Thai Teens Urged To Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy, Unsafe Sex

[webfact]

Teens urged to prevent unwanted pregnancy, unsafe sex

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Ministry of Education is pressing ahead with its campaign to raise awareness about unwanted pregnancy and unsafe sex among teenagers.

Speaking upon the launch of the campaign, Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat elaborated that the campaign would educate teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years old to realize the risk of unsafe sex in a bid to cut the number of pregnant teenagers by 20% by the end of next year.

The Ministry of Education will implement three main strategies, including raising awareness to prevent teenagers from having sex prematurely, providing education on family studies as well as promoting appropriate behaviour among students in line with the Children Protection Act.

The campaign is be jointly launched by the Ministry of Education, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the PATH Foundation.

Campaigning activities will be piloted in 242 educational zones in 22 provinces across the country, featuring film shows and other activities to enhance analytical and decision-making skills on the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe sex.

-- NNT 2011-01-19

[bangon04]

K Chinnaworn is very busy these days isn't he...

"activities to enhance analytical and decision-making skills"

What a radical idea from the Minister - but not very Thai, is it?

Maybe this farang culture could spread to the rest of education....

[jayjay0]

Well it would seem the government is really going to try and do something about the problem. Let us hope it caries out it's plan.

at first I was going to sugest handing out plastic bags but decided it would be in bad taste so I didn't.

[hanuman1]

Well it would seem the government is really going to try and do something about the problem. Let us hope it caries out it's plan.

at first I was going to sugest handing out plastic bags but decided it would be in bad taste so I didn't.

fank g00dnesz fur th&t.

Edited January 19, 2011 by hanuman1

[pipo1000]

Campaigning activities will be piloted in 242 educational zones in 22 provinces across the country

What's wrong with the other 57 or so provinces?

[webfact]

Education Ministry launches sex ed campaign

By Supinda Na Mahachai

The Nation

The Education Ministry yesterday launched a youth development campaign called "Up to Me" in 242 schools in 22 provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Rai and Nakhon Si Thammarat, in a bid to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancies. The campaign will run until February 20.

Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said that 1.25 million out of about 5 million Thai young people between the ages of 15 and 19 indulged in risky sexual behaviour, and up to 250,000 of them got pregnant every year, half of whom opted for abortions. The minister said a fourth of the teenagers who choose abortion have had previous terminations.

Chinnavorn said only a third of sexually active youngsters use protection or birth control, because at least 65 per cent do not have a proper understanding of birth control and protection from sexually transmitted diseases.

Since most teenage pregnancies involve secondary and vocational students, the ministry has set up strategies to promote awareness via first-hand accounts, sex education and family studies, as well as overseeing youngsters' behaviour according to the Child Protection Act.

Thai Health Promotion Foundation manager Krisada Reung-areerat said the agency had a short-term plan to raise awareness and reduce teenage pregnancies by 20 per cent by the year 2012, and a long-term plan to set out the issue on a national level. He said young people had to be shown the right direction because many were being pushed into making wrong choices due to family problems, peer pressure and other such factors.

Pawana Vienravee from PATH Thailand said the campaign involved a three-hour long activity, which would be comprised of short films and exercises in developing analysis and decision-making skills. The activities will be conducted by a network of youngsters along with phuyai jai dee, or kind grown ups, at participating schools. Those interested can watch the short films and participate by visiting www.lovecarestation.com.

-- The Nation 2011-01-20

[geriatrickid]

Campaigning activities will be piloted in 242 educational zones in 22 provinces across the country

What's wrong with the other 57 or so provinces?

No problem in those provinces. This is a nation of strong morality ,sexual shyness and I believe thanks to the ambient pollution, especially the hormone mimicking chemcials in the water, males have reduced sexual urges for females due to an induced genetic predisposition to femininity.

[junglist]

Campaigning activities will be piloted in 242 educational zones in 22 provinces across the country

What's wrong with the other 57 or so provinces?

No problem in those provinces. This is a nation of strong morality ,sexual shyness and I believe thanks to the ambient pollution, especially the hormone mimicking chemcials in the water, males have reduced sexual urges for females due to an induced genetic predisposition to femininity.

this might be closer to the truth then you think. it also happens in rats when the numbers become to high.

[hungryhippo]

They mention education on the subject but lets get real; this is Thailand and we all know that education is going to be in trying to prevent Teens having sex in the first place. The Buddhists here really aren't any better then the Christians in America. Do they really think abstinence is going to work? It's going down really well in the US, not.

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here. The general thai would rather just remain ignorant of what's happening around them and resist anything that goes against their moral stance. I can see the headlines now from the old guard, "moral degradation of Thai culture", etc. It's the same reason that sex toys and abortions are illegal here, religious zealots dictating other peoples lives while hiding behind the veil of a religion that claims not to do such things.

