As Thailand is relatively mature in demographic transition, its population age structure reflects that of a newly industrialised nation. Living standards have continued to rise since the economic boom of the late 1980's so life expectancy has lifted and fertility rates are gradually declining. This means youth dependency is projected to slow as aged dependency steadily rises.
Concurrently, the major causes of mortality are less commonly the curable illnesses of a pre-industrialized past (tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases, malnutrition), but instead typical of a modern lifestyle (stroke, heart attacks, lung disease, cancer).