Voluntary Lineage Termination: Population Decline and the Rise of Non-Reproductive Structures in Thailand

The 21st century has seen a dramatic shift from fears of overpopulation to growing concerns about demographic shrinkage. Global population growth rates, once peaking at 2.1% annually in 1960, have now declined to only 0.9% by 2023. The United Nations forecasts a global population peak around the year 2080 at approximately 10.3 billion, after which the decline will begin naturally. This article explores Thailand’s emerging phenomenon of voluntary non-reproduction individuals and groups choosing not to bear children within the context of aging societies, changing family structures, and generational philosophies. It examines how these dynamics affect national policies, social support systems, and the cultural landscape of kinship and legacy in contemporary Thailand.