For 19 consecutive years, no one in Thailand has had a third child.

Ban Ban village in Chau Thang commune has 73 households and 305 inhabitants, all of whom are ethnic Thai people. For the past 19 years..., Busy versionIt has always been a model locality in Quy Chau district in the Population and Family Planning movement.

Population collaborators in Ban village go door-to-door to encourage couples of childbearing age not to have a third child. Photo: Luong Nga

Currently, the village has 44 couples of reproductive age, of which 13 couples have children of the same sex, but all couples of reproductive age use contraception and have signed a commitment not to have a third child.

If tBefore 1998, nearly 70% of households in Ban village were poor and starving, but today, the number of poor households has decreased to only 42%. The lives of the people are becoming increasingly stable, many households have acquired all the necessary amenities, their children are well-behaved and excel in their studies, and village security is ensured.

The local women's association visited the family of Ms. Vu Thi Yen and Mr. Vi Van Nhan, who recently welcomed their second child, a baby girl. They have also registered not to have a third child. Photo: Luong Nga.

This achievement is thanks to the persistent efforts of the enthusiastic and responsible population collaborator, Luong Thi Xanh.

In 1992, after taking on the role of population officer in the village, Ms. Luong Thi Xanh sought various ways to "change the mindset" of the villagers, who had previously practiced indiscriminate childbirth and strived to have a son to carry on the family line. Ms. Xanh took the lead and set an example to make the message more persuasive, explaining that if they continued to have many children, their lives would remain impoverished and they would not have time to care for their children.

Thanks to Ms. Xuan's persistent efforts over six years—"going door to door, checking on every individual"—the people of Ban village have made a significant shift in their awareness. Many families, even those with only daughters, have decided to stop at two children and have become more conscious of focusing on economic development.

The women in the village spend time cleaning the village every week. Photo: Luong Nga

A prime example is the family of Mr. Vi Van Phuc and Ms. Luong Thi Phuong, formerly a poor household, who pioneered the voluntary commitment to the village not to have a third child. Thanks to focusing on economic activities and raising their children, Mr. Phuc and Ms. Phuong's family has now escaped poverty and built a spacious house.

As for the family of Mr. Vi Van Nhan and Ms. Vu Thi Yen, they are one of the young couples who, after having two daughters, decided not to have any more children due to their difficult family circumstances. They boldly borrowed capital and invested in economic development with the determination to escape poverty soon.

Now, Ban Ban village has a new face. Many spacious houses have sprung up. The village roads and alleys are always clean and beautiful thanks to the efforts of the mothers and sisters who dedicate a day each week to community labor. For many years, Ban Ban village has received commendations from various levels of government for its excellent work in population and family planning, and for building a civilized, prosperous, and beautiful village.