BANGKOK – Thailand is moving quickly after births fell to their lowest point in 75 years in 2025. The government and health officials have announced a wide-ranging effort to respond to the drop.
Instead of pushing couples to have more children, the plan focuses on making every pregnancy safe, voluntary, and fully supported. Leaders say this rights-based approach is meant to ease real-world barriers, while the country braces for a growing demographic crisis that could reshape the economy and society.
Thailand’s Birth Numbers Drop to a Historic Low
Thailand recorded 416,514 births in 2025, based on figures from the Department of Provincial Administration under the Interior Ministry. That was the second year in a row with fewer than 500,000 births. It was also the lowest total since 1950. In earlier decades, annual births topped 1 million, but the decline has sped up in recent years.
- Births in 2025: 416,514 (down from 462,240 in 2024)
- Deaths in 2025: about 559,684, which means a natural population drop of more than 143,000
- Total fertility rate (TFR): recent projections put it around 0.87 to 1.2 children per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1
Demographers call this one of the most serious population shifts Thailand has faced in modern times. Thailand now sits among the world’s lowest-fertility countries, in the same ultra-low range as places like South Korea and Singapore. In Southeast Asia, it also stands out as the only country already seeing population decline because deaths outnumber births.
Why Fewer Thais Are Having Children
The fall in births comes from several connected pressures that hit younger adults the hardest:
- Money stress: Rising living costs, uncertain jobs, and slow wage growth make family life feel out of reach.
- Shifting priorities: Many young Thais focus on work, freedom, and financial security, so marriage and kids often come later, or not at all.
- City life and daily demands: People marry later, families are smaller, and work-life balance worries grow.
- Faster aging: Thailand is moving quickly toward a super-aged society. Soon, more than 20 percent of the population is expected to be age 60 and older, and the timeline is shorter than in many richer countries.
At the same time, public concern is rising. Surveys show many Thais see the low birth rate as a national crisis, yet only about one-third of adults who can have children say they plan to. Earlier messaging efforts, including campaigns like “Having Children for the Nation,” didn’t change the direction, so officials have faced pressure to take a longer-term approach.
The New Policy: “Every Birth Matters”
Dr. Amporn Benjapolpitak, director-general of the Department of Health, announced the “Every Birth Matters“ policy as a quality-first plan. The message is simple: the government won’t pressure people to reproduce, but it will strengthen support for those who want children.
The plan includes:
- Stronger prenatal and maternal care to support safe pregnancies and lower risks for mothers and babies.
- Wider access to voluntary family planning, reproductive health services, and counseling.
- More financial and social help, including better parental leave, childcare subsidies, housing support for families, and workplace flexibility.
- Coordination across the Ministry of Public Health, other agencies, NGOs, and private partners.
- Steps to reduce key barriers, such as expensive childcare and unequal parenting burdens.
Dr. Amporn said the goal is to make parenthood a supported choice, not a duty. “We aim to make every birth voluntary and backed by high-quality care,” she said during a recent press briefing.
This direction also fits with broader national planning, including the “5×5 Let’s Turn the Tide” framework created with UN agencies and the World Bank. Supporters say the country must act now because rapid aging could strain pensions, healthcare, and the labor force.
What Happens if the Trend Doesn’t Change
If Thailand can’t slow the decline, forecasts point to major long-term effects:
- The population could fall to about 40 million within 50 years, with large losses over time.
- A smaller working-age group (15 to 64) could weaken growth and reduce tax revenue.
- A higher elderly dependency ratio could put heavy pressure on social security and the health system.
- Labor shortages and slower GDP growth could hit key industries.
Longer life expectancy, now roughly 77 to 80 years, adds to the challenge. Thailand faces issues similar to Japan and South Korea, but it has less time to adjust.
Experts Say Thailand Needs Long-Term Follow-Through
Population specialists and policymakers say Thailand must treat this as a sustained national priority. The topic has also surfaced in election debates. Some parties have floated ideas like state-supported matchmaking, which has drawn mixed reactions. In contrast, the current health-led approach centers on support and personal choice.
Groups such as the UNFPA also stress that the “real fertility crisis” often comes from unmet goals. In other words, many people want children but can’t manage the costs, time, or support. Thailand’s “Every Birth Matters” policy tries to close that gap with inclusive, rights-based steps.
Still, the outcome will depend on steady funding, consistent public support, and action on the root economic pressures. For now, this is Thailand’s clearest and most coordinated response yet to the Thailand birth rate crisis and the risks tied to Thailand’s population decline.
