The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) gave awards to 50 senior citizens for their outstanding folk wisdom during a ceremony on Monday that aims to promote the sharing of knowledge among city residents.

“Senior citizens possess valuable life-long experience that can be greatly beneficial to the next generation and the city. They are the key to passing on good values and traditions from one era to the next,” said BMA deputy permanent secretary Chaloemphol Chotinuchit.

Each year, the city selects one senior from each of the city’s 50 districts who demonstrates an outstanding level of folk wisdom to encourage its transfer to younger generations.
“The city has been organising this activity to promote and support knowledge transfer among community members, as well as to honour seniors and urge the new generation to contribute to society in the same way their predecessors did,” said Chaloemphol, who presided over the ceremony at Prince Palace Hotel.

More than 1.22 million people over 60 years of age live in the metropolitan area, accounting for 22% of the city’s population, according to official data.

Chaloemphol said that the city’s Social Development Department holds the event to promote recognition of folk wisdom because it understands the importance of seniors.

The award ceremony also serves as a platform for each district to showcase its folk wisdom and cultural traditions, and connect with partners that can help honour and transfer wisdom and tradition within communities. Booths displaying folk wisdom from each district of Bangkok were set up to show the richness of the capital’s folk wisdom.