Many senior citizens can still work actively and contribute greatly to society. They have much experience and may constitute a wealth of knowledge and experience from which younger generations can learn and benefit. 

Aware of the importance of older persons, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother stated that Thailand should promote and support skillful older persons after their retirement, so that they would have the opportunity to bring out their knowledge, expertise, and experience to contribute to national development.

In her speech delivered to well-wishers on 11 August 2000, the eve of her 68th birthday anniversary, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit said, “Although it is an appropriate time for those who reach 60 years old to open up the opportunity for the younger generation to perform their duties, older persons may still provide support and protection for the country. Those in both the public and private sectors may gather in the form of a ‘Brain Bank,’ with no intention to receive a salary from the government.”

Her Majesty’s speech led to the establishment of the Brain Bank as a center for the gathering of retired resource persons of all professions from both the public and private sectors. These knowledgeable and highly experienced people are regarded as volunteers from the Brain Bank to give advice to various agencies, organizations, and communities, without personal financial gain.

In response to Her Majesty’s wishes, the Cabinet on 15 August 2000 assigned the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council to serve as the central registration unit for the Brain Bank, responsible for collecting information, compiling a list of retired experts in various fields, and coordinating various networks, so that these volunteer retired experts would be able to work for national development. The operations of the Brain Bank are intended to bring better living conditions and happiness to the people and create economic stability for the further development of the country. 

The Brain Bank is supervised by the Pattanathai Foundation, which was established by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council. There are currently about 2,700 volunteers who gather in all 77 provinces across the country and work to empower their communities.

Thanks to the royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Brain Bank has played a role in helping tackle the country’s problems, while providing opportunities for senior citizens to share their experience with younger generations and for people of different ages to live happily together.