Pictures courtesy of Naewna

 

The government has intensified efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy by uniting three key organisations to strengthen local-level mechanisms nationwide. The initiative was marked by the official handover of eight operational manuals designed to guide frontline agencies and provincial bodies in preventing and addressing teenage pregnancy. The move aims to reinforce coordinated action at community level and support long-term reductions in teenage birth rates.

 

The announcement was made on Sunday, 21 December 2025, during an academic conference chaired by Public Health Minister Phatthana Phromphat. The event, titled the knowledge exchange and handover conference for strengthening national teenage pregnancy prevention, was jointly organised by the Medical Women’s Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), and the Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Health.

 

Teenage pregnancy has been recognised as a persistent challenge affecting health, education, economic stability, and broader social outcomes in Thailand. The policy framework guiding this work is the Prevention and Solution of the Adolescent Pregnancy Problem Act B.E. 2559 (2016), which requires cooperation across six core ministries. Implementation is driven at provincial level through subcommittees responsible for coordinating prevention and response efforts.

 

Department of Health Director-General Dr Amporn Benjapolpitak stated that integrated provincial action is essential to translating legislation into measurable outcomes. As secretariat to the national committee on teenage pregnancy prevention, the Department of Health pledged continued support to expand proven approaches and promote sustainable improvements for Thai youth.

 

ThaiHealth Deputy Chief Executive Dr Pairoj Saenuam noted that ThaiHealth has supported teenage pregnancy prevention since 2011 by funding policy development and integrated working models. These efforts have contributed to a national decline in teenage birth rates, although challenges remain in achieving the target of no more than 15 live births per 1,000 females aged 15–19 by 2027. ThaiHealth therefore supported the Medical Women’s Association to implement a strengthening project in 10 provinces with the highest teenage birth rates.

 

Medical Women’s Association President Dr Mayura Kusump emphasised the association’s long-standing work on sexuality education and life skills. She said collaboration with provincial authorities and partner networks had created effective models that were scaled up across the 10 target provinces to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve educational and life opportunities.

 

Project Chair Dr Somsiri Sakolsattayatorn reported that the project produced key tools, including operational manuals for frontline agencies, a monthly surveillance reporting system, and a Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) mechanism. Over 30 months, all target provinces recorded reductions in live births among females aged 15–19, with four provinces leaving the national top ten for teenage birth rates.

 

Naewna reported that the project’s outputs and knowledge have now been formally submitted to the national committee to support nationwide expansion. Provincial governors, STAG teams, partner networks, and the Minister of Public Health were acknowledged for their role in sustaining momentum.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Three organisations collaborated to deliver eight operational manuals to strengthen local teenage pregnancy prevention.

• Live birth rates among females aged 15–19 declined in all 10 target provinces over 30 months.

• Four provinces dropped out of Thailand’s top ten areas for teenage birth rates.

 

 

 Adapted  by  Asean Now from Naewna 2025-12-22

 

 

First start with a decent sexual education, but as Thais are too shy to talk about it in schools it will never happen. And kids are curious and they are going to experiment with pregnancies as a result... Just because a lack of education. When it was World Aids Day I always had a lesson to teach about AIDS and HIV in the classroom. In the beginning of the lesson the students were very uncomfortable, but after 15 minutes it was always the best lesson I had. Everybody was participating and lots of questions were asked. 

 

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG)

OMG, Hilarious! Typical Thai bureaucratic garbage. Humans do what they’ve always done, we will not stop kids shagging. Educate on safety and give out free condoms. That is it.

Thailand has the second highest rate of teen pregnancy after the US. Private, discreet sex ed in schools and free rubbers in both buys and girls toilets would help.

 

The trouble with sex ed in classrooms is not shyness. It's about peer pressure. We all know Thais are not educated to question. Small group, single gender, maybe not even during school hours, would get popular I think. If she can put it on a cucumber, she can put it on a willy.

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

among females aged 15–19,

what about those aged 12-15,   better not to draw attention to that eh?

9 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

free rubbers in both buys and girls toilets would help.

so would a mattress,  let them be safe  and  comfortable

Thai boys won't wear helmets of any description...

And next week there will be (yet another) article decrying the declining birth rates and how the country needs to be flooded with Africans to keep the wheels turning.  The solution is always the same: discourage the locals from breeding and bring in a substandard replacement stock who will happily accept a much lower standard of living. 

 

Girls get pregnant between 15 and 19 because that's what nature intends to happen. Peak fertility, peak physical attractiveness and enough energy to keep up with young ones. Somehow geriatric pregnancy has become normalised, which is unnatural. Old hags aren't meant to give birth, that's why it takes kilos of fertility drugs to make it happen and the outcomes are often sub optimal.  One rarely reads about a young woman giving birth to a defective baby. Old hags on the other hand....autism, downs syndrome, auto immune diseases.  A boon for big pharma and big medicine. 

 

How was that for a crazy rant?  Can't help it as I was born to an old hag. 

3 minutes ago, hotelbri said:

Thai boys won't wear helmets of any description...

 

Let some stupid old farang on a pension pay for their fun. 

17 minutes ago, hotelbri said:

Thai boys won't wear helmets of any description...

That is why HIV infection rates are so high here.
Keep up the good work, I would say. Those who refuse to listen must learn the hard way.

 

From what I've seen, teenage pregnancy in Thailand isn't always the disaster it can be in western society. Often, the newborn is handed to the grandparents (or other family members) to look after whilst the teenager continues with studies and into work. This happened with my wife's niece at age 16yrs.

 

1 hour ago, flaming dragon said:

How was that for a crazy rant?

Pretty much bang on mate, can't fault you today,   well said indeed

18 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

From what I've seen, teenage pregnancy in Thailand isn't always the disaster it can be in western society. Often, the newborn is handed to the grandparents (or other family members) to look after whilst the teenager continues with studies and into work. This happened with my wife's niece at age 16yrs.

 

It is a disaster whatever spin you put on it.  And the saddest part is its totally avoidable.

Generally the kid is dumped ( not handed) to some relation ( any will do) and the  mother is straight on the bus to Pattaya

5 hours ago, Tubulat said:

That is why HIV infection rates are so high here.

Stats, please. I think Mechai's condom campaign was largely effective. To wit, Patpong was not blitzed. 

5 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

This happened with my wife's niece at age 16yrs.

Teens of both genders can't keep it in their pants.

17 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Stats, please. I think Mechai's condom campaign was largely effective. To wit, Patpong was not blitzed. 

I don't have them to hand, but you can look them up yourself and believe me, they are not positive.

I think one important step would be to have girls take a chastity pledge.

 

22 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I think one important step would be to have girls take a chastity pledge.

 

Please, no, anything but that!