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Report 2 (of 5): New Age -
Thailand
Introduction
Populations are ageing everywhere
in the world, but Asia's elderly population is growing
at an exceptional rate. In Thailand, which has a population
of around 60 million people, almost 10 million are
over the age of 60 and almost one million of these
are poor.
To help the poor elderly, the Thai
government's Social Welfare department operates an
Elderly Welfare Programme which runs old-people's
homes and health care centres for the elderly, and
a network of support groups to provide medicine, health
care and social support. Yet this welfare system provides
care and assistance to less than half of the poor
elderly population, leaving many exposed to the double
threat of old age and poverty.
In attempting to reduce poverty in
Thailand, the Community Organizations Development
Institute (CODI) - which is both a development fund
and a government public institution - has been channelling
money directly to Thailand's poorest communities.
Working in close partnership with the NGO, the Urban
Community Foundation (UCF), and using a grant of 80
million Baht (nearly US$2 million), CODI set up the
Elderly Welfare Fund as a tool for facilitating a
national, community-driven elderly welfare programme.
Three men from the Muslim
community organizations in Satun, in their rubber
plantation
© Photo taken by Somsook Boonyabancha, CODI
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Elderly Welfare Fund
A committee comprising local and national
representatives, together with five national community
leaders, had the task of setting up the fund. Each
of Thailand's 76 provinces received 1 million Baht
(US$24,000) to distribute, through their own means,
as welfare funds to elderly groups in their province.
The large number of already active
community-based associations of elderly people across
the country meant that there were plenty of groups
to be contacted. These groups were able to meet others
within their cities, districts and provinces, learn
about the elderly welfare programme and begin to develop
their own ideas for spending the money.
In most cases, the groups decided
to divide the provincial grants in three ways that
would allow the funds to sustain themselves:
- A small amount was kept to support
elderly people's activities such as exercise groups,
music and temple visits.
- A small amount was kept aside for
welfare grants for medical expenses, food, health
care for the sick and funeral expenses.
- Most of the money went towards
a revolving fund for income-generation and health-care
needs.
Many of the elderly groups have already
used the funds as leverage for additional local resources
for their activities, and have begun discussions with
the government's Social Welfare department about linking
some of the department's programmes with the elderly
welfare network.
Community Spirit
For many of the elderly people involved
in the scheme, it was the first time they had experienced
being part of a large group, making decisions about
their own welfare assistance programme. The financial
support given to each province became a collective
asset and gave them the power to make their own decisions.
From a group of people often seen as helpless, weak
and dependent, they have become self-determining,
independent and respected members of the community.
The inauguration of the
elderly group's rubber plantation
© Photo taken by Somsook Boonyabancha, CODI
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A huge seminar was held in Chiang
Mai in 2002 to celebrate the approval of the 80 million
Baht grant. Hundreds of elderly people from around
Thailand were brought together to present their experiences
and discuss their welfare projects. The Welfare Minister
attended eager to learn about designing and developing
a welfare programme for the elderly poor. Recognising
the elderly's potential contribution to society and
changing traditional perceptions within government
and elsewhere were important steps for all.
Provincial Approaches
Trat province
Trat is the most easterly province
along the Gulf of Thailand, bordering Cambodia. Elderly
groups in Trat province decided to make sustainability
the focus of their welfare programme so that, as one
70-year old leader commented, "not a single Baht gets
lost!" Their plan was to distribute funds accordingly:
- 10% towards welfare grants for
medicines, funeral expenses, doctors' fees and emergencies.
- 90% towards setting up a special
revolving fund, providing loans to support jobs,
informal businesses and health care needs.
The provincial fund shows that enabling
elderly communities to work together can create financial
growth as well as helping the elderly to help themselves.
Almost 10 per cent interest would be earned in one
year, enabling more welfare grants to be financed
as a result.
Satun Province
Satun is a small province located
in the far south of Thailand, bordering Malaysia.
