Health minister challenged over young boys seen smoking weed in Pattaya

[webfact]

 

A Democrat MP has demanded accountability from Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul over an incident involving two young boys pictured smoking cannabis in Pattaya.

 

Dr. Banyat Jetanajan, an MP for Rayong Province, said today (Friday) that he will ask Anutin how he would feel if the boys, who were shown publically smoking cannabis in a bamboo pipe in a widely-shared Facebook post yesterday, had been his children.

 

He also said that he will ask all the senior doctors at the Ministry of Public Health whether they had told the public health minister the whole truth about the potentially harmful effects of cannabis.

 

The person who posted the image said he approached the two children, aged 9 or 10, to ask them where their parents were.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/health-minister-challenged-over-young-boys-seen-smoking-weed-in-pattaya/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-12-03

 

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[webfact]

Thai Public Health Minister says he was “setup” after kids spotted smoking pot on Pattaya Beach

 

 

The Thai Public Health Minister and the main proponent of marijuana decriminalization Anutin Charnvirakul said he was set up after a picture of 9-10-year-old kids smoking cannabis on Pattaya Beach went viral on Thai social media.

 

The picture of a group of young kids smoking cannabis from a bamboo bong made headlines today, December 2nd after it was posted on Facebook by a concerned citizen, 35- year-old Krittiwat Matrong, who walked by the group on Pattaya Beach.

 

The kids were 9 and 10 years old, according to Krittiwat, and they were homeless and had no parents. An unidentified 25-year-old man was with them, chopping cannabis and handing it over to the kids to conveniently smoke from a bamboo bong, Krittiwat stated.

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/12/02/thai-public-health-minister-says-he-was-setup-after-kids-spotted-smoking-pot-on-pattaya-beach/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-12-02

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

[jvs]

Very good that this incident is exposed but that is where it should end.

Young kids should not be using this but it is not their responsibility.

The 25 year old should have been arrested for providing this drug to the kids.

I have seen young children drinking alcohol in front of their parents.

All good for a laugh.

I am just wondering how many young kids are using other (illegal) drugs like yaba.

It is not the health ministers fault that people are using drugs,it is up to the parents or guardians and if none are available the responsible party

is the government.

This Democrat mp is also part of the government so he is also partly to blame.

This is not primary a drug problem but a broken family issue.

I think this incident is used as an excuse to blame Cannabis and its legality

but that is not what is the problem here.

Cannabis has been legal for about six months now and Thai society in general is doing just fine with it and none of the predictions about all the woes have come out.

Just another cheap political attack,if the Democratic mp wants to do something good he should find these kids and have them taking care off.

 

 

[ukrules]

The first thing that popped into my mind is that this story looks to me like a setup by the press or some opponent who then either sold or passed it onto the press.

 

That's how they do it in the west ????

Edited December 2, 2022 by ukrules

[HuskerDo2]

At age 9/10 I wonder how their lungs can handle any sort of smoke. I tried to smoke my mom's menthol cigarettes at age 16 and I was gagging. Giving kids pot at such a young age is reckless just like buying them liquor. All things considered, pot is a far better choice for anyone than liquor. Drunken fights happen all the time. You never hear about a pothead getting violent though.

[Gilligan In Drag]

Its like listening to three year olds arguing back and forth. "Nuh uh Anuuuutin! You did thaaaaat.

You made those boys smoke ganja! I'm gonna tell Prayuth on you!

Dey wez sittin ovo dair-oh not doin anyfing, but you was telling about ganja, alot

so they think you want them to do like that, uh huh! I'm a go tell right now!"

 

"I did not! You crazy! I'm a be the prime minister one day and kick your butt!"

[jcmj]

Better than sniffing glue or yaba. Unfortunately you can’t control everything kids do, but it starts at home and if they don’t have one then the officials should be fixing that problem first. 

[Scouse123]

Well said

2 hours ago, jvs said:

Very good that this incident is exposed but that is where it should end.

Young kids should not be using this but it is not their responsibility.

The 25 year old should have been arrested for providing this drug to the kids.

I have seen young children drinking alcohol in front of their parents.

All good for a laugh.

I am just wondering how many young kids are using other (illegal) drugs like yaba.

