Thailand to encourage families to have more children

BANGKOK: With Thailand’s birth rate plunging every year and an ever-growing ageing population impacting the economy, society and security, the government is tackling matters head-on with a campaign titled “Give Birth Great World” to encourage Thais to have more children.

The campaign, which is expected to be announced in March, came as Thailand's newborns reached the lowest level in 70 years with just 485,085 births in 2022. That figure is likely to fall even further, with the total fertility rate predicted to drop from 1.53 in 2020 to 1.3 in 2040.