Porn, Teen Sex And Gambling On The Rise

[george]

Porn, teen sex and gambling on the rise

But there's less smoking and drinking, recent surveys find

BANGKOK: -- Young children and teenagers drink and smoke less but are more occupied in viewing pornography and gambling than a year ago, according to the latest research.

The Child Watch 2005-2006 study, sponsored by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF), conducted on primary, high school and teenaged university students, also found fewer suicide attempts and more students continuing on to higher education.

The respondents also reported skipping classes less as well as taking fewer part-time jobs.

Compared to the previous annual study, pornographic media consumption, gambling, premature sex and teen pregnancies all increased among high-school and university students, Child Watch's research chief Amornwich Nakornthap said last week.

Besides these risks, other research projects conducted by the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) and National Health Foundation (NHF) show that more youths are addicted to junk food - and more are experiencing direct and indirect forms of school violence.

Amornwich said the viewing of porn on VCD, DVD, video and websites among high-school students had risen from 39 per cent to 41 per cent of the respondents.

For teen university students, the incidence has risen from 30 per cent to 33 per cent.

As for gambling, mainly on soccer and lotteries, the incidence among high-school students has risen from 17 per cent to 33 per cent while the figure for university students is 24 per cent in 2006, up from 20 per cent the previous year.

Primary-school students and teens are spending up to six or seven hours a day engrossed in their mobile phones, TVs, computers and other electronic gadgets.

The breakdown shows that on average they spend one hour daily chatting on the phone, another hour on the Net and e-mail, two hours listening to music from MP3 and CD players and watching movies on CDs and VCDs, and the rest playing computer games.

Some of the media content tends to be sexually oriented and violent. For example, films and TV soap operas often carry implicit sexual and violent messages.

"About 30 per cent of the children surveyed said they were into porn, while about 70 per cent said they enjoyed watching violent films," Amornwich said.

Sombat Tapanya, who led a separate NHF investigation of violence in schools, said 68.6 per cent of students from the fourth to ninth grades nationwide faced more abuse directly or indirectly while they are at school.

Violence comes in the form of physical, verbal and mental threats from schoolmates or seniors or their teachers.

"The most common form is mocking and insulting the students' ethnic background, which could lead to further violence among the youngsters," Sombat said.

Even nursery students are targets, with new risks stemming from dairy and other food companies as well as pharmaceutical firms and those supplying child development products.

"Misleading information leads to unnecessary consumption or over-consumption of some products, which could harm children's health in the long run," said Ladda Moasuwan, who led another study sponsored by the HSRI.

Most parents believe nurseries are safe places for kids, so they readily follow suggestions from these places, she said.

Apinya Vejjayachai, a TRF researcher, said authorities needed to take more action against the worrying trends among young children and teenagers.

For instance, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry recently shut down 15,000 porn and improper sex-related websites, while asking the public to help monitor inappropriate pages on the Net.

The Interior Ministry's Community Development Department recently started a specific database on children and youths - the country's first - in a pilot project implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Children's Fund.

-- The Nation 2007-01-14

[kayo]

This trend (increased porn/gambling DECREASED smoking & alcohol) is the trend in most of the countries I know from the americas to europe to the middle east. In a few months i may add Inda to that list too.

IMHO,

Personally I smoke and drink, and never got into the driving thing. What a vice that must be.

more porn? Internet, and increased VDO Filming capabilites than ten/20 years ago for the producers of porn (high school students can film some bland movie these days) AND websites of the Internet 2.0 generation providing venues to watch these.

Less smoking/drinking is a worldwide result of endless campaigning.Even in the west, it is no longer cool to smoke. it is no longer cool to drink if you are going to be driving.

More gambling... Dunno. Maybe cos nobody drinks anymore? Hence they probably are sober enough to not be on the verge of passing out at some stage.

Edited January 13, 2007 by george

[John K]

Premature sex / university? Who are these people??????

[Galong]

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

I don't know if this is really a root cause for the way some (most?) teens are turning out... hmmmm.

[Mason45]

Actually there's real no role models for the promiscuos behaviour of adolences in Thailand. A survey carried out last year showed that 73% of politicians had at least one mia noi and my wife assures me a very large percentage of Thai guys prefer watching porn rather than engaging in foreplay prior to sex. So there goes the main role models, politicians and parents, who can these young kids go to for some guidance.

[sensei]

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

I don't know if this is really a root cause for the way some (most?) teens are turning out... hmmmm.

