These nurses currently work at public and private hospitals that have a high number of elderly patients and it is hoped the training will result in them handling elderly patient problems more precisely.

It is hoped the move will reduce the chances of the hospital suffering overcrowding, lower the number of in-patients and decrease the chances of patients revisiting the hospitals for the same issue.

During the training program’s opening ceremony at Bangkok’s Twin Towers Hotel, Dr Pannet Pangputhipong, deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said only Singapore was experiencing a more dramatic rise in the elderly population than Thailand in Asia.

Pannet said it was necessary for Thailand to prepare for it becoming an ageing society.

He said as the elderly required different healthcare to other age groups.