NAKHON PHANOM, 12 Dec 2014 – The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is urgently pushing for the establishments of welfare centers for senior citizens whose number tends to increase significantly by 2027.
Minister of Social Development and Human Security Police General Adul Sangsingkeo yesterday visited the Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons in the Tha Uthen District, Nakhon Phanom Province, to observe the well-being of senior citizens.
The Minister cited a survey as showing that a number of older persons in the northeastern region are either homeless or being abandoned by their relatives. The government has therefore set up the welfare center in Nakhon Phanom to look after them.
According to the Minister, the Government has a firm policy to prepare members of the public for the aging society. Among its projects, the government is training prototype volunteers to take care of the elderly, and is establishing additional care centers for senior citizens nationwide. Currently there are 878 district-level development centers for senior citizens. Similar centers at the Tambon (community) level will also be established, raising the number of such centers to 7,853 nationwide.
Pol Gen Adul said the move would help the Kingdom handle an estimated number of 16 million senior citizens by 2027.
