A wave of new research is challenging long-held beliefs about the vows that bind couples—especially the promise to remain united “in sickness and in health.” Recent findings, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family and reported by Psychology Today in May 2025, reveal a surprising and deeply concerning trend: women who fall ill in their 50s and early 60s face a far greater risk of divorce than their male counterparts (psychologytoday.com). For Thailand—a country with a rapidly aging population and shifting social values—this revelation strikes at the heart of family resilience and gender equity.
Thailand’s society is built on deep respect for family, with care for elders traditionally playing a central role. Yet social realities are changing fast. Thai couples, like those abroad, are confronting new pressures on long-term marriages. Divorce rates are slowly but steadily rising, and the psychological toll of family breakdown—particularly in late adulthood—can be profound both for individuals and wider society (Bangkok Post). The latest data from Europe, with striking parallels worldwide, draws attention to a “silver split” phenomenon: divorces among couples over 50 have doubled in the United States over three decades, reaching 10 per 1,000 adults. In countries like France and Belgium, the numbers are even higher (psychologytoday.com).
The February 2025 study by psychological researchers at leading European institutions—analyzing a remarkable 25,542 heterosexual couples aged 50 to 64 over an 18-year period—looked beyond surface trends to probe why these later-life breakups are happening, and what role health plays. Their key discovery? Marital stability holds firm when both partners remain healthy, and even when husbands become seriously ill, divorce rates do not rise significantly. But when wives become ill—or develop physical limitations that hinder daily tasks—the divorce risk jumps. In other words, illness undermines late-life marriages far more when it strikes wives than husbands.
Experts interpret these findings as evidence of entrenched gender roles, especially in older generations. While expectations are shifting among younger Thais and in some urban circles, traditional beliefs about a wife’s duties to the home and family still shape the emotional fabric of many marriages. As the European researchers and multiple social scientists observe, the expectation that women will be the “household managers” and primary caregivers is so deeply baked into culture that deviations—like a wife’s illness—can be seen as ruptures of the marital contract. When a husband is ill, the family routine continues as before, with wives already managing care. But when a wife is unwell, especially in relationships rooted in traditional roles, the resulting disruption may threaten the very foundation of the union (psychologytoday.com).
A 2023 study in the Journal of Business and Psychology reinforces this global pattern, indicating that women still shoulder the majority of unpaid household labor, and these lopsided roles endure through generations (Journal of Business and Psychology). Even as social progress nudges more Thais toward egalitarian relationships, many young boys continue to grow up without strong male models for caregiving or domestic work—a self-perpetuating dynamic that persists well into later life.
For Thailand, these emerging global patterns carry urgent implications. The kingdom faces its own demographic shift: one of the world’s fastest-aging populations, with more than 20 percent expected to be over 60 by 2040, and rising numbers of “empty-nester” families and elderly women at risk of isolation (Bangkok Post). If wives who face health challenges are disproportionately at risk for divorce—and thus potentially for poverty, loneliness, and poor health outcomes—the burden on the already-strained national welfare and healthcare systems could intensify.
Local experts in family medicine and social policy—speaking from leading Thai universities and government agencies—point to a complex tapestry of contributing factors. As one policy developer with the Ministry of Public Health observes, “Our cultural values speak of compassion and family loyalty, but the lived experience is sometimes different—especially for older women who find their traditional role upended by illness.” Another social work academic, based at a major Bangkok university, calls on policymakers to “adapt legal, social, and welfare systems to anticipate the consequences of later-life divorce, especially among vulnerable elderly women.”
The trend of “silver splits” also intersects with broader social and economic changes. In rural areas, where extended family support networks are stronger, some elders still receive care and companionship from children and relatives. But urbanisation is pulling younger generations away from home, reducing the pool of family caregivers. At the same time, greater financial independence among women—coupled with changing attitudes toward marriage—may empower more to leave unsatisfying unions, but also expose them to higher risks of hardship if health issues arise (UNFPA Thailand).
Thailand’s Buddhist heritage, which provides a foundation of compassion and interdependence, encourages collective responsibility for those in need—especially the ailing or aged. Yet as multiple sociologists point out, religious values alone cannot counteract entrenched gender expectations or economic realities. Bridging the gap requires a new social contract, rooted as much in actionable policy as in family tradition.
Looking forward, experts suggest a range of interventions. Support groups, counseling, and respite care must be expanded for older couples coping with illness, alleviating stress and building social bonds. Education campaigns—targeting both men and women at all ages—can help reframe caregiving as a shared responsibility, updating the meaning of “in sickness and in health” for a modern Thai context. Financial safety nets and access to healthcare, especially for divorced or widowed older women, must also be strengthened to prevent poverty and isolation.
For readers and policymakers alike, the message is clear: as Thailand navigates its demographic transition, building resilience in older marriages—while redressing the gender imbalance in unpaid care—will be crucial to family stability and national wellbeing. Couples should start a conversation early about expectations and support, and society must work to value caregiving as a vital, shared labor deserving of dignity and support from everyone, not just women.
With Thailand’s unique blend of tradition and change, the challenge is to ensure that the promise “in sickness and in health” is equally honored, however life unfolds.