Edited January 20, 2011 by hungryhippo

[ToffeEFCpower]

In simple terms the rest are all Katoey's lmfao

[DP25]

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here.

It's not possible for you to be more wrong about this.

[jayjay0]

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here.

It's not possible for you to be more wrong about this.

Not exactly sure if the Thai's are ready for sex education. They need it but I can see resistance.

Was just thinking back home where I come from in Canada. It is hard to miss the condoms they take up a good size section in the drug stores. In five years I have not seen them here in Thailand.

I don't look for them either but I didn't look for them back home either they were just all over the place.

[sydneyjed]

We are in the 21 st century for Gods sake ..the statistics and reality are there for all to see so where will the resistance come from?Just implement it into the normal educational national Thai syllabus...you'd have to ask why it isn't there already?

[DP25]

Not exactly sure if the Thai's are ready for sex education. They need it but I can see resistance.

Was just thinking back home where I come from in Canada. It is hard to miss the condoms they take up a good size section in the drug stores. In five years I have not seen them here in Thailand.

I don't look for them either but I didn't look for them back home either they were just all over the place.

Have you ever been to a store? Have you ever looked at next to the cash register? Condoms are by required to be there where people can grab them and not have to ask a clerk. They don't hide them in their own section in drug stores, they're in the checkout isle in every grocery store and 7-11.

And 'not ready' for sex education? Thailand has had one of the most successful fertility reduction programs and HIV reduction programs in the world, based on promoting widespread condom use. There is a reason children per mother has fallen from over 5 in the 1970s to 1.65 now, lower than the US and many other Western countries and just slightly above Canada.

[Thai at Heart]

Compel the men/boys to pay proper amounts of child support and watch how quickly condom sales go up and unwanted teen pregnancies go down in the country.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Thai at Heart

[jaltsc]

Are we talking about the 1940s or the 21st century? From reading the "official" statement it appears that unwanted pregnancies is the major outcome of unsafe sex. STDs are given a mere mention. As unwanted as these pregnancies might be, the solution is still a lot less complex than that of HIV/AIDS. And while one female can become pregnant during a 9 month time period, she can spread STDs at a geometric rate during the same time. Add this to the rate at which irresponsible men have unprotected sex and...you get the picture.

Yes, there are condoms at the front counter of pharmacies, but how many young people (or their horny elders for that matter) delay immediate gratification to make a trip to the local pharmacy. Throughout the west there are free condoms available at bars, social clubs, clinics and schools. They are out in the open and all one has to do is go to the basket and take out a handful. Of course one has to be aware of the benefits and methods of using these condoms.

When looking at Thai society, it appears that it will follow the same course of action as in America. Those parents who are responsible and informed will support sex education and make sure their children take as many precautions as possible. They will have no problem teaching their daughters to carry condoms in order to protect themselves, and teach them to say "No glove, No love" (or the Thai equivalent). After all, the female is the one who seems to take on the responsibility of unwanted pregnancies in this culture. The ignorant masses, as in the west, will either not address the issue of sex at all or feel confident that telling their children that sex is bad until marriage will prevent the act from occurring.

Thailand seems to be mimicking the failed sexual/social policies of America. Don't be shocked when nothing really changes.

[geriatrickid]

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here.

It's not possible for you to be more wrong about this.

Not exactly sure if the Thai's are ready for sex education. They need it but I can see resistance.

Was just thinking back home where I come from in Canada. It is hard to miss the condoms they take up a good size section in the drug stores. In five years I have not seen them here in Thailand.

I don't look for them either but I didn't look for them back home either they were just all over the place.

Condoms are readily available and out in the open. In Carrefour - Patong, they have the usual display in the aisle opposite the shelves filled with male cosmetics and the very important whitening cremes. I have noticed that the big seller is Durex. There are also a number of various lubricants. Not much variety though. Go into any 7-11 and the condoms are either right at the checkout counter or over in beauty aids section.

[Gers1873]

A good initiative and good luck to the minister for at least attempting a positive change. My biggest fear is the age of the target group 15 - 19 year olds. Most teens are sexually active by then. Talk about shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. I would suggest staring at a much earlier age - works well in the Netherlands.

Either way lets stop with the negativity and try to be positive. Thankfully the Thais dont have a former member of the Hitler youth who now likes to wear dresses telling them that 'condoms are evil'!!!

[samjaidee]

They mention education on the subject but lets get real; this is Thailand and we all know that education is going to be in trying to prevent Teens having sex in the first place. The Buddhists here really aren't any better then the Christians in America. Do they really think abstinence is going to work? It's going down really well in the US, not.

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here. The general thai would rather just remain ignorant of what's happening around them and resist anything that goes against their moral stance. I can see the headlines now from the old guard, "moral degradation of Thai culture", etc. It's the same reason that sex toys and abortions are illegal here, religious zealots dictating other peoples lives while hiding behind the veil of a religion that claims not to do such things.