I think you have a valid point

Teens are at a very impressionable stage of their lives

If they see the "cool" guys and gals doing on TV,

It sends a signal to them that it is OK to do such things.

[clevenp]

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

I don't know if this is really a root cause for the way some (most?) teens are turning out... hmmmm.

I cannot agree more with you

I find it very disturbing to see violence at children prime time periods, women beating, and all the other things in the soaps ... it is certainly showing a roll model for the Thai kids ... even worse ... the whole idea of gigs, multiple girlfriends and this kind of stuff seems to be promoted by the soaps and is getting baked in into these already vulnerable kids/youngsters ...

and about money ... everything in the television is geared to marketing ... BUY ME BUY ME and the more expensive the more face ... no wonder the rate of suicide is going up in Thailand as the roll model cannot be achieved for 95% of the population ... a BMW 4wheel (5 000 000 baht), a house with swimming pool and 5 rai of land in the middle of BKK (30 000 000 baht) ... etc

I really don't know where this is going but for sure the winners will be the ones again with the money accumulating even more money

my 2 cents

[gentman]

Talking about teen sex..u should read this...

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...&sec=nation

[pampal]

Less smoking and drinking is a good trend to see, but the sedentary lifestyle of video games/internet has detrimental effects on children's health. Obesity/Diabetes are just two of many problems that will plague the new digital generation.

[drenoi]

More porn, teen sex & gambling = Westernization?

[boes]

Yes - who are these people ? Hypocrites !

"Premature sex among highschool- and university students"

Do they expect the Thai youth to be different from other youths across the world ?

We are more and more getting a picture of a "want to be" puritan country.

"Decent, wealthy tourists wanted - prostitution prohibited - gambling prohibited - pornsites blocked - a.s.o. - this list is long.

[tectronic]

this report just says that Thailand is like every other country. Report has no value at all.

[songchai]

This world is really small, We can not stop any up coming sexual behavior in Thai youth. Just let's it go

[deathmetalxxx]

More porn, teen sex & gambling = Westernization?

what? but PORN, SEX, and GAMBLING = THAILAND

[just plain different]

Is this good news or bad? More porn and video games and chatting on cell phones = no real big deal. Less drinking, smoking = substantive improvement. "fewer suicide attempts and more students continuing on to higher education" = a big improvement.

The bad things here--porn, video games, chatting on cell phones--are really just time wasters and entertainment, but nothing really pernicious. Sounds like the Thais are opting for softer forms of distraction.

As for the junk food. More small potatos.

The violence isn't good, but it sounded like it was mostly ethnic slurs which the author was conflating a bit to the same hyperbolic level as physical violence.

[nyles]

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

I don't know if this is really a root cause for the way some (most?) teens are turning out... hmmmm.

I cannot agree more with you

I find it very disturbing to see violence at children prime time periods, women beating, and all the other things in the soaps ... it is certainly showing a roll model for the Thai kids ... even worse ... the whole idea of gigs, multiple girlfriends and this kind of stuff seems to be promoted by the soaps and is getting baked in into these already vulnerable kids/youngsters ...

and about money ... everything in the television is geared to marketing ... BUY ME BUY ME and the more expensive the more face ... no wonder the rate of suicide is going up in Thailand as the roll model cannot be achieved for 95% of the population ... a BMW 4wheel (5 000 000 baht), a house with swimming pool and 5 rai of land in the middle of BKK (30 000 000 baht) ... etc

I really don't know where this is going but for sure the winners will be the ones again with the money accumulating even more money

my 2 cents

ha ha - 5 rai of land in the middle of BKK would cost you at least 100 million bath and probably a lot more.

[Foggy Bottom]

The report (as reported) is a little light on substance and a bit high on generalisation

e.g. what was the sample size, where was the sample - geographically AND demographically - if it was conducted in the north, then the racial slurs are a major trouble-pot brewing given the huge mix of racial origins up here and the general distrust / dislike of wannabe-HiSo central Thais. But if it was conducted only in Bangkok and surrounds, then it could have economic impacts as most "sub-race" kids were likely to be luk-krung and expats kids.

The pornography issue is really a double-edged sword - traditionalists will state it is an erosion of the traditional moral codes upon which Thailand is built, and a corruption of the innocence of youth (watch out for more clamp-downs) whilst liberalists will claim it is replacing the underdeveloped sex-education system that should be in place in High Schools for Matayom 4. 5. & 6 students (as it is in the UK at least (or was 30-ish years ago)). With American produced porn having compulsory condom wearing featuring more frequently, this may be a good thing for developing countries like Thailand, where it may lead to more "acceptability of the practice and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

I'm all for the reduction of the growth of "new" smokers, even though I smoke and connot for the life of me manage to quit - the effects I now suffer in middle-age, I would not wish on the young. As for drinking - where are the responsible adults and older siblings in all this, they should be teaching the teenagers about sensible drinking as I was lucky enough to have done for me.

