Health minister challenged over young boys seen smoking weed in Pattaya

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, jvs said:

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

This is never, ever addressed in so many areas. In my native UK, much teenage crime, especially knifings, are committed overwhelmingly by black kids who have no father figure to guide them (and then there is uproar over police stop and searching mostly black kids); most of those shown on the news struggling to make ends meet are single mothers; and it even results in a lack of housing because, whereas families once lived in one house, they now need two. Yet no-one I've seen or read about is tackling why so many families break up. I guess it's due to a lack of tolerance seen everywhere in society now, reflected so obviously on social media. And no-one is seeking ways to reverse it. 

[steven100]

what did you expect would happen when you legalized cannabis. ?  

  it's not rocket science   !

 

 

 

[johnc925]

Pot isn't a drug... thanks to Nixom, it was classified as one. I do think it's too loosely available to kids. Age laws and dispensing should be handled more responsibly, IMHO 

[Aussieroaming]

Anutin probably sold those kids an ounce of his best weed and threw in a bong for free.

[wealthychef]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

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

And this is the real story.  If the kids were playing with knives and one got hurt, would you make knives illegal?  Is the only way to keep something out of the hands of children really to make it illegal for everyone in the nation?  

Side note:  making a drug illegal to protect children is the reason we have bath salts circulating around the world.  Go look it up.  Do you want your kids doing bath salts?  No?  Then stop being an idiot. 

[jvs]

24 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

This is never, ever addressed in so many areas. In my native UK, much teenage crime, especially knifings, are committed overwhelmingly by black kids who have no father figure to guide them (and then there is uproar over police stop and searching mostly black kids); most of those shown on the news struggling to make ends meet are single mothers; and it even results in a lack of housing because, whereas families once lived in one house, they now need two. Yet no-one I've seen or read about is tackling why so many families break up. I guess it's due to a lack of tolerance seen everywhere in society now, reflected so obviously on social media. And no-one is seeking ways to reverse it. 

I also believe this is the source of many problems in todays society.

It also goes so deep that no one is even attempting to tackle this problem.

I think it all started with the feminism movement but it is very off topic and i probably already said too much.

Problems galore.

[Classic Ray]

This is not a Health Dept issue, supplying cannabis to minors was already an offence, and still is despite recent relaxations. 
 

Responsibility to deal with this issue is firmly with the parents, in their absence the social/welfare services, and enforcement action by the police on the supplier and taking the children into care.

[Hummin]

1 hour 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 ?  

I say weed should be taxed, controlled and sold on specific outlets as alchohol should be. But practical impossible in Thailand without strict regulation and strict laws that ties up to much resources. 
 

The real problem, to many people do not have any self control or dicipline to restrict themselves. 
 

Im ok people use and keep it for themselves, but this new age pot religion advocating pot as the solution to everything, I do not like. 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, jvs said:

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.

The ministers made it legal... they are ultimately responsible.

Parents if found guilty should be dealt with accordingly.

[Sametboy2019]

Because if its not legal then a 25 yr old couldnt supply weed to homeless 10 and 11 yr olds right?????

[Skallywag]

The cheap Thai brick weed has been around forever.  Very weak and does not last long.

 

The article seems staged to me as well. 

If we cannot see the "cannabis" or see smoke coming out of the youngsters mouth, then How do we know they smoked it????   

 

Too many people really will believe anything they read on the internet or what people tell them.  

[jvs]

16 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The ministers made it legal... they are ultimately responsible.

Parents if found guilty should be dealt with accordingly.

So in that mindset,who is responsible for use of illegal drugs?

The Thai government is not really accepting much responsibility for anything.

How often has a minister stepped down because of a major failure on his/her part?

I think the parents are firstly responsible for anything a child eats or drinks.If there are no parents then all bets are off over here.

 

[hotchilli]

6 minutes ago, jvs said:

I think the parents are firstly responsible for anything a child eats or drinks.If there are no parents then all bets are off over here.

The law, parents and ministers are all jointly responsible..

Legalising ganja was a big mistake in Thailand.

[sambum]

2 hours 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! Ultimately it is his responsibility, and if he is not chasing the cops up to do their job, then he is not doing HIS job. The kids are blatantly flouting the law by not wearing helmets, apart from as you say, they are not  of the legal age to ride a motorbike, and hence it stands to reason that they will not have a licence. So why do the cops let them away with it? Because they don't have enough "pocket money" to pay the "tea money" (fines) So why don't they impound the bikes? Because the bikes probably don't belong to the kids anyway - probably their parents, and they will say they didn't know the kids were using the bikes, so they can not be held responsible for their kids doing something illegal if they don't know about it, right?

 

And most people know the reason that Anutin pushed the latest "Mary Jane" laws through without due consideration of the implications!!!

 

[Lazybones]

They say they have no parents but then one says "it's ok, my dads in the military"?

