In the past decade, Thai society has been experiencing accelerating change, especially in the area of technology and communication. This is having an adverse impact on the health of Thais due to reduction in exercise and increase in sedentary lifestyles and associated consumption. Thais born during this period are expected to have unique thoughts and behaviors when compared to previous generations. Thai Health Report 2016 has compared Health Indicators of the Thai Generations. This generational comparison shows how change is happening and in what direction. The study also considers contextual factors such as income, family formation, domicile, values, consumption behavior, health behavior, use of technology and the Internet, On-line lifestyles and solidarity with peer groups.

The second part of the report examines important topics of the day, including: (1) The Universal Health Insurance for Thais is on Shaky Ground; (2) Draft 2015 Constitution is Rejected – Derailing the Roadmap; (3) Reclaiming the Forest is a Bigger Problem than Once Thought; (4) At Last: Community Deeds and Land Bank; (5) National Savings Fund: Retirement Security for Workers in the Non-formal Sector; (6) MERS: A New Emerging Disease Threat; (7) Cross-border Human Trafficking: The Case of the Rohingya; (8) Thailand is Given a “Yellow Card” by the IUU; (8) Is this Good News or Bad?; (9) The Explosion at Rajprasong Heard around the World – The Uyghur Issue; (10) Chao Praya Riverside Pathway: A Test of Community Living.

An important feature of this report is the portion on “A good death is an option now.” Even though death is inevitable, people can now choose how their life ends and optimize their final years, clinically and psycho-emotionally. Thais also have the right to execute a living will which may include instructions “not to resuscitate” or provide undesired life-support merely to postpone certain death.