JUST CALL 1387

Toll-free status of helpline for children restored

BANGKOK: -- Parents, teachers, coaches, anyone responsible for children, make sure that your young charges know this: if they need help _ any kind of help at all _ they can just pick up the phone and call 1387.

And tell them that they don't have to worry about not having enough money, for the Childline service, even for long-distance callers, is absolutely free.

Childline 1387 was established in 2003 by a local NGO called the Puenkaew Child Friendly Association, with the support of Unicef Thailand and some private sponsors. Over the past 18 months it has received in excess of 50,000 calls and has dealt with approximately 800 cases which required special assistance from various agencies, on both official and NGO levels.

"Childline 1387 is a one-stop coordination and basic counselling unit to provide help to children no matter what the situation is," explained MR Supinda Chakrabandhu, president of the association.

Research worldwide has shown that many abusers and criminals were victims of childhood abuse themselves. "Because they had no one to help them, they grew up to become abusers, too," said MR Supinda.

"If we can help children in abusive, violent situations, society will have fewer problematic, abusive adults. By preventing children from being abused, we can help cut the chain of violence."

The helpline was set up to further the aims of Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Thailand is a signatory, she added. The convention endorses a child's right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other medium of the child's choice.

When it first opened, Childline 1387 was free of charge, no matter where in the Kingdom the call originated. However, six months ago, after the government-owned Telephone Organisation of Thailand (TOT) was privatised and became TOT Corporation, the toll-free arrangement was withdrawn.

This caused a great deal of difficulty for prospective callers.

"Many of them simply didn't have the money to place a call from a public phone," MR Supinda explained, "and if they were to make a call from their home phone the call would later appear on the bill. This often caused children to be punished even more severely by their abusers."

Determined to help kids in distress, the association brought the matter to the attention of the Prime Minister's Office. Deputy PM Visanu Krue-ngarm then contacted Teerawit Charuwat, president of TOT Corporation. The decision was reviewed and the toll-free status of Childline 1387 promptly re-instated.

"This is an example of a new step in the social development of Thailand where the government, an NGO and a representative of the corporate world are working together to help the less fortunate in society," MR Supinda said.

The toll-free concession applies to all of the leading networks, both fixed and mobile: TOT, True, TT&T, AIS, DTAC, Orange and TOT Corp's Thai Mobile 1900.

"This is one more step in the right direction," said MR Supinda. "From now on, children who are experiencing any kind of problem can again rely on just one phone number, 1387, to get help."

Having a service of this type puts Thailand on a par with many other nations around the world.

Child Helpline International, which has a membership of 82 child helplines in 70 countries, has expressed, in writing, its sincere appreciation of our government's commitment to the cause of children in distress.

"I'm grateful to the government and to TOT Corporation for this act of generosity," said MR Supinda. "Hopefully other governments and corporations will be able to follow this example and cooperate with each other and various NGOs for the purpose of social development in their own countries.

"With everyone on board we can very soon arrive at the society of our dreams."

--Bangkok Post 2005-05-28

this is a great job of the government, TOT and NGO's

but hope to be accessable anytime. "remember Orange and Dtac subscribers few months ago"?

Excellent work! This is one number I will definitely be giving to my kids. Note that it is a help service for them for ANY situation, so it is a very useful number for kids to have with them at all times.

Congratulations to all concerned for getting their priorities right!