Building a Long-Term Care System in Thailand: Focusing on Ageing in Middle-Income Countries

The ageing population around the world poses a global challenge in regard to eldercare (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2015). This challenge is particularly felt in the developing world, especially low- and middle-income countriesMiddle-income countries" \r "MIn2 (LMICs), where population ageing outpaces the development of eldercare policies and services (Feng 2019). This research discusses the characteristics of LTC system development in middle-income country settings, why the Thai government has opted for a tax-funded community-based LTC system to prepare for a rapidly ageing population, and how this affects access to care for older people. This study shows that access to LTC in Thailand varies across income groups and across urban and rural areas, leading to unequal access to care. The presence of a large number of informal workers in Thailand has had a major impact on the health care system, which is fragmented between employment groups, and this influences the design of the LTC system.