A majority of people want the state to provide subsidies for childcare and free education as an incentive for Thai people to have one or more children now that the country has become an aged society with a low birthrate, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on Sept 26-28 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18-40 of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.
Asked about their marital status and number of children, the answers varied as follows:
• 29.39% unmarried, not in a relationship
• 26.57% officially married, with one or more children
• 20.92% unmarried, in a relationship
• 10.99% unofficially married, with one or more children
• 4.58% officially married, no children
• 2.52% single parents
• 1.98% unofficially married, no children
• 1.98% living with a partner, with one or more children
• 1.07% living with a partner, no children
For the 759 respondents without children, when asked whether they want to have one or more, 53.89% said they do; 44.00% do not; and 2.11% did not know or were not interested.
For the 334 respondents who do not want to have a child, when asked why, with each allowed to choose more than one answer, the answers were as follows:
• 38.23% did not want to shoulder the expenses for raising children
• 38.23% were not sure how the children would survive in the present social condition
• 37.72% did not want to be burdened with childcare
• 33.23% wanted to lead a free lifestyle
• 17.66% were afraid they would not be able to take good care of the children
• 13.77% attached more importance to work
• 5.39% cited health problems
• 2.10% were uncertain about their genetic ability to produce good children
• 0.90% were afraid about the consequences of bad karma from how they had treated their parents
Asked whether they were concerned there would be fewer new-born children in the future, 50.53% said not at all; 23.13% were not particularly worried; 17.79% were fairly concerned; and 8.55% were very concerned.
Asked what measures they thought should be taken by the state as an incentive for Thai people to have children, with each respondent allowed to choose more than one answer, the answers were:
• 65.19% free education
• 63.66% subsidies for childcare until the age of 15
• 30.00% lower income tax on people with children
• 29.47% more leave days for parents to raise their children
• 21.91% a financial reward for having a child
• 19.92% a subsidy for single parents
• 17.18% develop and provide financial support for childcare centres
• 9.85% free services at centres helping people with reproduction
• 7.48% higher taxes on people without children
• 5.50% wider opening of channels for surrogacy
• 4.89% setting up of match-making centres for Thai people
