Cupid's arrowheads can be poisonous to Thai teenagers
Friday is Valentine's Day and in Thailand that will mean another peak in unwanted teenage pregnancies. Despite the usual warnings from the government, Valentine's Day is associated with sex by many young people.
In a recent survey, more than 30 percent of boys said that they saw Valentine's Day as a great opportunity to have sex with their (school) girlfriend for the first time.
The lack of sex education in Thailand is the reason these "first time sex" encounters lead to many unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies. Last year, 54 girls in 100.000 girls under the age of 18 in Thailand became pregnant unintentionally, much higher than the average of 15 in 100.000, as used by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the Thai Ministry of Health, almost 2012 children were born in 4.000, whose mothers were younger than 15 years old.
Teenage pregnancies lead to a relatively high rate of abortion, stillbirth, maternal and newborn deaths. It is estimated that more than three million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 undergo an (unsafe) abortion, which contributes to a high rate of maternal death or permanent health problems for the mother.
The WHO attributes the complications of unwanted pregnancies to a lack of knowledge of how to prevent pregnancy and the difficult availability of contraceptives. But even if contraceptives (especially condoms) are widely available, young people prefer sex without a condom. In addition to the high rates of unwanted pregnancies, sex without a condom also leads to high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, among teenagers in Thailand.
Parents, caregivers, teachers and others responsible for the care of young people should try to make teenagers aware that they are too young and inexperienced for parenting. Young people who become pregnant jeopardize their schooling because they drop out of school, either because they are no longer accepted or because they have to care for their child. The young mothers from poor families then often get caught in a vicious circle of poverty, unable to get a good education that could give them a better life.
The problem of unintended pregnancies in Thailand will only be effectively tackled if teenagers receive proper education about sex, the use of contraceptives, especially condoms, and basic family planning education. Meanwhile, participating in sports, volunteering, and schooling are useful ways to divert the mind of "energetic teens" from sexual pursuits that they may later regret.
Source: The Nation
It won't surprise me.
Read it elsewhere in an article yesterday that Thailand ranks highest in teenage pregnancies in these South Asian countries.
I even see it happen around me every day, fast and good looking boys on new mopeds, with a sexy Thai high school student dressed usually in school uniform on the back.
Earning their own living these Thai bum bums can't come close.
Most of them hate working or even worse don't even know what this word means.
That makes you tired and it is much too hot outside , not good for the skin , and think of my haircut .
The video shop, video games, mobile phone and touring on mopeds, preferably with a loud exhaust, of course with the support of mom and dad's hard-earned money.
Is it known to them , and they certainly have no problem with that .
When babies come , you will not see them at all .
The high school student 's dad and mom have a big problem .
Sadly, but that's how it goes here.
There are also many where I live.
With regret for their parents and grandparents, because they will ultimately pay for the mess of this Mobile phone generation.
And they , so the parents and other family members usually do not have it that wide .
The current youth of Thailand I worry
Jan Beute.
I totally agree with you Jan.
I also see such things happening very often with my partner's family and others here in Chiang Mai.
Mom and Dad have always lived neatly, but the children really make a mess of things. They want to live in a kind of luxury that they can't even afford, take pictures of everything with their expensive smartphones to show them on Facebook just to impress their friends. Yes friends as long as they have money! Yes, money received from parents or often borrowed from banks or even worse from private individuals who charge exorbitant interest rates.
And then the sex that this article is actually about. I am amazed at how easily they have that with each other and pretend it is a serious relationship and even write that very often in their Facebook and then even report after a few days that he or she was not the one. A few days or weeks later, history repeats itself again.
You see this not only with teenagers here, but also with young people in their twenties.
My sister-in-law already had a child when she was just 16 herself and as in the article, the father was not at home. Fortunately, when she was about 19 years old, she found a very good young man who liked her and had another child together. And now, a few years later, it turns out that in the meantime she has actually been on a (boy) man hunt. As a result, they will soon separate and the victims are of course the children, but the parents also suffer. Not only the parents but also my partner who disapproves of the sister's behavior enormously.
In the Netherlands everything may be a bit more free, but it really seems that the youth in terms of a normal life and love is going off the rails here.
Yes, I too am really worried about this in Thailand.
I'm worried too John. I don't see the rural youth but I deal daily with the hiso youth of Thailand in my classes at university in Bangkok. In general I would like to say the following, and I know I am generalizing (but that sometimes makes things much clearer):
– the female students are all more industrious than the boys;
– most of them are mainly busy with their (new) mobile phone, choosing a new car, stories about and visiting the trendy restaurants, bars and discos, the destination of their upcoming long weekend (preferably Japan, Korea or one of the Thai Islands);
– learning seems above all a necessary pastime but should not be taken seriously;
– taking tests and exams using unauthorized means or in an unauthorized manner is not really a problem;
– failing an exam (which happens to me) is considered a (social) problem;
– the university sometimes seems like a dating office.
The level of a bachelor's degree in Thailand is not that much (comparable to a secondary school diploma in the Netherlands) and the Thai youngster does not get as much out of it as it could. And these must be Thailand's new managers. Usually it is the new owners of companies and NOT the new managers.
Moderator: please don't chat.
