ASEAN countries, whether of necessity or from philosophical conviction, seek to maintain the existing system of family care and concern for the elderly. The family is seen as ultimately responsible for its elderly dependants, and institutionalization to be used only as a last resort. The aim is to obtain as much community participation as possible. This philosophy is reflected in the kinds of income maintenance, health care, recreational programmes, and publicly funded institutional care available to the elderly. Governments provide limited special services for particular groups of the aged, and rely on private and charitable groups to assist in providing for the needy. Social security programmes are typically limited to employed individuals with complementary special welfare programmes for the impoverished and the impaired.

Thailand is perhaps typical of the other ASEAN countries in the increasing attention given in government development plans and in welfare programmes to the needs of the aged (see Debavalya and Boonyakesanond 1982). The Thai Government set up the National Committee on Ageing in February 1982, chaired by the Minister of the Interior. This committee has established seven subcommittees and held a national “Seminar on Roles of all Organisations in Longterm Planning for Elderly Population”. In the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1982–86), the needy aged are considered a special target group along with many other underprivileged groups such as orphans, needy children, victims of disasters, the disabled, etc. In addition, it is the policy of the government to encourage the participation of the private sector in the provision of social welfare services for the needy aged. The plan aims to strengthen the family as a basic social unit to enable it to care for its own elderly members more adequately. As well as residential care where needed, non-institutional care, particularly in the form of social service centres for the elderly, will be expanded. In terms of health care, the under-5s and over 60s are singled out as groups to receive special emphasis. A programme of free medical care for those aged over 60 is being gradually introduced in general hospitals throughout the country.