Whilst I agree that the whole abstinence movement is a largely Christian idea in the US, I would disagree that in Thailand it is a Buddhist movement. I wonder where you got the idea that Buddhism is against you adults having sex.

Buddhism is a philosophy not a religion. Where is your evidence that Buddhist zealots dictate other peoples lives. There are of course moral zealots all over Thailand but to suggest they're religious shows how little you know about Buddhism.

[KKK]

Campaigning activities will be piloted in 242 educational zones in 22 provinces across the country

What's wrong with the other 57 or so provinces?

Or possibly RIGHT..in that they may not be having the same problems

[KKK]

educate teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years old

I think they should start earlier than 15...perhaps as young as 12.

15 might be trying to close the barn door after the horse has bolted.

[KKK]

Compel the men/boys to pay proper amounts of child support and watch how quickly condom sales go up and unwanted teen pregnancies go down in the country.

Whilst I don't disagree with your comment it does take two to make a baby. Therefore the GIRLS should be made equally responsible....

[Darkman]

They mention education on the subject but lets get real; this is Thailand and we all know that education is going to be in trying to prevent Teens having sex in the first place. The Buddhists here really aren't any better then the Christians in America. Do they really think abstinence is going to work? It's going down really well in the US, not.

Any education on proper use of condoms would be met with huge resistance here. The general thai would rather just remain ignorant of what's happening around them and resist anything that goes against their moral stance. I can see the headlines now from the old guard, "moral degradation of Thai culture", etc. It's the same reason that sex toys and abortions are illegal here, religious zealots dictating other peoples lives while hiding behind the veil of a religion that claims not to do such things.

Whilst I agree that the whole abstinence movement is a largely Christian idea in the US, I would disagree that in Thailand it is a Buddhist movement. I wonder where you got the idea that Buddhism is against you adults having sex.

Buddhism is a philosophy not a religion. Where is your evidence that Buddhist zealots dictate other peoples lives. There are of course moral zealots all over Thailand but to suggest they're religious shows how little you know about Buddhism.

Buddhism is a philosophy, your right, but in Thailand it's a religion. In 2007, calls were made by some Thais (mostly monks) for Buddhism to be recognized in the new national constitution as a state religion.

Not sure if it's been officially accepted as their state religion yet, but it's close. Suspect they don't want to upset the muslims in the south too much so they are holding back.

[jsflynn603]

"including raising awareness to prevent teenagers from having sex prematurely"

There really is no way to prevent teens from having sex prematurely and tactics aimed at that goal will ultimately fail. Education to prevent conception and sexually transmitted disease will have positive returns, as well as a highly publicized formal policy that truly holds the males responsible for the next 20 years financially for the unplanned child. As KKK pointed out in a prior post the age to start with good education is probably 12 or even earlier.

Worldwide menarche (onset of female menses) now occurs on average one to two years earlier than it did 30 years ago--nobody knows why. But the fact is that a teen aged 15 today is comparable to a teen aged 17 thirty years ago in sexual development.

Turning off all television shows and cinema might help a lot too... it's a faster world and parents are loathe to believe that a good number of 13 year old daughters and sons will engage in sexual activities, but ignore this fact at their own peril.

[jsflynn603]

Compel the men/boys to pay proper amounts of child support and watch how quickly condom sales go up and unwanted teen pregnancies go down in the country.

Whilst I don't disagree with your comment it does take two to make a baby. Therefore the GIRLS should be made equally responsible....

The females are already responsible--they can't run off and make believe that they had nothing to do with the problem.

[Footloose1949]

As far as I am aware, Buddhism doesn't forbid contraception like the Roman Catholics and some other branches of the Christian faith. It does however, forbid the taking of lives, (eg terminating pregnancies, which means abortions are illegal except under exceptional circumstances. I'd guess, with Thailand being a 'male centered' society and the unwillingness of Thai females to say 'No' to men's demands, may well have a lot more to do with this situation.

I'm certainly not going to 'knock' Thailand's reputation for promoting safe sex, which is probably better than other Asian countries.

[61guitarman61]

K Chinnaworn is very busy these days isn't he...

"activities to enhance analytical and decision-making skills"

What a radical idea from the Minister - but not very Thai, is it?

Maybe this farang culture could spread to the rest of education....

What 15 year old on the planet uses analytical thinking when deciding to have sex with or without a condom or having sex at all in the first place? lol The Thais can expect as much success in this area as the west has had - marginal at best. By the way, this is not proactive thinking but rather damage control on the heels of thousands of fetus corpses being found under a temple. Not impressed.

[sydneyjed]

Well at what average age is menstralation now for girls ?Surely teaching from just before or then is when sex education has to be implemented as from then on all girls should be classed and treated as vunerable!Not that hard isit?

educate teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years old

I think they should start earlier than 15...perhaps as young as 12.