Overall, the greatest problem about these "vices" being visible to the early-teens must rest with the Thai governmental and business community - if the former was to enforce the zoning laws that DO exist in Thailand, and the latter were to obey them, then all the "influence" businesses could be safely clumped together away from the inquisitive eyes of the young and with less exposure would be less temptation to experiment.

The TV companies and the parents have a role to play regarding viewing choice. The primary factor being that Thai parents do not instill enough discipline into the very young Thai kids. Is it really correct for a 3-5 year old to be running round or watching TV until 10pm or later? In my youth, such kids were in bed immediately after the BBC aired Magic Roundabout at 5-45pm, and pre-teens in bed before the 9 oclock news. From that come the UK broadcasting industry's "9pm watershed" after which it is deemed acceptable to air programs of more adult oriented content - violence, sex, invasive medical documentaries etc. The cable / sattelite TV generation has lost that cut off because of how those companies rotate programming, and the terrestrial companies are following suit in order to capture viewers, and thus advertisers.

All of this is the results of an evolving society and culture. In many ways it is "Som Nam Na" - you wanted the benefits of westernisation and did not want the effort of managing the side effects, now you are paying the price of that laziness - you had visibility of what it had done to the west before you began westernising, and you were too thoughtless (or too arrogant) to think it could happen here despite the warnings from westerners, which you ignored.

Som nam na, mai pen rai, arai geh dai

Gaz

Edited January 14, 2007 by Gaz Chiangmai

[BigSnake]

My Humble opinion it isn't on the rise, just that the power that be has started to count again. Sex and gambling are two evils that has been around a lone lone times and will be here when we are dead and gone, must try to keep it check during our time. Let's give a good shot at education the young people(teens in general) about the dangers of unprotected sex and any kind of gambing.

Edited January 14, 2007 by BigSnake

[yoshiwara]

Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]

[Donnyboy]

Talking about teen sex..u should read this...

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...&sec=nation

pity they didnt have this competition when I was at school what the hel_l are these kids doing??

[Dupont]

Overall, the greatest problem about these "vices" being visible to the early-teens must rest with the Thai governmental and business community - if the former was to enforce the zoning laws that DO exist in Thailand, and the latter were to obey them, then all the "influence" businesses could be safely clumped together away from the inquisitive eyes of the young and with less exposure would be less temptation to experiment.

The TV companies and the parents have a role to play regarding viewing choice. The primary factor being that Thai parents do not instill enough discipline into the very young Thai kids. Is it really correct for a 3-5 year old to be running round or watching TV until 10pm or later? In my youth, such kids were in bed immediately after the BBC aired Magic Roundabout at 5-45pm, and pre-teens in bed before the 9 oclock news. From that come the UK broadcasting industry's "9pm watershed" after which it is deemed acceptable to air programs of more adult oriented content - violence, sex, invasive medical documentaries etc. The cable / sattelite TV generation has lost that cut off because of how those companies rotate programming, and the terrestrial companies are following suit in order to capture viewers, and thus advertisers.

Som nam na, mai pen rai, arai geh dai

Gaz

Well said Gaz, an excellent post. The Thai run Massage parlours for Thai's only that are in school and educational areas are intentional. They attract poor university students in to earn extra money. It's no accident. The one on Rachadaphisek that caused the fuss was the only building you could see as you crossed the footbridge from the university accross the road. It was right up against it and impossible to avoid seeing every day.

Also, many Westerners are totally ignorant of the fact that brothels, massage parlours etc are used far more (in percentage terms and actual numbers) by thais than westerners. Most of the bar scene is designed to extract money, lady drinks and fines etc. Am sure that after a full day and night drinking, little sex goes on!

Thai TV. Whats left to say? I watched two school girls fighting and bitching at each other the other night as an old man perved on (other than me!) to what sounded like the wombles theme tune played with one finger. Same shit every night, ghost films, two families at war in the garden dramas, three stooges comedy, cartoons, girl group pop music. The news pops up for the odd minute here and there.