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

5 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. 

These concerned officials only have to come to my village at 2 am, or nearly any other village in Issan, to see young boys screaming up and down the road on their motorbikes, smashing or stealing things from front yards, totally tuned up on yaba. I'd like to know where all the outrage is about that.

[Mr Meeseeks]

To get them off the street we should all chip in to get them a modified motor-scooter so they can start street racing with the rest of the kids at their age group. 

[JimboB4]

You people are stupid. It’s been legalized and guess what,,, the opposition can’t have their friends in the media write their way backwards. And there are no harmful effects.  You are spreading misinformation as you’ve been doing for years. 

[fuehrio]

8 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.

 

 

True, kids without parents are exposed to all bad things, illicit drugs or psychedelic chemicals such as glue sniffing, human trafficking, zero education and a very concerning future as an adult. The point here is not the bong. If kids would be given care and not be left alone in the streets, this wouldn't happen (in that age).

[Sydebolle]

I am certainly not a friend of the gentleman who hates dirty farang from alien lands but it remains a fact, that the health ministry is not in charge of upbringing and looking after children. Latter remains the responsibility of parents, guardians or anyone passing by. 
 

In good old Thai fashion, Banyat Jetanajan is grossly misusing this incident (and there are many others, I am pretty sure about that) for political reasons. Anutin is not an idiot and hence knows the truth about harmful effects of i.e. cannabis and, if asked, he would certainly confirm my assumption. 

It is like blaming transport minister Saksayan (also not my friend) for the death of a driver who got killed over not using a seat belt. While the driver chose not to use the belt, a child needs guidance, supervision as well as control - so if you blame someone it is the guardian, the bystander(s) as well as the person who took the photo.

Rather than putting the kid(s) straight (s)he opted to upload the picture on Facebook. Mysterious are the ways of the East! 

 

[jvs]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

Yes! Ultimately it is his responsibility, and if he is not chasing the cops up to do their job, then he is not doing HIS job. The kids are blatantly flouting the law by not wearing helmets, apart from as you say, they are not  of the legal age to ride a motorbike, and hence it stands to reason that they will not have a licence. So why do the cops let them away with it? Because they don't have enough "pocket money" to pay the "tea money" (fines) So why don't they impound the bikes? Because the bikes probably don't belong to the kids anyway - probably their parents, and they will say they didn't know the kids were using the bikes, so they can not be held responsible for their kids doing something illegal if they don't know about it, right?

 

And most people know the reason that Anutin pushed the latest "Mary Jane" laws through without due consideration of the implications!!!

 

What are these complications in your opinion please?

[SOTIRIOS]

Question:

 

...Do Those Clothes Look Brand New......(?)

[Barnet1900]

Where do you start on neglect in Thailand regarding kids.

 

No helmets on kids on the front of motorbikes.

Snacks sold in schools filled with sugar, salt and MSG.

Kids running around busy streets while the parents play on their phones.

How many kids die in minibuses each year when the useless, lazy driver doesn't bother checking inside before locking up?

Could go on and on and on. 

 

The cause, problem and fault lies with the parenting, government, and education system.

[alex8912]

5 hours 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.

Families smoke pot together all over planet earth   This is not what you are understanding 

[alex8912]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

what did you expect would happen when you legalized cannabis. ?  

  it's not rocket science   !

 

 

 

Do you really think 10 year old Thais did NOT smoke weed before June 2022? Can you answer this question? 

[Lucky Bones]

The Health Minister is indeed challenged.????????

[steven100]

12 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Do you really think 10 year old Thais did NOT smoke weed before June 2022? Can you answer this question? 

doesn't make it right ......  now it means they can access it much easier.

It really is a sad world when you have 9yr old pot heads running around.  Common sense has been eroded.

[alex8912]

45 minutes ago, steven100 said:

doesn't make it right ......  now it means they can access it much easier.

It really is a sad world when you have 9yr old pot heads running around.  Common sense has been eroded.

You think no 10 years olds in the 70's, 80's, 90's etc ever smoked? You think these kids never had access to it before June 2022?  Smoking pot also doesn't label you as " pot head" either. They are not buying it at 700 baht a gram either. They are not " running around " smoking it. Where the heck did you get ALL this misinformation from?  It's all in your head or you believe some of these silly threads for some reason. Where is your common sense? One picture and article on line does not define what is the truth. 

[Spock]

8 hours 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.

You lost me at 'Dont get me wrong I enjoy a beer or two'.

[Spock]

Back in the 90s when I lived in Thailand, lots of young street kids used heroin, injected and smoked. Two kids are caught smoking cannabis and some react like it's all the rage among Thailand's children. Looking at the photo, my major concern is for the boys' little dog. I hoped it wasn't just left to fend for itself when the cops took the boys to the children's home (from where they are sure to escape once they realise how poorly resourced these places are in Thailand).