The rural elderly support in China and Thailand

Aims:   This paper aims to investigate support mechanisms for the elderly in rural China and rural Thailand, and to take lessons from each other on its rural elderly support and the policy interventions.
Methods:   Using data from secondary sources, the situation of the rural elderly was investigated from different aspects. Policies and programs designed for the rural elderly were then summarized in the following section.
Results:   China and Thailand are both under tremendous social changes and economic development processes, with Thailand more economically developed. Family remains the main source of support for the rural elderly in both countries, however, it has been suffering increasing difficulties and problems such as industrialization, modernization, and rural-to-urban migration have been taking place. This calls for attention and the development of social security services to support the elderly in rural areas.
Both countries have set up a number of policies, plans, and programs toward supporting the elderly, the coverage, however, is relatively low.
Conclusions:   Governments should introduce policies for integrating the rural elderly into national development strategies. Family should be empowered to become strong sociocultural units, as well as an economic resource and a focal point for the preservation of social and moral values in providing support for the elderly. Health care should be given freely to the rural elderly. Programs providing support to the rural elderly should be gender-specific with more focus on female elderly.