The Household age-composition Changes and Household Consumption difference in Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates the linkage between the changes in

household age-composition in Thaland and the difference in level of

household living standard, using consumption per adult equivalent as

proxy of average household living standard. The data used are from

the Household Socio-Economic Survey year 1990 compared with year

2009.

The main results are 1) household size ceclines and household

structure varies between 1990 andl 2009. Parent and child household

and three-generation household are the main living arrangement pat-

tern in both periods while an increase in number of househholds with

eldery members, especially the elderly household and skip-generation

household can be seen. 2) The level of consumption differences among

Thai households decrease on the whole. 3) Most of the households

have consumption level close to an average and increase between two

periods, except eldery households that have consumption level lower

than an average and decrease between two periods opposite to non-

dependent member household. 4) When decompose the intermediate

cause of consumption difference using the Thiel indes, the difference

in household age-composition is the cause of consunption differen.ces

and it has become more and more important as time passes compare

year 1990 with 2009.