As Thailand continues its swift transition into one of the world’s fastest-aging societies, the Congregation of the Sacred Heart Convent inaugurated the Sacred Heart Home for the Aged in Samphran, west of Bangkok, on June 27.
“I hope that this home will be supported by all of us to make it sustainable and to provide pastoral care so that the elderly may live here with happiness and hope,” said Sr. Anna Aranya Kitbunchu, Superior General of the Congregation.
The opening of the home for the aged coincided with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and comes as the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee Year 2025.
The Sacred Heart Home, designed to offer aged Catholics and non-Catholics who are left alone at home comfort, community, and spiritual care, reflects the growing urgency to address the challenges posed by Thailand’s aging population.
Thailand is rapidly becoming a super-aged society, according to the latest national statistics. Of its 67 million people, approximately 12 million are elderly.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that since 2005, Thailand has been classified as an “aged society,” with those aged 60 and above accounting for at least 10% of the population.
By 2036, it is expected that up to 30% of Thais will be elderly, moving the country firmly into the ranks of super-aged societies.
Compared to the global pace of aging—where countries typically take between 18 to 115 years to transition from “aging” to “aged” status—Thailand’s transformation is occurring in just two decades, making it one of the fastest and earliest developing countries to reach this stage.
“Asia is aging faster than any other region,” demographic experts note. Japan leads as a hyper-aged society, followed by South Korea and Singapore. Thailand’s demographic shift closely follows these front-runners and is slightly ahead of Vietnam.
The causes of this global trend are well documented: declining fertility rates due to higher education, urbanization, rising incomes, and access to contraception, coupled with increased life expectancy driven by medical advances and improved healthcare.
Sr. Pannee Phuroenhong, the Home’s superior, shared plans to further enhance the Sacred Heart Home. “At the front of the home, we plan to build a large statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” she said.
“With a shady area for sitting and praying, we hope to create a peaceful space where residents, visitors, and passersby can stop to pay homage and meditate with peaceful hearts,” she added.
The Sacred Heart Home aims to provide not only physical care but also spiritual nourishment, offering the elderly a supportive and faith-filled community.
As Thailand faces the profound social and economic impacts of population aging, initiatives like the Sacred Heart Home for the Aged stand as timely responses, integrating Catholic pastoral care, compassion, and social responsibility to meet the needs of an increasingly elderly society.
