Thailand’s rapidly changing population dynamics pose crucial policy challenges, cautions a new report by the National Economic and Social Development Board of the Royal Thai Government and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. A dramatic decline in fertility is producing a increasingly older population, and will have significant economic and health impacts in coming decades.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will receive the report, The Impact of Demographic Changes in Thailand, on 27 April at the start of a two-day symposium at the JW Marriott hotel in Bangkok.

About 180 Thai and international experts in demography, health, economics and social sciences will debate the need for policies that can ease the effects of coming population change and maximize the benefits, drawing on experience from other countries where falling birth rates have led to rapid ageing and a shrinking workforce.

UNFPA and the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) are hosting the seminar. The jointly commissioned background report documents Thailand’s evolving population trends and policies; analyses likely consequences for education, the labour force, urbanization, migration and health; and proposes responses.

Media are invited to the introductory session, at 0800 hours. In addition to an address by Mr. Abhisit, lead author Gavin Jones of the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute will present key findings of the report. Simultaneous translation in Thai and English will be provided.

For more information: William A. Ryan, ryanw@unfpa.org, mobile 089 897 6984; or Viennarat Chuangwiwat, chuangwiwat@unfpa.org, mobile 081 989 8866.