Bangkok Schools Lose Condom Vending Machines

[Nisa]

Most buyers of condoms from vending machines at both parks are male exercisers and runners, male prostutites, gay lovers and homeless people, said Pheeraphong.

The story is about removing them from schools. What is the point of talking about the ones that are in a park?

If a school has prostitutes and homeless people coming into the school then I think they got bigger problems than trying to keep the status quo when it comes to teen pregnancies in Thailand.

Anybody have a clue what these vending machines are charging? They should be distributed for free in the schools or at least very very cheaply through vending machines in places like the bathroom where a teen boy or girl can buy without embarrassment. I have to assume with cheap labor in Thailand as well as the abundance of pharmacies that the reason they choose to sell condoms from vending machines is to avoid embarrassment. Not like you see Soda machines too often in BKK.

[commonparlance]

There's just no concept of personal responsibility. It's 'out of sight, out of mind' taken to the extreme. If there are no condom machines, then we don't have to think about our teenagers having sex, because if the kids aren't reminded of the fact that sex exists, they won't have sex! That's what the parents seem to be thinking.

Don't people see the connections here? AIDS, oh yeah that's horrible. Unwanted pregnancy? Bad, very bad. People getting illegal abortions and burying the fetuses in a temple? Shocking. And yet when confronted with the logical solutions (actual sex education, available condoms, perhaps even, God forbid, legalizing abortion), people just bury their heads in the sand. It's pathetic.

[richard10365]

One step forward.....two steps backwards!

It's ok to preach abstinence but if that fails you need a back up plan.

The title of the story and the content in the body text is a bit misleading. I must of missed where it said most buyers of condoms are students.

[Nisa]

There's just no concept of personal responsibility. It's 'out of sight, out of mind' taken to the extreme. If there are no condom machines, then we don't have to think about our teenagers having sex, because if the kids aren't reminded of the fact that sex exists, they won't have sex! That's what the parents seem to be thinking.

Don't people see the connections here? AIDS, oh yeah that's horrible. Unwanted pregnancy? Bad, very bad. People getting illegal abortions and burying the fetuses in a temple? Shocking. And yet when confronted with the logical solutions (actual sex education, available condoms, perhaps even, God forbid, legalizing abortion), people just bury their heads in the sand. It's pathetic.

Sadly Thailand is not the only place they do this but I think here it is more of a shyness/embarrassing as opposed to the US where you get the Christian Right Wing condemning such things out of morality. I remember reading a history of toilet paper in Asia (or at least Thailand) and how long it took to catch on because people were just embarrassed to buy it. This is what I liked about the vending machines in schools as kids tend to be more bashful. I am actually amazed they got them put in the schools as I have never even heard of this being allowed in US schools were at least they do usually teach sex education. My step daughter who is now in College told me they do teach sex education here in the lower school but when I asked her if they taught about aids or how to know if you are pregnant she answered no. I asked her because that week I had found out about 2 girls who didn't know they were pregnant for about 4 months because they had no idea missing your period was related to being pregnant. One was a 16-year old girl and the other is now a women but was telling me she had her baby at 17 and also didn't know she was pregnant until going to the doctor for stomach pain while in her 4th or 5th month.

[Nisa]

One step forward.....two steps backwards!

It's ok to preach abstinence but if that fails you need a back up plan.

The title of the story and the content in the body text is a bit misleading. I must of missed where it said most buyers of condoms are students.

Agree. I really wanted to know how many were sold at the school sites. Why would we care, given the title, how many and by who were bought at two parks unless we were looking to invest in the condemn vending machine business.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Nisa

[kimamey]

This is the same madness as in the US and other nations with obvious problem in handling teenage sexuality. Removing the condom-machine will not stop the kids from having sex -- it will stop them from having safe sex.

If the young people want sex and are worried about it being safe they will probably already have condoms or get them somewhere else. If they can't then as you say they will do it anyway. Sexual attraction, particularly at that age is very powerful.

[happysanook]

These parents prefer their daughters to have unwanted pregnancies then?

no joke, one of my 22 yr old friends who is almost finished with her bachelor's in english thought a penis had 2 holes. one for urine and one for 'other stuff'.

other friends of mine thought that if a person had HIV they would be severely wasted away and it was completely obvious if someone had it.

