National —
On January 15th, 2025, Mahidol University announced a concerning milestone: for the first time in 75 years, Thailand recorded fewer than 500,000 annual births. In 2024, only 462,240 births were registered, a steep drop compared to 519,000 in 2023.
Associate Professor Dr. Chalermpol Chamchan from Mahidol’s Institute for Population and Social Research explained that this marks the fourth consecutive year where deaths outnumber births, signaling a severe demographic challenge.
Thailand’s total fertility rate (TFR) has fallen to just 1.0, placing it lower than Japan’s 1.2, and it is on par with countries like South Korea and Singapore.
Projections indicate the population could shrink from 66 million to 40 million within 50 years, with the labor force reducing by 15 million. Despite government campaigns like “Have Children for the Nation,” public sentiment reflects uncertainty: only 35.8% of surveyed individuals expressed a definite intent to have children, while 29.9% said they might consider it.
Furthermore, Dr. Chalermpol emphasized that policies must target those undecided about having children, as effective support could raise the percentage of committed parents above 60%.
Without immediate intervention, Thailand risks facing a labor shortage and long-term socio-economic impacts, remarked Dr. Chalermpol.