I saw a childrens programm a few years ago there a vampire rabbit (man in costume) bit the ear off a man. The program continued which involved children whilst this man rolled about in the background screaming and loosing pints of blood. Apart from the rabit and the man, all the cast were young (less than 10 years old) children and it went out about 5pm.

I just hope that out Ministries of Culture in the west are blocking this bilge, as Thai culture now is in an advance state of decay and more likely to adversly affect western culture than the other way round!

Edited January 14, 2007 by Dupont

[hardy1943]

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

Some US TV Channels are really bad but you also have very many educational channels which are unbiased and

very good, the choice is up to the viewer, and of course most countries carry the JERRY SPRINGER SHOW

as an example of US TV which is not their normal programs. Having said that.

I have noticed on Thai TV the advertising of whitening cream which I find ridiculous and the black out if someone

smokes, but it is okay to punch your wife in the mouth and knock her teeth out that is not blacked out. CRAZY

[kmart]

Gambling has always been massive here. Thailand is always in denial about it, but a lot of Thais are degenerate gamblers and take billions out of the country every year to fritter away in casinos over the border.

Thai soaps are bloody awful, but having just returned from holiday in the UK; I can safely say that our equivalent dramas are just as crap. The UK has the biggest teen pregnancy problem of any EU country just now. Maybe shagging beats having to watch <deleted> on the box? Or at least watch a decent porn dvd.

As for teen sex here, I don't think Thailand has ever had any sex education programmes in schools ever? But a lot of girls of my acquaintance seem to be happily quite proficient in this area, so no worries.

Edited January 14, 2007 by kmart

[skorchio]

Talking about teen sex..u should read this...

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...&sec=nation

wow, how come that never happened in my school??

[Nemo.]

Yes - who are these people ? Hypocrites !

"Premature sex among highschool- and university students"

Do they expect the Thai youth to be different from other youths across the world ?

We are more and more getting a picture of a "want to be" puritan country.

"Decent, wealthy tourists wanted - prostitution prohibited - gambling prohibited - pornsites blocked - a.s.o. - this list is long.

It's obvious. It's all the farangs here influencing Thai youth. The biggest problems are in Bangkok where the highest concentration of farangs are. Hence ban farangs. Problem solved!

After the farangs are gone all the bars and brothels can be closed as no more customers. Teenagers will only have sex when married and get up to pray at 5am everyday. Thailand will become a paradise on Earth.........

[Nemo.]

Gambling has always been massive here. Thailand is always in denial about it, but a lot of Thais are degenerate gamblers and take billions out of the country every year to fritter away in casinos over the border.

Thai soaps are bloody awful, but having just returned from holiday in the UK; I can safely say that our equivalent dramas are just as crap. The UK has the biggest teen pregnancy problem of any EU country just now. Maybe shagging beats having to watch <deleted> on the box? Or at least watch a decent porn dvd.

As for teen sex here, I don't think Thailand has ever had any sex education programmes in schools ever? But a lot of girls of my acquaintance seem to be happily quite proficient in this area, so no worries.

Can believe. Even underage girls are going rampant in KL. You see them in clubs wearingw what looks like bikinis. They like having the men fight over them as well. Most are from villages and just go wild! A friends ex had to keep coming to retrieve his step children (15 and 17) from bars wearing minis etc. Girls as young as 14 were hanging out looking for men (white guys etc).

In Singapore the stress of life/studying has led to uni entrance exam ages to indule in sex/drink/drug orgies. They just go wild.

Teenagers want to <deleted>. Nothing will stop them!

[Martin]

Apart from the words, like DVD, describing modern hardware, this report could date from when I was a teenager fifty-five years ago.

I have every faith that, somehow or other, the present generation of youngsters will blunder through life approximately as well, and/or badly, as mine did.

As a greatgrandfather, I look at the three younger generations and see so much repeating itself. Kids do a service to their parents by giving them something to worry about, at an age when they seem to have a congenital need to worry.

[Livinginexile]

Rubbish

This is just more scare mongering by the Junta to justify further cencership on the media in the near future.

They are slowly tightening their grip.

[SeanBangkok]

i am not a teen, but i enjoy all of these things very much.

HOWEVER

IT IS NOT OKAY FOR THESE STUDENTS TO ENJOY THESE THINGS.

[peter991]

I don't know about big cities and regional centres in Thailand, but in small villages (at least in Issan), porn movies are being watched, gambling (lucky numbers and cards) are an everyday event, drinking and smoking are rife. Teen sex is definitely not on the rise - most teenagers my partner and I have talked with are too shy (at least around the opposite sex).

Peter