‘Model mums’ offer hope to Thailand’s 1 million teenage mothers

By THE NATION

 

Nattaya Boonpakdee

 

A pilot project has been launched in six provinces to help Thailand’s more than 1 million teenage mothers.

 

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) said it launched the “Model Teenage Mums” programme to reduce the pressures on young mothers and families.

 

These include a lack of income and access to education, and domestic violence, said Nattaya Boonpakdee, director ThaiHealth’s Healthy Child, Youth, and Family Promotion section.

 

She said that a recent survey of teenage mothers found that 62.8 per cent had no job or income, 43.6 per cent were facing domestic problems including violence, and 31.4 per cent had no knowledge of how to raise children.

 

Nattaya explained that ThaiHealth had partnered with Mahidol University and the Women's Health Advocacy Foundation to pilot the “Model Teenage Mums” in sub-districts of Chiang Mai, Chainat, Sing Buri, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok and Songkhla. The programme will teach the teenagers about child-raising and train them up as models for other teenage mothers, offering them guidance.

 

More than 70,000 teenagers aged 15 to 19 gave birth in 2018 alone, according to Department of Health figures. Meanwhile, concern is growing that the current lockdown period will bring a rise in unwanted teenage pregnancies. Abortion remains illegal in Thailand. 

 

The programme will select teenage mums for instruction and then allow them to help their peers in local communities, explained Assistant Professor Kanokwan Tharawan, a lecturer at Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research.

 

“The [model teenage] mums will be monitored and supported so they improve,” she said, adding that so far 18 teenage mothers had been trained up under the programme.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390607

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-01

 

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And here was me thinking from the headline that the teenage mums would be given plastic babies to help them with feeding and changing!   PML

25 minutes ago, stouricks said:

And here was me thinking from the headline that the teenage mums would be given plastic babies to help them with feeding and changing!   PML

No problem !  Grandma  has all the experience and wisdom  required  !

I have been  wondering if there will be  a baby boom  as a result  of  the  lockdown.

I thought from the headline they were going to be trained as models. Impressive statistics, so far 18 out of potentially 70,000.  

Teen mums in 2020. Unwanted pregnancy. Maybe it's time to change the educational system and to explain the little, colorful boxes at 7/11

3 minutes ago, Deli said:

Teen mums in 2020. Unwanted pregnancy. Maybe it's time to change the educational system and to explain the little, colorful boxes at 7/11

Chewing gum ?

I think they have organised sex parties around here.  Given that no teenage boy or girl are willing to work on the family farm there is no reason for them by a dozen or more on scooters to be heading out into farmland late in the afternoon where the only places to visit are old houses uninhabited since long ago.  Of course I could be wrong.  Maybe their teacher has requested a survey of the local bat population...on a weekly basis.  ????

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

She said that a recent survey of teenage mothers found that 62.8 per cent had no job or income, 43.6 per cent were facing domestic problems including violence, and 31.4 per cent had no knowledge of how to raise children.

It might be better to teach them how to use a condom !!!!

16 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

No problem !  Grandma  has all the experience and wisdom  required  !

I have been  wondering if there will be  a baby boom  as a result  of  the  lockdown.

What you think there will be many grandma's pregnant ?

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by Almer
Punctuation

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

These include a lack of income and access to education, and domestic violence, said Nattaya Boonpakdee, director ThaiHealth’s Healthy Child, Youth, and Family Promotion section.

That  paints  a  pretty  grim  picture.

Says a lot about Thai education and its care of its greatest asset - the young....

2 hours ago, Almer said:

What you think there will be many grandma's pregnant ?

possible - as some are only in their 30's  .....

3 hours ago, Almer said:

What you think there will be many grandma's pregnant ?

Too many babies get off handed to Grandma is my meaning. Sometimes  repeatedly !

How about making the Thai men that sired the children responsible for the $. 

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) said it launched the “Model Teenage Mums” programme to reduce the pressures on young mothers and families.

 

Bit bloody late, why not launch Model teenage birth control?

No way will anybody stop teenagers having sex, but teach them birth control, that would certainly reduce pressure on families.

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Bit bloody late, why not launch Model teenage birth control?

No way will anybody stop teenagers having sex, but teach them birth control, that would certainly reduce pressure on families.

That's "dirty" talk, and not allowed. 

Yeah sorry maybe it's me, but after reading the title, I thought it was about a beauty pageant