It is not the health ministers fault that people are using drugs,it is up to the parents or guardians and if none are available the responsible party

is the government.

This Democrat mp is also part of the government so he is also partly to blame.

This is not primary a drug problem but a broken family issue.

I think this incident is used as an excuse to blame Cannabis and its legality

but that is not what is the problem here.

Cannabis has been legal for about six months now and Thai society in general is doing just fine with it and none of the predictions about all the woes have come out.

Just another cheap political attack,if the Democratic mp wants to do something good he should find these kids and have them taking care off.

 

 

Well said

[Scouse123]

All of a sudden certain people are concerned about Thai kids when we know full well 99% of the time, they aren't interested if the kids are homeless, jobless, selling themselves to survive or  using Yaba, they don't give a damn.

 

But when there is a political point to be scored to advance their rotten corrupt causes, let's wheel a photo like this one out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Scouse123

[cdemundo]

Here are 9 and 10 year old boys living on the street with no parents and the big issue is that they are smoking ganja?

Let's treat the symptoms, maybe the cause will go away.

[ikke1959]

In several countries poor kids are also sniffing glue. It are the parents that have to take care and educate them and contol them if hey smoke or do other things. It is also the duty of the Government to prevent use of drugs by young people. But both parties fail in Thailand...

[tandor]

looks to me like a Political stunt at the expense of children's health. Disgusting.

[ftpjtm]

3 hours ago, jvs said:

It is not the health ministers fault that people are using drugs

He's got nothing to do with increased availability?

[ftpjtm]

3 hours ago, jvs said:

I am just wondering how many young kids are using other (illegal) drugs like yaba.

My guess is that due to lesser availability, illegal drug use among kids is lower 

[alex8912]

35 minutes ago, ftpjtm said:

My guess is that due to lesser availability, illegal drug use among kids is lower 

What unbelievable bubble do you exist in? 

[Hummin]

2 hours ago, jcmj said:

Better than sniffing glue or yaba. Unfortunately you can’t control everything kids do, but it starts at home and if they don’t have one then the officials should be fixing that problem first. 

The problem is their social enviroment or lack of it, and as you say, if it was not cheap pot, it would have been glue, lighter gas (butan) or gasolin or something simular. 
 

Im suprised someone did not claim they are not thai kids yet, but cambodian or Burma. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Hummin

[animatic]

The whole thing screamed Set-up / False flag operation. Do these anti-marijuana or anti-Anutin forces think people are really this gullible?

Some adult(s) with an agenda set this up to get the picture, these kids are just props.

But so very sad they would abuse these children for their political ends.

 

Certainly the adult providing it openly should have been arrested. But I really doubt he was the only one involved.  
 

It’s not the street legal status of marijuana that would allow access, it’s been available for decades. Only the political aspect of preventing Anutins possible rise to PM next election would prompt this despicable ‘Photo-Op’ to be staged.

Edited December 3, 2022 by animatic
Addendum

[ftpjtm]

6 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

What unbelievable bubble do you exist in? 

So you don't think that availability of a drug is a factor in prevalence of usage?

 

[peter zwart]

(In case it's not set up.) Maybe it has a positive side too. If it weren't for cannabis, the petty gangsters might have gotten Jaba.
 

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

All of a sudden certain people are concerned about Thai kids when we know full well 99% of the time, they aren't interested if the kids are homeless, jobless, selling themselves to survive or  using Yaba, they don't give a damn.

 

But when there is a political point to be scored to advance their rotten corrupt causes, let's wheel a photo like this one out.

Exactly.  No one says a thing about kids smoking cigarettes or riding four up on a motorbike.

 

"If it doesn't effect me, I don't care."

[smedly]

disturbing

[Train]

I'd be asking this MP what he has/is doing about the yaba problem that is plaguing youth society, or underage drinking that has been featured by the numerous arrests made during nightclub raids.   How about smoking cigarettes by our youth?  Just going for cheap brownie points.  Another upstanding politician indeed.

[ftpjtm]

11 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

No one says a thing about kids smoking cigarettes or riding four up on a motorbike.

For the record, I know many Thai adults who speak out against all of those things.

