Thailand is facing a severe demographic crisis driven by a sharp decline in births, said Dr Amporn Benjapolpitak, director-general of the Department of Health, at a press conference on Friday (Feb 13).
The trend, she warned, poses long-term risks to the country’s economic growth, social structure, labour force, welfare system and public health, reports the Bangkok Post.
According to the Department of Provincial Administration, Thailand recorded only 416,514 births last year, the lowest figure in nearly 75 years, while deaths reached 559,684.
Thailand is consistently ranked among the bottom 10 countries in the world for low birth rates. Its Total Fertility Rate has dropped to between 1.0 and 1.2 children per woman, well below the 2.1 replacement level required to maintain a stable population.
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia with a declining birth rate.
The low birth rate is attributed to economic struggles, high living costs and changing social norms among younger generations, leading the government to view the issue as a national crisis.
Without substantial policy intervention, the population could shrink to as little as 30 million, from around 67 million now, within the next five to six decades, officials said.
Dr Amporn outlined the “Every Birth Matters” policy of the Ministry of Public Health, stressing that the objective is not to pressure couples into having children, but to ensure that every birth is voluntary, safe and supported by high-quality care.
Department of Health deputy director-general Dr Pakorn Tungkasereerak highlighted five key achievements:
- expanding fertility and preconception services
- strengthening maternal and child healthcare through a continuous care model
- investing in early childhood development under the “Amazing 2,500 Days” framework
- preventing unintended pregnancies, and
- promoting mental health support for mothers and families.
He also announced three forward-looking strategies aimed at building a health-centred ecosystem that supports quality childbirth:
- reducing healthcare burdens on parents
- expanding digital access to maternal and child health services, and
- harnessing big data analytics to provide more tailored, family-level policy support.
Officials said that sustained, integrated action across government and society will be essential to reversing the downward trend and securing Thailand’s demographic future.