Thailand's elderly to reach 20 million in 10 years, care facilities to increase
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Thailand's elderly to reach 20 million in 10 years, care facilities to increase
12 Sept 17:23Key points summarised by AI
Thailand's elderly population is projected to reach nearly 20 million within the next decade, prompting urgent action from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Minister Varawut Silpa-archa stresses the critical need to expand elderly care facilities nationwide and significantly increase the number of trained caregivers to meet future demands.
The ministry plans to boost its community-based caregiver program, currently employing only a few hundred individuals, and will seek additional annual funding to support local communities in caring for the elderly.
Prioritizing elderly care in the 2026 budget, the ministry aims to establish comprehensive model care centers and prepare facilities, personnel, and technology to address the rapidly aging population.
Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.