The population of Thailand, like that of most countries in Asia and the Pacific, is at an early stage of rapid ageing. Within the next generation, or by 2025, the number of persons aged 60 and over
will triple from 4.4 million to 13.2 million. In 2025, older persons are expected to equal 17 per cent of the total population.

As four out of five workers in Thailand have no pension plan, how can people cope when they reach old age? The great majority rely on their families for mutual assistance but there is much that communities can do to involve and empower older persons. In order to demonstrate this, ESCAP organized the “Intercountry Exchange Programme on Successful Practices in Empowering Older Persons”, at Chiang Mai, Thailand, 10 to 12 November. The programme was organized jointly with the HelpAge International regional office for Asia and the Pacific and with Kiraranokai, an NGO from Japan. It was held back-to-back with the HelpAge International annual regional conference in order to maximize the number of participants and to reduce costs. A total of 26 international participants attended, representing Governments and NGOs currently implementing projects on population ageing.

A highlight of the programme was a field trip to Fang, a highland district about 130 km north of Chiang Mai, where the participants visited the Fang Elders’ Club.

The Club was founded 18 years ago in response to the needs of destitute older persons. It now has a membership of 2,200 older persons from the district. The Club implements activities on health promotion, fund raising and income generation for older persons, cultural preservation and ceremonies, social
welfare for disadvantaged older persons through home care, and training and capacity building for caregivers.

The Club receives support for 55 older persons through the HelpAge International Adopt-a-Granny
programme but it does not receive any government funding. By charging a small annual membership fee of 20 Baht (US 50c) and carrying out fund-raising events, the Club is able to sustain a large number of activities. The Club has organized about 200 volunteers to provide home care for older persons in their
communities. The volunteers do not receive any direct payment but are motivated by the work they do and the recognition that they receive in their communities. Technical support and advice is provided to the Club through the Foundation for Older Persons’ Development (FOPDEV) of Chiang Mai.

The Intercountry Exchange Programme generated lively discussions on best approaches to implementing field projects on ageing and the possibility of replicating various types of activities. It
adopted a number of recommendations in this regard. It recommended, inter alia, that ageing projects be developed in the context of national population policies and programmes.