In Southeast Asia 26% of the population is below the poverty level.  In numerical terms, the poor still number about 446 million.  High and sustained economic growth is the main reason for the sharp drop in the incidence of poverty and the decline in the number of poor people.  Today, most of the poor in this sub region area are located in hinterland and remote areas.
 

Southeast Asia is one of the most fastest growing economic regions in the world.  Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and other "tigers", as they sometimes are called, have adopted capitalist principles and risen with a dramatic suddenness into the world economic scene.  Due to a socialist-isolation military government, Southeast Asia is mired with poverty.

There is great debate of the discussion of ageing population having a relation towards health issues and poverty of specific areas within this region.  Poverty is prevalent in rural areas.  These are also the areas where alleviation has been taking place for many years.