Sasipim Arampibulkit

Thesis title: Social Policy for Older Women in Thailand.

Thailand is one of the countries with the fastest speed of population ageing. It is projected to take only 22 years (between 2002 and 2024) to increase the share of population over 65 from 7 per cent to14 per cent. While ageing and older persons has been of interest to policymakers as it became the National Agenda in 2018, gender differences in old age have not been given attention. This thesis examines Thai older women's socioeconomic status and their needs by exposing factual and experiential dimensions of the situation. It also analyses ageing policies in response to older women's needs. This study uses mixed research methods; a quantitative and a qualitative approach to analyse both primary and secondary data. The political economy approach and the life course perspective are employed in this study to examine women's ageing experience as well as social policies in relation to their lives that have been influenced by several determinants both prior to and after their retirement age.