The minimum age of people labelled as "elderly" should be revised from 60 to 65 years, according to Mahidol University's Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR).
The main reasons are that Thais today live longer and their health is much better than before.
"We would like to recommend that Thai society redefine old people," IPSR deputy director Dr Krittaya Archavanitkul said at an academic seminar yesterday.
She said that half a century ago the life expectancy of Thais stood at less than 50 years. Most people can expect to live to at least 73. Moreover, most 60-year-olds are quite healthy.
"At the age of 60, Thais still have many more years to live," Krittaya explained.
She believed elderly Thais could take heart that a recent survey showed teenagers and young adults in Thailand appreciated the elders' experiences and values.
"They don't think the elderly are boring. They don't feel old people are the family's burden," Krittaya said, based on a recent survey by IPSR.