Old but not out 1 Thailand started the Year of the Ox by becoming a fully fledged ageing society, with the number of aged people rising to 13.1 million or 20% of the total population, according to the National Economic and Social Development. Each year, there will be 400,000 citizens retiring from their careers and that's why Thailand might see the need to welcome migrant workers to fill labour gaps. In recent years, the private sector has initiated projects to give seniors a chance to get back into the workforce. For example, HomePro has launched the Young Smart project to hire almost 100 seniors around the country for part-time work and allow them to choose which branch they want to work at. For the eight-hour shift, they receive 400 baht a day with an extra 20 baht during weekdays and 60 baht on weekends. They can also claim health insurance and their salaries will be raised when passing probation, based on their qualifications.