No quick fixes

Birth control became the subject of debate when the National Health Security Office (NHSO) started offering free contraceptive pills earlier this month, which will be followed by condoms in April at its service points — including clinics, pharmacies and private hospitals — to people aged 15 and above to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

However, Thailand is experiencing an unprecedented demographic crisis. With the prospect of becoming a super-aged society by 2031, the country has seen a decade of declining births, which has dropped below 600,000 for two consecutive years. This is a sharp contrast to the baby boom years from 1963 to 1983 when new births were over 1 million per annum.

According to the Department of Health, the number of births by teen mothers (15-19) has also…