Slumping birth rate poses urgent policy challenges for government

13 Sept 14:09 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand faces an urgent demographic crisis as its birth rate plummets to a record low of 1.5 TFR, accelerating its transition into an "aged" and "super-aged" society.
High costs of raising children, estimated at Bt1.5 million per child, coupled with inadequate social welfare and modern lifestyle choices, are primary drivers for couples choosing fewer or no children.
Parents demand greater government support, specifically free education and reduced healthcare expenses, as current child grants and existing schemes prove insufficient to alleviate financial burdens.
The government is exploring policy interventions to boost birth rates, including increased investment in human capital, potential changes to surrogacy laws, and extended maternity/paternity leave for state officials.
Experts suggest comprehensive welfare improvements and addressing the unequal access to quality education are crucial, rather than just increasing grants, to encourage families to have more children.

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