Number and percentage of elderly population
The statistics in Table1.1, derived from the Population Projections for Thailand during 2010-2040, indicates that the percentage of the late-elderly (aged 80 and over) population will increase sharply from approximately 12.7 percent to almost one-fifth of the total elderly population. The rise is attributable to improved life expectancy in the elderly, which also results in an increasing number of population who are economically, socially, and physically dependent.
When considering the distribution of the elderly population by gender, it is found
that the female elderly accounts for 55.1 percent in 2010, and will have increased to 56.8 percent in 2040. The late-elderly female group, in especial, will have increased from 13.9 in 2010 to 21.3 percent in 2040, as they tend to live longer than their male counterpart.