Debate Held Over Condoms In Schools

[george]

Debate held over condoms on campuses

BANGKOK: -- Students, parents and lecturers are at odds over whether condom vending machines should be installed at school and university campuses in a bid to reduce the risk of HIV among young people.

While more than 200 participants at a national conference on Aids _ mostly young students and parents _ agreed with the idea, believing the machines would help reduce the HIV infection rate, academics were hesitant.

``It doesn't mean that we encourage students to have sex at an early age by selling condoms at educational institutions. But they should be aware of the risk that they could be infected with HIV/Aids if they do not wear protection,'' Yupaporn Olarikaphan, a nurse and a mother of two children from Ratchaburi told a seminar on the issue.

Chaturon Kurasawaeng, a second-year-student at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, also supported the idea.

However, Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, Thammasat University's assistant rector for student affairs, said it was inappropriate to promote condom sales on campus.

``There are many ways for health officials to educate teens about sex. But selling condoms on campus such as they do in Western countries is too much to accept here,'' he said.

Chavanee Tongroach, vice-president for research and development at Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, which hosted the conference, said she was not sure the university committee would agree if health officials proposed putting in machines as one way of curbing an increase in HIV infections among the target group.

About 80,000 young people in Thailand have been infected with HIV/Aids and at least 600 new cases are found each year.

Praphan Phanuphak, director of the Thai Red Cross Society's Aids Research Centre, said young people's attitudes towards sex at an early age had changed.

Many students aged below 17 now have experience of sexual relationships, usually one-night stands, despite lacking appropriate knowledge and understanding of safe sex, resulting in a rise in infections in this group.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-15

[sua yai]

The assistant rector will have great fun castrating male students to stop the spread of the virus.

Ridiculous that anyone in a position of authority should be so blind.

[Jimmy in Bangkok]

It is extremely dissapointing to see an Assistant University Rector come out with a statement like that. Burying their collective heads in the sand is not going to make the problem go away and if this is going to be their prefered method of dealing with HIV then stand back and watch the number of cases soar.

[Dah fahrang]

Debate held over condoms on campuses

``There are many ways for health officials to educate teens about sex. But selling condoms on campus such as they do in Western countries is too much to accept here,'' he said.

Praphan Phanuphak, director of the Thai Red Cross Society's Aids Research Centre, said young people's attitudes towards sex at an early age had changed.

Many students aged below 17 now have experience of sexual relationships, usually one-night stands, despite lacking appropriate knowledge and understanding of safe sex, resulting in a rise in infections in this group.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-15

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe the campuses should start to advertise for staff to 'teach' these unawares about safe sex - including 'live/real-time' demonstations?

I'll offer my services.

[MaiChai]

Condoms can be easily purchased everywhere (7/11, etc). Thus why the need for vending machines at campus's? Having these machines on campus would be promoting free sex, and its very much in peoples faces, escpecially for a country where sex is not openly talked about (call it a cultural thing).

[WhiteShiva]

Condoms can be easily purchased everywhere (7/11, etc). Thus why the need for vending machines at campus's? Having these machines on campus would be promoting free sex, and its very much in peoples faces, escpecially for a country where sex is not openly talked about (call it a cultural thing).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing to keep in mind is that it may be very intimidating for a young woman (or a young man, for that matter) to buy a condom over the counter, say at 7-11, in full view of other customers. Getting it from a machine in the ladies room on campus could lower the barrier, so to speak.

As for promoting sex, free or paid for, I don't relly think it makes much difference. People will have sex when they can/want - so having easy access to contraceptives is only a good thing. Prevents a small incident becoming a big one.....

[astral]

There should be no question about availablity at the University level.

Never mind the question of HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies are a problem in Thailand!

Schools for 16-18 year olds probably need these machines as well.

Below that I get more dubious, but I must admit that my 14 year old son

does have girls on the mind these days, but I am not sure he has got to the

stage of sex. Mind you his older brother did at age 16.

Prevention is better than cure, as the old adage goes.

