Thailand lacking trained people for senior care services

Thailand is sorely lacking in people with the skills needed to provide services for an ageing society, according to the Business Development Department.

Director-general Wuthikrai Leeweerapan said on Friday that Thailand possessed people with a mind for service, reasonable prices and a wide range of tourist attractions and resorts, all suited to cater to ageing populations in Thailand, Japan and European countries.

However, Thailand lacked doctors, nurses, assistant nurses, nutritionists and therapists to meet the demand for senior care, he said.

In addition, some of existing senior care premises provided substandard services, and there were complaints about inadequate care and inability to handle deaths of elderly people, Mr Wuthikrai said.

His department planned to share knowledge about standard senior care with such facilities.

He said there were about 800 senior care facilities in Thailand - two-thirds of them run by individuals and the rest by juristic entities.

Thailand would become a complete ageing society in a few years. One-fifth of its population would be at least 60 years old next year, Mr Wuthikrai said.