Thailand Tackles Declining Birth Rate and Quality Crisis with 5 Ministries

Thai House Speaker Sopon Sarum announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with five ministries to address the national crisis of declining birth rates and child quality. This issue is a concern for many countries, and Thailand is facing a severe situation. It is projected that the number of births, which was over 800,000 in 2024, will drop to over 400,000 by 2026. Furthermore, concerns extend beyond the declining numbers to the quality of children, citing issues such as drug-dependent families and lack of affection. The MOU involves the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and Ministry of Interior. The Parliament will act as a coordinator to establish a collaborative framework for finding comprehensive and integrated solutions to these challenges. Speaker Sopon indicated the legislative branch's commitment to contributing to problem-solving through aspects such as parental attitudes towards having children, guaranteeing children's rights, education, and amending relevant laws. In response to feedback from MPs that the younger generation is reluctant to have children, the Parliament is demonstrating a serious commitment to tackling this issue in parallel with resolving the drug problem. The Speaker also emphasized the effective utilization of budgets for parliamentary meetings and training, stating a policy to promote fruitful activities that serve as a model.