Parliament Launches Forum to Address Thailand's Low Birth Rate and Population Quality Crisis
Thailand's Parliament launched a national forum to tackle the country's declining birth rate and population quality crisis, bringing together government ministers and private sector leaders to develop policy solutions and draft legislation.
On September 15, 2025, at Parliament, Sophon Saram, President of Parliament and Speaker of the House of Representatives, chaired the opening of a national forum titled "The Crisis of Low Birth Rates and Poor Quality Population," organized by the Office of the House of Representatives Secretariat. The forum aimed to create a space for stakeholder input and develop strategies to address Thailand's structural population crisis.
Participants included Deputy Prime Minister Yotchanan Wongswasdi and the Ministers of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Public Health; Social Development and Human Security; and Industry, along with Supachai Chearavonont, Senior Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Group and relevant officials.
Sophon stated that the initiative was developed in collaboration with the House Secretariat and emphasized his satisfaction with the event's successful organization. He intended it to serve as a platform for multi-sector collaboration to address the low birth rate and population quality crisis in concrete ways. Although it was scheduled as a cabinet meeting day, four ministers attended the parliamentary discussion, along with private sector representatives including Charoen Pokphand Group, to jointly explore solutions to the population quality crisis. The goal is to channel findings into systematic action and legislative reform, with draft legislation to be submitted for parliamentary consideration.
Sophon noted that the initiative builds on successful pilot programs in six districts of Buriram Province, implemented with local government organizations and a "Miracle First 1,000 Days of Life" project under the Ministries of Public Health and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. Thailand must foster positive attitudes toward childbearing and ensure children grow up with quality development, while also addressing youth drug addiction. He cited a recent visit to Vietnam, where despite historically lower education levels, the country now keeps all children in the education system and has only 200,000 drug users compared to Thailand's 4 million.
The brainstorming session conclusions will be compiled into a report submitted to the Prime Minister and Cabinet to drive future policy implementation. The forum's academic panel included government representatives from all four ministries, the private sector, and Charoen Pokphand's senior vice president, who exchanged perspectives before breaking into four working groups focused on: promoting attitudes toward parenthood; support measures and benefits for mothers and children; ensuring equitable access to public education; and strengthening legal protections for mothers and children.
The event occurs as Thailand enters an aging society, with 21.70 percent of the population aged 60 and above, while children aged 0-14 have fallen to 15.90 percent. The total fertility rate has dropped to approximately 1.0 child per woman, below replacement level, creating long-term impacts on the workforce, economy, welfare systems, and national development.
