A paper which examines the effects of demographics on the economic and political system in Thailand.
The paper provides a history of Thailand as well as statistics of its demographic make-up. It shows that, while Thailand’s economy is one of the fastest growing in the world, 12% of the population live below the poverty line and over 50% are involved in agriculture. The paper examines the challenges of economic advancement with its demographic make-up faced by Thailand, such as alleviating disparity between regions, investing in skilled and creative workers and on the other hand protecting the culture of the people and the natural environment.
But is Sciolino right her assumption, at least what is expressed in her article that most of the effects of demographics are negative? Its true that Thailand has experienced many social, political and economic changes due to changes in its demographics. For example, Thailand’s reproductive revolution has been the catalyst for economic changes. This and other trends of globalization and modernization have transformed Thai society. Women are shying away from having several children to having fewer or none. This is a critical period for Thailand and a culture shift that could have positive effects on the population and the economy.