Here, elderly groups decided on a different approach.
For the mainly Muslim members of Satun's elderly,
charging interest on loans from a revolving fund was
not really an option as usury is considered sinful
in Islam. Instead, most of the funds were put towards
a productive asset that would belong to the entire
community. Purchase of a mature rubber plantation
was judged to be a more harmonious and profitable
way of generating income.
Large numbers of Satun's elderly leaders
have worked for years as labourers in the region's
rubber plantations and know the business well. Calculating
exactly how much profit could be made and for how
long, they quickly realised that the proceeds could
be used to support their other group activities. When
the rubber trees stop producing, they can start planting
new trees immediately because they own the assets
of the wood and the land.
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Buying the rubber plantation
was this man's idea
© Photo taken by Somsook Boonyabancha, CODI
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Elderly groups from various associations
and localities came together and agreed on the management
and working practice of the plantation. Selling the
latex (unprocessed rubber milk) means that they will
all be busy managing the plantation and the daily
financial responsibilities that go with it.
Plans to open the plantation to the
public are well under way and the group is inviting
many elderly people and government officials from
the province. The community is excited at the prospect
of showing off their community asset. Registering
the plantation as a legal co-operative is the next
step, allowing them to manage the plantation officially
as a group.
Lessons learned
The elderly are often seen as being
on the fringe of society, providing only a burden
to the state, yet many elderly people have valuable
assets that can contribute to society, such as experience
and knowledge. Enabling elderly communities to decide
how money is spent on reducing poverty among their
members has been very successful in Thailand.
For thousands of elderly people, for
whom existing welfare systems do not reach, a local
fund like this one can enable them to make their own
decisions about what is important. Removing the bureaucratic
obstacles and trusting in the judgements of the poor
has meant that, for many elderly communities in Thailand,
local funds have provided a more secure future.
For further information on the Elderly
Welfare Programme in Thailand, please contact:
Somsook Boonyabancha
Community Organizations Development Institute
(CODI)
2044/28-33 New Phetburi Road
Khet Huai Khwang
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
Tel: +66 2 716 6000
Fax: +66 2 716 6001
E-mail: codi@codi.or.th
Website: http://www.codi.or.th/
(Thai only) |
Asian Coalition for Housing
Rights
73 Soi Sonthiwattana 4
Ladprao Road Soi 110
Bangkok 10310
Thailand
Tel: 662 538 0919
Fax: 662 539 9950
E-mail: achr@loxinfo.co.th
Website: http://www.achr.net/
The ACHR, based in Thailand,
has a website that contains a lot of information
on community funds. There is also a special
newsletter on community funds, which can be
obtained free by contacting the organisation.
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For information on micro-finance:
| Eldis Microfinance Gateway
nt1.ids.ac.uk/eldis/fin/micro.htm
The Eldis Microfinance Gateway
lists many organisations involved with micro-credit.
It also has many country profiles, where papers
from different countries can be viewed, and
organisations working in those countries can
be found. |
| The Microfinance Gateway
http://www.microfinancegateway.org/
The Microfinance Gateway is
a public forum for the microfinance industry
at large that offers a wealth of services
for microfinance professionals, including
resource centres on specific topics in microfinance,
a searchable library of electronic documents,
a consultant database, a jobs listing service,
and specialised discussion groups. |
Further Reading
The following paper can be downloaded
by clicking on the title.
The
urban community environmental activities project and
its environment fund in Thailand
Somsook Boonyabancha, Environment & Urbanization
Vol.11, No 1, April 1999, pages 101-115
This document is an output from
a project funded by the UK Department for International
Development (DFID) and the European Commission (EC)
for the benefit of developing countries. The views
expressed are not necessarily those of DFID or the
EC.
Acknowledgements
ITDG would like to thank Somsook
Boonyabancha at CODI and ACHR, and Tom Kerr at ACHR
for providing the original material on the Elderly
Welfare Fund in Thailand.
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