Edited July 18, 2005 by astral

[meadish_sweetball]

As soon as a teenager has reached sexually active age, it is the parents' freaking responsibility to do sex education with them. Explain the basics an give them whatever views you have - leave no doubt where you stand in the issue.

Regardless of their sex, the most sensible thing to do is make them always have a condom in their wallet or purse. This does not mean you condone of them having sex, but it is a way of being prepared for what will inevitably happen sooner or later. If you build a good and reasonably open relation with your kid, you will know when. If you alienate your kids by being too strict and not speaking openly, don't be surprised if they come home pregnant one day, or are damaged for life in an illegal abortion because they did not dare telling you.

Ostridge mentality has never helped anybody achieve anything.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Condoms can be easily purchased everywhere (7/11, etc). Thus why the need for vending machines at campus's? Having these machines on campus would be promoting free sex, and its very much in peoples faces, escpecially for a country where sex is not openly talked about (call it a cultural thing).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing to keep in mind is that it may be very intimidating for a young woman (or a young man, for that matter) to buy a condom over the counter, say at 7-11, in full view of other customers. Getting it from a machine in the ladies room on campus could lower the barrier, so to speak.

As for promoting sex, free or paid for, I don't relly think it makes much difference. People will have sex when they can/want - so having easy access to contraceptives is only a good thing. Prevents a small incident becoming a big one.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AGREED

[Ijustwannateach]

It's the same old story. The first Big Noodle to tell the truth publicly (that teenagers do have sex) will get his head on a platter- he'll be a hero, but he'll lose his job.

What else can we expect of a society where university sociology students report- as news- in the newspaper- (with a straight face)- that it just so happens that many university students have casual sex, with no relationship required?

In so many ways, the States are lucky that we had our sexual revolution before the AIDS era.

Until Death becomes more important than Face, Thailand'll just have to ignore it.

"Steven"

[WhiteShiva]

It's the same old story.  The first Big Noodle to tell the truth publicly (that teenagers do have sex) will get his head on a platter- he'll be a hero, but he'll lose his job.

What else can we expect of a society where university sociology students report- as news- in the newspaper- (with a straight face)- that it just so happens that many university students have casual sex, with no relationship required?

In so many ways, the States are lucky that we had our sexual revolution before the AIDS era.

Until Death becomes more important than Face, Thailand'll just have to ignore it.

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sadly, this is very true. Just another side of "Amazing Thailand"......

[TokyoT]

About 80,000 young people in Thailand have been infected with HIV/Aids and at least 600 new cases are found each year.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-15

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Something disturbing in these numbers – either the rate of infection has slowed dramatically, or they are kidding themselves with the new infection rate numbers. 80,000 existing cases – 600 new per year: Based upon the 600 per year rate it would have take over 100 years to reach 80,000 infected????

Possibly the 80,000 includes babies born with Aids/HIV, and the 600 per year does not. But even then the gap between this figures is hard to explain.

[Totster]

About 80,000 young people in Thailand have been infected with HIV/Aids and at least 600 new cases are found each year.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-15

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Something disturbing in these numbers – either the rate of infection has slowed dramatically, or they are kidding themselves with the new infection rate numbers. 80,000 existing cases – 600 new per year: Based upon the 600 per year rate it would have take over 100 years to reach 80,000 infected????

Possibly the 80,000 includes babies born with Aids/HIV, and the 600 per year does not. But even then the gap between this figures is hard to explain.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe the rate has slowed down since the initial boom...?

totster

[peter991]

Thailand is becoming 'westernised' faster than anybody wants to admit. Compare Thailand today with Thailand 20, or even 10 years ago. Young people are starting to question authority and think for themselves.

I agree with WhiteShiva that face is everything to a Thai person and while condoms are readily on sale in convenience stores, it takes a lot to expect a young person to buy one openly.

Thai TV programmes seem to promote the 'new sexuality' and young people want to experiment. Making condoms available will not promote sexual activity, but it is part of the solution to HIV/Aids and unwanted pregnancies.

Peter