[RichardColeman]

Personally I think weed should be banned as before , BUT in actual defence of the minister and weed,  does this mean the transport minister should be  fired also for the same kids - and all kids here under 14 it seems - riding motorbikes illegally ?  

[alex8912]

37 minutes ago, ftpjtm said:

So you don't think that availability of a drug is a factor in prevalence of usage?

 

By this comment you are not understanding that especially when you are pre teen/young. Most of these  kids don't know what is even CONSIDERED legal or not. Opium , cocaine , yabaa, Tina,  ecstasy are not less available here than even alcohol!  For most pre teens alcohol is the hardest to get and even do in public.  In inner cities and rural areas as well in North America , Europe etc alcohol is also harder to get. Other drugs readily available. So that is why I think your thinking is def in a " bubble mentality " many find drugs to shoot up easier to get.  By your thinking alcohol is easy to get.  Yes if over 20 it's very accessible. Under 20 harder to get but available. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by alex8912

[kennw]

33 minutes ago, animatic said:

The whole thing screamed Set-up / False flag operation. Do these anti-marijuana or anti-Anutin forces think people are really this gullible?

Some adult(s) with an agenda set this up to get the picture, these kids are just props.

But so very sad they would abuse these children for their political ends.

 

Certainly the adult providing it openly should have been arrested. But I really doubt he was the only one involved.  
 

It’s not the street legal status of marijuana that would allow access, it’s been available for decades. Only the political aspect of preventing Anutins possible rise to PM next election would prompt this despicable ‘Photo-Op’ to be staged.

Without proof pot supporters are jumping on the excuse that this was a set up. Maybe they should just acknowledge pot is another drug that should not be encouraged like all drugs including alcohol. So this government places restrictions on the hours that alcohol can be sold why not do the same for pot. Dont get me wrong I enjoy a beer or two, but the whole pot thing smacks of tourism promotion and some behind the scene commercial benefit of certain connected individuals. Good luck with promoting Thailand as a great family holiday venue.

[ftpjtm]

17 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Personally I think weed should be banned as before , BUT in actual defence of the minister and weed,  does this mean the transport minister should be  fired also for the same kids - and all kids here under 14 it seems - riding motorbikes illegally ?  

Yes.

[ftpjtm]

11 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

By this comment you are not understanding that especially when you are pre teen/young. Most of these  kids don't know what is even CONSIDERED legal or not. Opium , cocaine , yabaa, Tina,  ecstasy are not less available here than even alcohol!  For most pre teens alcohol is the hardest to get and even do in public.  In inner cities and rural areas as well in North America , Europe etc alcohol is also harder to get. Other drugs readily available. So that is why I think your thinking is def in a " bubble mentality " many find drugs to shoot up easier to get.  By your thinking alcohol is easy to get.  Yes if over 20 it's very accessible. Under 20 harder to get but available. 

I guess it depends on the neighborhood. In my neighborhood alcohol is readily available in refrigerators and on kitchen shelves to kids. Yaba, cocaine, opium etc are much less available. Similar situation to my North American neighborhood as a youth. 

 

Apparently it's different where you live/lived. 

[kentrot]

The press ( & politicians) are good at finding an "Outlier"

that can make the whole program look bad.

 

For example - I would like to ask the government to outlaw CIGARETTES

because they are harming the health of our monkey's.

As proof I offer this photo !

 

[animatic]

8 minutes ago, kennw said:

Without proof pot supporters are jumping on the excuse that this was a set up. Maybe they should just acknowledge pot is another drug that should not be encouraged like all drugs including alcohol. So this government places restrictions on the hours that alcohol can be sold why not do the same for pot. Dont get me wrong I enjoy a beer or two, but the whole pot thing smacks of tourism promotion and some behind the scene commercial benefit of certain connected individuals. Good luck with promoting Thailand as a great family holiday venue.

Well CBD Oil and an occasional puff has significantly helped with a recovery from serious shoulder surgery and a long standing arthritis / spinal spondylosis issue.  Two beers and I start feeling ill and sleep badly. More serious problems in a practical sense from booze here. Not a good juxtaposition of drugs and legality IMHO.

 

If you are talking quality of life and family friendly tourism, I’d be happy pot was regulated but legal, and booze banned.

So I could not disagree with you more.