Active ageing is an important aspect facilitating life quality for older adults. Research on active ageing has grown over recent decades but the knowledge base of active ageing continues to be based overwhelmingly on Western studies. Asian elders may have a distinctly different perspective from Westerners concerning the meaning of active ageing. Little is known about the ways older persons view or define active ageing in Thai context. This study focused on the characteristics of active ageing among older Thai adults. A descriptive, qualitative approach was employed and data collected in focus groups and in-depth interviews with 64 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and over. Participants were recruited from four provinces in the four regions of Thailand, that is North, Northeast, Central, and South. Data were analyzed using content analysis. This study helped build an understanding of what active ageing means by asking this of older adults. Six themes of active ageing were identified as being self-reliant; being actively engaged with society; growing spirituality; maintaining healthy lifestyle; being active learners; and managing later life security. The perceptions of active ageing among the Thai elderly involved health, social participation, and security in life, which are also the three key pillars of active ageing suggested by World Health Organization. When compared to research in a Western context, some of the dimensions of Thai active ageing were distinct, specifically growing spirituality and managing later life security, while others were overlapping.