A scholar at Thammasat University has backed the idea of extending the age of retirement to 65, given the challenges posed by an ageing society, saying that retaining the current threshold could lead many retirees to struggle financially in the years to come.
As Thailand faces the realities of a rapidly ageing population, Nattapat Sarobol, a leading academic in elderly welfare at Thammasat University, has voiced strong support for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s proposal to raise the official retirement age from 60 to 65.
She explained the current framework is outdated and unsustainable, especially as the country transitions not just into a greying society, but one with greater longevity.
Asst Prof Nattapat cited recent research showing the nation now has over 40,000 centenarians, ranking it 5th globally by this metric. With life expectancy continuing to rise, she warned that retiring at 60 potentially leaves them with a 40-year gap to fill during which time many people struggle financially.
“Where will the money come from to sustain life for four decades without employment?” she asked.
While countries like Japan, Finland, and the United States have already redefined senior age thresholds to 65 or higher, Thailand remains at 60. Japan, in particular, stretched its retirement age to 70 in 2021.
Asst Prof Nattapat noted that academic institutions have long proposed retirement reform, but the advice has rarely gained traction due to budgetary constraints and legal complexities.
She emphasised that any retirement age extension must be accompanied by anti-age discrimination laws to protect older workers. This includes removing age limits for job applications, training programmes, and access to funding.
“People aged 55 are often excluded from training simply because they’re thought to be ‘too close to retirement’ — this mindset must change,” she said.
Asst Prof Nattapat warned that if the policy only applies to civil servants — who number 1.75 million — it would leave out the vast majority of Thailand’s 38 million workers, including those in the private sector, industry, and corporate employment.