Indeed, when you're young, you don't think too much as you see everything as a challenge and even when faced with mortal risks, they can be appealing. But if you live until 40, you start thinking about the future. When you are too old to take care of yourself, financially and physically, who will be there for you?

In this materialist world, money is the key. The question is: how long to keep working to save sufficient money for retirement? Most people retire when they reach 60.

I don't know if we Thais are lucky or not that the retirement age is still fixed at this age. Many countries - particularly in the developed world where birth rates are low - now encourage people to work longer than that so that they will not be a burden on social security.

Denmark this week revealed a plan to reform its welfare system. Tentatively to begin in 2017, the plan would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 by 2027. As a start, the retirement age would be raised from 60 now to 63 by 2021.

Soon, Thailand may have to adopt a similar plan. Since the Social Security Fund was set up, all employees have to contribute. While low-income workers hope for health benefits, higher-income earners look forward to substantial monthly living allowances ont retirement.

But the International Labour Organisation recently said that in less than two decades, the fund would go bankrupt. That sounds frightening, given that the fund has been around for less than 20 years.

The way to prolong it would be to raise the retirement age. But you've contributed since you were 22, and now have to wait 43 years to benefit from your contributions?

Obviously, education should be improved, so workers become more skilled and earn more. The more they earn, the more contributions they will make. That may be achievable if all schools are equipped with computers like the Thai Rak Thai government promised. But we must also make sure that technicians and students know how to use them.

achara_d@nationgroup.com