[meelousee]

A Scottish Soldier in full dress uniform marches into a chemist shop.

Very carefully he opens his sporran and pulls out a neatly folded cotton bandanna, unfolds it to reveal a smaller silk square handkerchief, which he also unfolds to reveal a condom.

The condom has a number of patches on it.

The chemist holds it up and eyes it critically.

"How much to repair it?" the Scot asks the chemist.

"Six pence," says the chemist.

"How much for a new one?"

"Ten pence" says the chemist.

The Scot painstakingly folds the condom into the silk square handkerchief and the cotton bandana, replaces it carefully in his sporran and marches out of the door, shoulders back and kilt swinging.

A moment or two later the chemist hears a great shout go up outside, followed by an even greater shout.

The Scottish soldier marches back into the chemist and addresses the proprietor, this time with a grin on his face.

"The regiment has taken a vote," he says.

"We'll have a new one."

[re_fuse]

After the revolution the person who made this decision should have the padded room reserved for them.

[pac4155]

There is an ad for vending machine installation at the bottom of the first page of this thread...

Priceless Thai ingenuity for using the opportunity to promote their business...

Their glass is obviously half full...

[crazyswede]

Most buyers of condoms from vending machines at both parks are male exercisers and runners, male prostutites, gay lovers and homeless people, said Pheeraphong

[a99az]

These parents prefer their daughters to have unwanted pregnancies then?

+ the liberal spread of STDs for boys and girls. No problem the smart ones use plastic bags.

[Chris Lawrence]

Its not on if its not on.... What a wonderful promotion line. Fortunately condoms saves the health system a bucket load of money and prevents STD's.

Mrs Regan had the most economical social campaign.....Just Say No! Unfortunately it was not the social success that was expected.

Australia's social campaigns have been very successful; but then again you can get condoms for free at various health centre's.

Honestly, sounds a backward step by someone that may only have the hand on their own member, not a grasp on what works. Back to the backyard abortion clinic's and the expansion of STD's.

[rubl]

I'm not going to read all 73 posts since this morning. Let me just say I sympathise with k. Meechai (aka Mr. Condom). For more than 40 years he and his organisation PDA have tried to educate people on sexuality, birth control, health. On the other hand if kids buy condoms he may have reached his goal. The older generation may be lost, but there's hope with the youngsters.

[johncat1]

Condoms and KY jelly are available at the check out of all 7-11s

So why all the fuss ?

Condoms are a safer and more hygienic method of birth control than plastic bags or cling film as used by Issan school boys

My school is now starting to introduce sex education for school children

But I think the parents need to be educated too

one man + one woman NOT Thai style where the father / husband often has a second wife for fun and sex, and everyone seems to accept this

Parents, especially the men are not good sexual role models for their children

Edited February 14, 2011 by johncat1

[johncat1]

Quote

Most buyers of condoms from vending machines at both parks are male exercisers and runners, male prostutites, gay lovers and homeless people, said Pheeraphong----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I may be missing something here but why would poor homeless people be buying condoms ?I know Thais will eat anything but I did not think latex rubber was part of their diet, anyway rice is a lot cheaper

[ChoakMyDee]

That's what I love about Thailand. It's stories like this that keep me amused to no end. Where else in the world can you get a daily dose of utter nonsense like this. I love it!

[gbswales]

Parents either dont, or dont want to, think that their children will develop sexual needs and experiment - I hate to break this to parents but nature is and always has been a much stronger driver than any parent or preacher. The ridiculous thing about it is that most parents have just forgotten what they were like when young. By 14 or so hormones are raging and I suspect that few make it past 16 without some sexual experience and many will start much younger than that. The motto should be "accept and protect"

[rubl]

Step 1.: Strict rules on appropriate school attire (in another topic)

Step 2.: Remove condom vending machine.

Step 3.: Blame the government when step 1 and 2 fail to prevent under-age sex and unwanted pregnancies.

Step 4.: Blame foreigners anyway.

Step 5.: Ignore hi5 and other blog's your kids play on.

