A study shows that many Thai children start drinking alcoholic beverages at the age of nine.

Rangsit University conducted a survey on youths and alcohol from July 1 to 31, 2009, involving 1,583 students between second and sixth grades.

43 per cent of the respondents said they had tried drinking alcoholic beverages. Many of them said their parents allowed them to try alcoholic drinks.

The average age at which Thais begin drinking was nine and the youngest age was seven, according to the survey

continued

-- Bangkok Post 06/09/09

The same as any were else in the world , The parents are responsible they should be punished ,

I recall asking a ex Thai grilfriend is she had ever had 'lao kow' before - 'only when I was at school' she responded.

"Begin drinking" could be quite misleading. It's not uncommon for parents to allow their kids a glass of wine, for example, with a meal or something which is nothing like a habit as the sensationalist headline suggests.

Having said that tough, 9 does seem a bit young still.

Wine ?

Yes, wine.

A popular beverage produced through the fermentation of red or white grapes. It can be found in homes, restaurants and places of entertainment worldwide and is often used to accompany a meal. You should try it some time churchill, watch out for the red variety though as it can result in a mighty hangover.

Edited September 6, 200916 yr by Moonrakers

The same as any were else in the world , The parents are responsible they should be punished ,

So did I. The old boy used to get me right on the pi$$ by age 12. Guess what? I've little interest in alcohol, never interested in it.

Wish now he'd got me smoking and shaggin' back then too, I'd be a picture of health today.

Don't forget smoking... the little kids outside the internet shop by my apartment are outside smoking all the time. They can't be older than 10-14 many of them.

Don't forget smoking... the little kids outside the internet shop by my apartment are outside smoking all the time. They can't be older than 10-14 many of them.

Well, at least there's some consistency here in Thailand. I see 10, 11, 12...year old kids racing up the street going the wrong way on motor scooters. They obviously don't have don't have licenses (as they're not old enough to get one yet) and they don't wear helmets. If Thai parents and authorities can't be bothered to enforce laws to stop such blatant unhealthy and illegal activity, how the h*ll are they going to stop things like underage drinking and smoking, where the kids are being sneaky?

Edited September 7, 200916 yr by Beacher

Yes, wine.

I guess, churchill knows what wine is. What he questioned is the presumption that the average Thai family drinks wine at home.

I though eleventeen was the legal age/

Yes, wine.

I guess, churchill knows what wine is. What he questioned is the presumption that the average Thai family drinks wine at home.

Quite - Too expensive

I think my son (the condom salesnan) started alcoholism around age 12. He went on the wagon first time at age 16.

I remember raiding my mothers drinking cabnet at the same age.

It was a bottle of Port. I remember walking (staggering) into the next door neighbours house and

my mother just laughing at me. She obviously knew what was coming next. Yes, a lot of time with

my head spent over the toilet.

25 years on,I like a drink but certainly not everday.

"Begin drinking" could be quite misleading. It's not uncommon for parents to allow their kids a glass of wine, for example, with a meal or something which is nothing like a habit as the sensationalist headline suggests.

True, this is very misleading. I think it's common for many parents in different countries/cultures around the world to at least allow their children to sample a beer or wine at a young age (I know my parents did). That's a big difference from some 9 year olds skipping school to get sh*t-faced together. I highly doubt that is happening to any concerning extent in Thailand.