have a baby.
Singles’ meeting campaign “to build the nation”
One campaign is called “Marriage for Building The Nation,” the latest in the annual series of initiatives conceived by the government, targeting both Thais and foreigners residing in the country (although webpage information and registrations forms are only in Thai). This campaign includes a singles’ meetup, as well as a giveaway of vouchers for prenatal care. The latter is intended for couples who have been together for more than a year and plan to have their first child.
However, past campaigns didn’t have any positive impact on the birth rate, and there is a likelihood of births in Thailand decreasing even further in 2021, undercutting the health ministry set goal for 700,000 live births this year.
Experts cited improving education, trends of more people staying single, people marrying later and economic uncertainty over providing for the children as reasons for Thais delaying or forgoing having children.