Step 6.: Continue with relating how well-behaved we were when we were young

[RPCVguy]

This is the same madness as in the US and other nations with an obvious problem in handling teenage sexuality. Removing the condom-machine will not stop the kids from having sex -- it will stop them from having safe sex.

No, I've not read all the posts... just enough to know many readers here are aware of the benefits of condoms over attempts at abstinence.

I am on several forums dealing with population issues, public health etc. One of the BRIGHT spots has always been the discussions of how Thailand's powers have avoided the pitfalls of may Western nations as regards condoms.

Mechai Viravaidya, Thailand's "Condom King," and the leader in this movement is and deserves to be well known. See these links to Time magazine and to a TED presentation.

http://www.ted.com/t...tter_place.html

http://www.cnngo.com...dom-king-031201

This has consistently been a message of pride in enlightened thinking, unfettered by Catholicism and related sources of suffering from issues related to reproduction... but this post just heralds a step backwards. Sorry for those in cities where marketing sells by sexualizing everything. I live in a village and see most people as still quite straightforward in relationships, and generally chaste. Rather than attack condoms as an option, maybe those who are concerned could look more at what Thai TV programs are featured and how commercials stimulate desires in their messaging. :jap:

[johncat1]

That was probably some of the homeless people who thought you could eat strawberry flavoured condoms

I saw a machine on which someone had feltpenned the words 'This is the worst chewing gum I have ever tasted'

[brahmburgers]

instead of "Schools lose condom machines" Maybe the title should read: Schools get rid of loose condom machines (which wiggle off the not-so-well endowed among us). Perhaps it's just a matter of getting Asian made condoms which fit better.

Seriously though, condoms should be readily available for free at places where young people conjugate - with their hormones buzzing through their endocrine systems - and boys doing and saying any darn thing to get their woodies dipped in some lovely slippery hollows - then it's off to the next pretty girl, and so on and so on.

[Nisa]

Quote

Most buyers of condoms from vending machines at both parks are male exercisers and runners, male prostutites, gay lovers and homeless people, said Pheeraphong---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I may be missing something here but why would poor homeless people be buying condoms ?I know Thais will eat anything but I did not think latex rubber was part of their diet, anyway rice is a lot cheaper

I think it was implied that they are having sex with the male runners/exercisers.

[Bagwan]

A Scottish Soldier in full dress uniform marches into a chemist shop.

Very carefully he opens his sporran and pulls out a neatly folded cotton bandanna, unfolds it to reveal a smaller silk square handkerchief, which he also unfolds to reveal a condom.

The condom has a number of patches on it.

The chemist holds it up and eyes it critically.

"How much to repair it?" the Scot asks the chemist.

"Six pence," says the chemist.

"How much for a new one?"

"Ten pence" says the chemist.

The Scot painstakingly folds the condom into the silk square handkerchief and the cotton bandana, replaces it carefully in his sporran and marches out of the door, shoulders back and kilt swinging.

A moment or two later the chemist hears a great shout go up outside, followed by an even greater shout.

The Scottish soldier marches back into the chemist and addresses the proprietor, this time with a grin on his face.

"The regiment has taken a vote," he says.

"We'll have a new one."

This joke is at least 60 years old. So am I.

[SouthernMan3]

OMG, I hope that the price of rubber doesn't go down because of this.

Emergency !

Danger Will Robinson.

No really, This is just plain dumb for all the reasons that you guys have stated already......

[AZBill]

I see a great opportunity to import Glad Sandwich Bags! But thank Bhudda because we all know Thai teenagers would never think about sex except for those old condom machines! Responsible parenting at it's best! Would it help if the condoms were lubricated with whitening cream?

[HereIAm]

Bangkok Schools Lose Condom Vending Machines

I thought

Bangkok Schools Love Condom Vending Machines

Nah nah nah nah

How else are schools going to attract kids to study now ?

Edited February 14, 2011 by HereIAm

[softgeorge]

This is the 1st topic on here where I have not seen bickering or some one rooting for the other side. Everyone is on the same page.

[mark2552]

These parents prefer their daughters to have unwanted pregnancies then?

[Nisa]

These parents prefer their daughters to have unwanted pregnancies then?

Maybe they think if their daughter catches some really nasty VD it will lead to a kind of forced abstinence.