Urbanization in Thailand and its implications for the family planning programme.

Discussed in this paper are a number of social changes associated with urbanization which are relevant to the family planning programme in Thailand. Urbanization is seen as a way of life rather than as residence in a particular locality. It is argued that many people in many parts of the country are now living in a urban social environment. The significant changes discussed are 1) rapid economic development 2) increasing density of the population 3) a shift away from self-employment in agriculture into salaried occupations outside of agriculture 4) an expanding demand for education. An urban way of life also affects reproductive behavior through 2 other aspects: a trend among urban populations toward late marriage and the weakening of traditional social ties. The paper attempts to describe the implications of these social changes for the family planning program. Thailands family planning program is already well suited for an urban social environment. It has numerous points of supply and a good mix of contraceptives and depends very little on community organization and coummunity-based servies. However the social changes associated with urbanization require that certain aspects of the program be strengthened. Hospitals are now providing a good share of family planning services especially sterilization. The importance of hospitals will increase in the future because women will increasingly have their children in hospitals. building hospitals and clinics will become even more cost-effective in the future. As people are becoming more educated it will be easier to reach them through the mass media and through the schools. With the increase of people in salaried occupations it may be possible to reach them through their places of work. As the age at marriage rises the risk of an unwanted pregnancy becomes higher and more premartial pregnancies can be expected. Adolescents should therefore be considered a high risk group. They perhaps should be provided with sex education in the schools. In addition to adolescents the greatest unmet need for family planning may lie among the poor and uneducated. Finally it is suggested that in view of a number of characteristics unique to Thailand some of the implications and recommendations may not apply to other countries. Nonetheless a number of implications for policy-makers in other countries are offered. Chief among these is that the increasing density of the population in many Asian countries may blur the distinction between urban and rural areas.