Thailand population control case study

Case Study- Sustainable population management- Thailand

The situation in 1970Growth rate- 3.2% a yearFertility- 6.5 children per womanContraception use- Total population- 26.4 millionGNP US $- 110 per personHUGE AIDS PROBLEM

T

The approachMuch of the success in Thailand is attributed directly to Mechai Viravaidya, a former government economist and public relations genius who launched the PDAThe trademark of the campaign was condoms and the idea was to increase contraceptive use in Thailand to lower population increase and the spread of AIDS.The Thai government made a wide range of contraceptives available to the publicThailand was amongst the first countries to use the intravenous contraceptive DMPA and still remains one of its largest usersThe contraceptive services were extended to even remote rural areas as a huge population live in the countryside.Non scalpel vasectomies are available at festivals and other events and the PDA offers free vasectomies on the Kings Birthday.Special bars and pubs even offer condoms after the meal rather than mintsSterilisation has now become the most widely used form of contraceptive in the country.

SustainabilityPopulation control based on a better standard of living is more likely to be sustainable than policies that force people to have fewer children.The PDA offers loans linked to contraception use. Interest rates were substantially lower than traditional money lenders in poor rural communities.The PDA provided loans to build rain water catchment for jars of drinking water.

End results todaygrowth rate- 0.8%fertility- 1.7 children per womancontraception use- 72%total population- 66.6 millionGNP US $- 1950reduced AIDS problem

New Page