15 might be trying to close the barn door after the horse has bolted.

Edited January 21, 2011 by sydneyjed

[cup-O-coffee]

Another lip-service campaign; to ignore the past lip-service campaigns; and to be totally Thai and say anything and do nothing!

News headlines from the past...

Thai Boys Having Unprotected Sex From 14 Y. O. (76% did not wear condoms)

Thai Student Leaders Against Condom-vending... (... machine on campus)

Dark Side Of Thai Student Behaviour (Sex, rape, gambling by "Student Mafia")

Thai Students Having Sex - Again! (Hair dye, revelry, sex . . .)

Punishments Agreed For Student Acts (No swearing, no sex, no gambling etc.)

Thai School System Turns Quite Spooky

Thai Teens Only Interested In Sex, Drink, Horror (Academics lash out at Thai youths)

Please! No Sex On The Bus! (BANGKOK BUS SERVICE WARNS STUDENTS)

80,000 Young People In Thailand Suffer From Aids

Young Thai People Increasingly Keen On Sex: Poll

Teenage Sexual Behaviour In Crisis: Aids Experts

Ministry To Tackle Harassing Males

Sex, Drugs, Fights Welcome New Students (BANGKOK STUDENTS BEHAVIOUR)

University Hazing Sex-pic Sparks Witch Hunt (Oral group sex at university hazing)

Debate Held Over Condoms In Schools (SEX IN CAMPUSES)

Keep Pregnant Girls In School: Teen Expert

Thaksin Asked To Curb Casual Sex Among Youth

Young Teens Happy With Sex Work: Study

Lusty Teens Await Loy Krathong

Teenagers More Likely To Contract HIV Or AIDS

Crackdown On Thai Students Mini Skirts (University clamps down on sexy outfits)

Thai Teens Find Porn Cartoons The Most Arousing

Condom Vending Machines To Be Installed In Universities

Teenagers Warned Against Having Careless Sex In February (The Month of Love)

Teenagers To Be Monitored On Valentine's Day

Thai Teens Can't Get Enough Of Online Porn

Bangkok Teens Only Want Love - Or A New Mobile

Crackdown On Flashy, Skin-tight Uni Uniforms (THAI UNIVERSITIES NEW DRESS CODE)

Thai Minors Claim Sexual Harassment

[Amras]

Another lip-service campaign; to ignore the past lip-service campaigns; and to be totally Thai and say anything and do nothing!

News headlines from the past...

Thai Boys Having Unprotected Sex From 14 Y. O. (76% did not wear condoms)

Thai Student Leaders Against Condom-vending... (... machine on campus)

Dark Side Of Thai Student Behaviour (Sex, rape, gambling by "Student Mafia")

Thai Students Having Sex - Again! (Hair dye, revelry, sex . . .)

Punishments Agreed For Student Acts (No swearing, no sex, no gambling etc.)

Thai School System Turns Quite Spooky

Thai Teens Only Interested In Sex, Drink, Horror (Academics lash out at Thai youths)

Please! No Sex On The Bus! (BANGKOK BUS SERVICE WARNS STUDENTS)

80,000 Young People In Thailand Suffer From Aids

Young Thai People Increasingly Keen On Sex: Poll

Teenage Sexual Behaviour In Crisis: Aids Experts

Ministry To Tackle Harassing Males

Sex, Drugs, Fights Welcome New Students (BANGKOK STUDENTS BEHAVIOUR)

University Hazing Sex-pic Sparks Witch Hunt (Oral group sex at university hazing)

Debate Held Over Condoms In Schools (SEX IN CAMPUSES)

Keep Pregnant Girls In School: Teen Expert

Thaksin Asked To Curb Casual Sex Among Youth

Young Teens Happy With Sex Work: Study

Lusty Teens Await Loy Krathong

Teenagers More Likely To Contract HIV Or AIDS

Crackdown On Thai Students Mini Skirts (University clamps down on sexy outfits)

Thai Teens Find Porn Cartoons The Most Arousing

Condom Vending Machines To Be Installed In Universities

Teenagers Warned Against Having Careless Sex In February (The Month of Love)

Teenagers To Be Monitored On Valentine's Day

Thai Teens Can't Get Enough Of Online Porn

Bangkok Teens Only Want Love - Or A New Mobile

Crackdown On Flashy, Skin-tight Uni Uniforms (THAI UNIVERSITIES NEW DRESS CODE)

Thai Minors Claim Sexual Harassment

You could equally say this about numerous topics in the west, US, Australia etc. Maybe not on this particular topic, but the same behaviour occurs from Goverments everywhere. If you believe otherwise, you really need to open your eyes.

Either way, hopefully this achieves something. Any action is better then nothing, however successful it is.