Thailand has had to turn to its aging population to fill gaps in its workforce, which the country is struggling to maintain amid a declining birthrate.
Birthrates are falling worldwide, including in the United States, and the biggest concern of governments is that the population will age, which means there will be fewer people of working age to maintain industries and support the elderly.
Thailand’s population is already aging and it is the third fastest aging population in the world, says the ASEAN and East Asia Economic Research Institute.
About 21.5 percent of the population is now over 60 years old as of September this year, according to the country’s Ministry of Provincial Administration.
In fact, the country may be becoming a “super-aged” society, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) when more than 20 percent of the population is over 65.
Companies that hire people over 60 years old
For this reason, more and more companies in the country are hiring older people, often under schemes that work in cooperation with the government Bangkok Post reports, including Central Restaurants Group (CRG), the chain operator that runs big names like KFC.
CRG has implemented a program to recruit people who are retired but still working. It currently employs 80 elderly employees out of a total of 14,000.
“Some of the older workers work as chefs and share their expertise with younger colleagues coming into the industry,” CRG HR director Jaruwan Ngampisutpaisan said. Bangkok Post. “There are still prejudices that older workers struggle with technology or have health problems. In fact, many are open-minded and willing to learn new things.”
The Thai government offers certain tax breaks for companies that employ people over the age of 60, including allowing employers to claim double tax deductions on wages.
“Thailand’s experience shows that bringing retirees back into the labor market can be positive if it is based on decent work,” said Professor Ruttiya Bhula-or, a labor economist and associate professor at the College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Newsweek.
“Later-age employment can support income, purpose and social connections – but only if jobs are age-friendly and voluntary rather than a response to inadequate pensions or high living costs,” he said. “The biggest concern – in both Thailand and the US – is that older adults may stay in or re-enter the workforce out of economic necessity rather than genuine choice, raising questions about the quality and safety of the jobs available.”
America in the same direction
Bhula-tai warned that “in many ways” the United States has already begun to move in the same direction as Thailand.
In fact, the average 12-month labor force participation rate for those over 65 rose from 12.4 percent in 1994 to 19.8 percent by April 2025, and is projected to reach about 20.5 percent by 2033, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
“The United States is aging rapidly, as are many other developed countries – this has already caused labor shortages in many sectors, including health care, education, hospitality and professional services,” said American economist and International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Professor Olivia S. Mitchell of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Newsweek.
He added, “In response, many companies are already working to retain and rehire older workers where possible. Many companies, such as Walmart, Home Depot and Marriott, also have age-friendly recruitment programs and retention policies, including flexible schedules, and offer less physically demanding jobs.”
Mitchell said that “rising costs, longer life expectancy and declining defined benefit pensions have increased the interest of older people to stay in the workforce longer.”
“In Thailand, where the government is promoting employment of older adults to offset population decline, the US response has been more market-driven in the form of policy adjustments to labor demand, retirement uncertainty, and (in some cases) pro-aging jobs,” he added.
The Trump administration’s approach to the prospect of an aging population appears to be focused on reversing the decline in birth rates.
The White House has reportedly considered giving women a $5,000 “baby bonus,” lawmakers have looked at free childbirth for privately insured families, and others have sought to tie state transportation funding to their births and marriages.
There is an ever-evolving debate about the causes of the recession, which include economic concerns and cultural changes, and a recurring debate about the best ways to deal with it.
At the same time, global health economics professor Margaret Anne McConnell is one of many experts who have emphasized that there is good news in the declining birth rate in the positive cultural changes it represents.
“Anytime we see people being able to make fertility choices that are right for their family, I think that’s a success,” she previously shared. Newsweek. “I think people’s choice later in life is also a success… To the extent that we can make it possible for people to achieve whatever family size they want, I think that would be a societal priority.”