Bangkok’s Bueng Sakae Ngam Elderly Home is expanding to house more seniors as Thailand’s society ages, Chaloemphol Chotinuchit, the city’s deputy permanent secretary, said after visiting the site on Friday.

Construction of buildings was completed in April last year, but fencing and landscaping around the residential area and the dining hall has yet to be completed, he said.

Chaloemphol has assigned the Department of Public Work to complete these tasks at the site in Soi Pracha Ruamjai 47 in Khlong Sam Wa district.

Bueng Sakae Ngam Elderly Home has a total of eight residential buildings that can house 64 seniors. The current site covers five rai, but the city is planning to build additional residences on an adjacent 20-rai plot of land that will be able to accommodate 56 more people.

Parks will also be developed for residents, Chaloemphol said.

“The new residential buildings, which will also be built by the Department of Public Works, will also have energy-saving features to promote sustainability,” he said.

Chaloemphol also tasked city agencies to draft the criteria for seniors to be accepted into the home to ensure that the city’s resources are used efficiently.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) began construction of Bueng Sakae Ngam Elderly Home in early 2022 on land located next to Sakae Ngam Marsh that had been donated to it.

After the first phase of construction was completed, the city’s Social Development Department was tasked with administration of the home, which provides permanent residence for seniors with 24-hour care as well as physical and mental rehabilitation.

The home also provides social services and activities for residents to ensure they have a high quality of life.

Medical care in the home has been supported by the Faculty of Medicine at Vajira Hospital, and Kuakarun Faculty of Nursing at Navamindradhiraj University, which provides training courses on elderly care for medical practitioners and city officials.

The city is hoping to promote Vajira Hospital to be its central agency for providing healthcare for seniors as well as research in related fields.