Dear Chris, the list of concerns applies to virtually young generations in any country. TH is no exception. The summary may just as well concern the current school generation in NL. In NL too, girls are more industrious than boys, young people are not only concerned with their school education but with the many pleasures of life, young people like to go to the Spanish and Turkish beaches, or celebrate orgies in Ibiza, many young people think that studying is nonsense, young people are taken to court for burglary and theft of exam papers, failure to pass an exam is viewed with horror, and young people run into each other at universities. The NL universities do a lot of research into the identity of young people and their further development. What they encounter in NL will not differ that much from what you encounter in TH, which is absolutely not a TH trend.
It is nice to say that a bachelor's diploma is equivalent to, for example, a HAVO diploma in NL, but that has been the case for years. The TH Bachelor's program has not suddenly or just reverted to a “Havo” level. The concern. training is simply of that level. And that's what they do with it. It is what it is. People here in TH are not appreciating a diploma according to NL standards, for example, but according to what it is worth here in TH.
And you also do that as a university lecturer in higher education. You take the level for what it represents, and that's it. And if not, what are you doing to change it for the better? Eg. that the 'hiso' young people you mentioned do see the benefit of a university education. And they do get motivation to become managers in their own and in their TH future. It must be surprising if you find that the TH universities are unable to provide young people with any idea and vision, other than just living on the money of their associates. family or clan?
For example, in many bank branches I see many young people working seriously behind their desk with all the paperwork. And of course: when you see them so busy, I sometimes scratch my head and shake my head, wondering where their way of working comes from?
But it is their job, based on a TH education, also in a TH bank. I don't know if they are 'hiso' young people, but I can see that they want to make something of it. Of their future.
I also see how a nephew of my wife (23 yrs) and his girlfriend (20 yrs) work hard together, 6 days a week, long hours every day, both without a bachelor's degree, save, and make plans for the future. They earn good money, work at a beauty clinic, and have been using an internet shop for a year now. They have been to Korea twice to take a vacation and to order products. And don't think they worked with a business plan. No, just go by feeling and luck. But yes, a university education would not have given them an extra push! However?
It's a good thing they live in TH and do what the TH do, like the Romans in Rome.
Just let the 'hiso' remain the owner, no cheese is eaten by management, they will look on their noses if losses play tricks on them. Although they will deny it, after all, who violates his nose, violates ……! Very link in TH as you know.
What I'm curious about, and maybe you can provide information about it someday (because I'm in those circles): what do the parents of those 'hiso' youths actually think of their children's behavior? Will these parents continue to be willing to finance their youthful hedonism, and will they adjust them after all? I once read a comment from you that 'hiso' young people are not interested in a master's degree in any case, because it already earns them less in salary than the monthly pocket money they receive. And to what extent is there a realization within those 'hiso' circles that a “non-confronting attitude” is disastrous for the further development of their young people later on to have a leading role in TH society? Looking forward to an exposé in this one, thanks in advance!
May I just point out that Chris and Soi 0's comments, interesting as they are, have nothing to do with the subject?
The article is about unwanted pregnancies among Thai teenagers, which has reached an alarming level. Three times more than the average of all landers in the world.
The article argues that it is due to a lack of information. Further research into whether the pregnant mothers belong to the “hi-so” or “lo-so” group would be interesting, but I personally think that the distribution will be almost equal.
Some cynical thoughts.
Could it be that the phenomenon of unwanted pregnancy is something like generational poverty?
If so, then preventive action can be taken. Do you have to overcome prudishness and pride? Like sex education can be a bit taboo, break this.
Step out of the tight school uniform, and break sacred cows.
Or are the unwanted pregnancies and premature deaths purely the result of 'mai pen rai / bor pen yang' mentality? First the fun and enjoyment, tomorrow we'll see again. It's like wearing a helmet on a moped, mandatory and life-saving, but that doesn't look good and oh woe to her. Today is the lucky day, nothing happens anyway so leave the thing at home.
Think before you leap, think long term.
Could the phenomenon also be the result of soap operas on TV? Which should be a reflection of what is currently happening in society. Like looking beautiful, having the latest pat phone and being the hottest on virtual networks and in games. Life isn't real. Getting pregnant, that's not possible via Facebook, and if it is, game over. You delete your profile and create a new one…
So back to reality.
Thanks to Kuhn Meechai's policy of fighting AIDS and HIV, condoms have been widely available (ie in the 7Eleven) in Thailand (ie, in the 7Eleven) for decades (and you can buy them without genes), unlike in other Asian countries. I'm not sure but I think the HISO youth have more money to buy and use this product. In XNUMX years of teaching at the university, I have never seen a student pregnant. And my English colleague who understands Thai well (but the students don't know that) tells me that students regularly talk to each other about their sexual behavior and are also active in that area.
Indeed Chris, Meechai and UNAIDS did a good job here.
But don't think it's just about money. There are many projects where information is provided and free condoms are distributed. Not only in the environment of the sex workers, but also in schools and extracurricular activities.
The parameters for condom use seem to be origin, upbringing and level of education. Which is the case in many countries. Research confirms this.
And not to forget the perception; macho behavior and emancipation. It is a great responsibility as a boy to use the condom, as a girl to demand it. Think this is also an important fact in Thailand.