Number Of Young Thai Children Abandoned By Parents Has Increased

[webfact]

More grandparents playing mum and dad

By The Nation

The number of young children abandoned by parents to the care of grandparents has increased fivefold in the past two decades, especially in poor families in the North and Northeast, according to a Thailand Development Research Institute study released yesterday.

There are around 2.3 million households in which children are being raised by grandparents because the parents have migrated to Bangkok and cities for employment. The number is five times larger than the figure 23 years ago, while the average age of grandparents is 65 years, said TRDI researcher Niphon Phuaphongsakorn at a seminar.

Children in such households have less chance of attending higher education, with male children pursuing undergraduate study decreasing by 25 per cent and females pursuing uppersecondary level falling by 0.2 per cent. Other factors included the behaviour and educational background of their parents.

Six in ten Thai children are living with parents, a figure that has decreased by around 1.4 per cent each year, and by more in families living upcountry.

-- The Nation 2011-03-18

[canuckamuck]

Very sad, Many of these upcountry grandparents are illiterate and very far behind the times. This would take a massive toll on the kids potential.

Also psychologically there must also be some issues, and how do these kids learn to be parents to their own kids one day?

[Nisa]

Children in such households have less chance of attending higher education, with male children pursuing undergraduate study decreasing by 25 per cent and females pursuing uppersecondary level falling by 0.2 per cent.

At 2 10th of 1% for girls it would seem statistically irrelevant.

[asiawatcher]

The lack of education - particularly sex education - in Thailand's underaged kids goes a long way to solving the problem. As has been told to me on many occasions, 'we all have a 'mistake' by the time we are 20 because our boyfriends refused to use a condom." So when reality hits, and after the birth, they come to the city to sell what they gave away for free in the village using the only real asset they deem themselves to have, and leave the child with grandparents, which is a far better option (in my opinion) than placing a 6 month old baby in some overpriced day care centre with multiple of the same problem, limited hugs and connectivity etc, so the parents can head to work! No easy solution but comparing apples with apples, Thailand still is stronger in the family unit than the west and that suits me fine.

[rkidlad]

I've met many a girl with kids that they've shipped off to their parents. The girls live in Bkk while the child lives somewhere else upcountry.

My philosophy in life is 'don't have a child if you can't afford one' but this is not a perfect world. Some of the girls miss their kids a lot and see them at every chance. Some couldn't give a shit and would rather go out with their friends.

It's all about education.

[pjclark1]

Reading the report it appears

40% of Thai children don't live with their parents

[Nisa]

The lack of education - particularly sex education - in Thailand's underaged kids goes a long way to solving the problem. As has been told to me on many occasions, 'we all have a 'mistake' by the time we are 20 because our boyfriends refused to use a condom." So when reality hits, and after the birth, they come to the city to sell what they gave away for free in the village using the only real asset they deem themselves to have, and leave the child with grandparents, which is a far better option (in my opinion) than placing a 6 month old baby in some overpriced day care centre with multiple of the same problem, limited hugs and connectivity etc, so the parents can head to work! No easy solution but comparing apples with apples, Thailand still is stronger in the family unit than the west and that suits me fine.

Can't help but notice you basically are putting this on the mother but then talk about the 'parents' going to work. The sad fact is this should be looked at as both a male/female problem and if it was .. it would be less of a problem. If the father stuck around then many of these women would not be in the position they are in. Hopefully the day is not far off when Thailand will take the steps many other countries have and hold the father liable in supporting their children. Too many young men in Thailand have far too many children with far too many women and provide no support to any of them. If held accountable for their actions they too would have motivation to use a condom.

Edit: I don't mean to say you blame this on the women only but it seems so few times anybody thinks about or holds the father accountable here as would be the case in the west. And I do agree Thailand has a strong view of the family unit.

Edited March 18, 2011 by Nisa

[pjclark1]

Can't help but notice you basically are putting this on the mother but then talk about the 'parents' going to work. The sad fact is this should be looked at as both a male/female problem and if it was .. it would be less of a problem. If the father stuck around then many of these women would not be in the position they are in. Hopefully the day is not far off when Thailand will take the steps many other countries have and hold the father liable in supporting their children. Too many young men in Thailand have far too many children with far too many women and provide no support to any of them. If held accountable for their actions they too would have motivation to use a condom.

Womans body, womans choice ......... womans problem.

Equality with responsibility, I know a novel idea in the western world.

Edited March 18, 2011 by pjclark1

[ginjag]

The lack of education - particularly sex education - in Thailand's underaged kids goes a long way to solving the problem. As has been told to me on many occasions, 'we all have a 'mistake' by the time we are 20 because our boyfriends refused to use a condom." So when reality hits, and after the birth, they come to the city to sell what they gave away for free in the village using the only real asset they deem themselves to have, and leave the child with grandparents, which is a far better option (in my opinion) than placing a 6 month old baby in some overpriced day care centre with multiple of the same problem, limited hugs and connectivity etc, so the parents can head to work! No easy solution but comparing apples with apples, Thailand still is stronger in the family unit than the west and that suits me fine.

Can't help but notice you basically are putting this on the mother but then talk about the 'parents' going to work. The sad fact is this should be looked at as both a male/female problem and if it was .. it would be less of a problem. If the father stuck around then many of these women would not be in the position they are in. Hopefully the day is not far off when Thailand will take the steps many other countries have and hold the father liable in supporting their children. Too many young men in Thailand have far too many children with far too many women and provide no support to any of them. If held accountable for their actions they too would have motivation to use a condom.

Knowing rural families, the girl ALSO has choices, she should insist on a condom or whatever-or keep em closed.

Girls are said to mature earlier than boys so maybe they shoud be then more aware than them re risks...............Most of the cases are not love----the thrill of it all EH!!..............so the girl gets pregnant, names the boy, the family will benefit with a 50,000 baht payout if it can. They may well be pushed together into marriage, no love here, save face. then the seperation. What other options are open.

the money got from the boy could go towards bringing the kid up.............many cases the boy can't pay up, CAUSE he is at school.................if not and he is working then he should have to pay his "upbringing fees"..BUT not forgetting his family will have already have given a fee to MARRY. EASY to throw the emphasis just on the boy. both should share the responsibility.

[Mario2008]

Sad figures, but it is what I see myself.

[Sydebolle]

Everything in this country is about education. As long as males can screw around and make (innocent/uneducated) girls pregnant, the "Woman's body, woman's choice ......... woman's problem" regretfully applies.

Parents (specially upcountry in Nakorn Noeducation) push for grandchildren, sex education is unknown, and males are not taken to responsibility for basic things such as child support etc.; a deadly cocktail.

Once women take birth control into their own hands (and there are countless options these days) the situation might improve. Rekon another generation or two and in the meantime, this materialistic country will produce a lot of unwanted kiddies ending up as messenger boys and gogo dancers, sleeping around to produce the next generation of ...... Vicious circle indeed!

[angiud]

Sadly, most of the girls working for me/other business around me, have children living with granparents.

[sirchai]

Reading the report it appears

40% of Thai children don't live with their parents

There are around 2.3 million households in which children are being raised by grandparents because the parents have migrated to Bangkok and cities for employment.

But many "Chai Dee Farlangs" will come and marry them, plus taking care their kids. That's what a Thai man would never do. What sort of employment can an Isan girl expect in Bangkok, Pattaya, or elsewhere?:jap:

Edited March 18, 2011 by sirchai

[trogers]

And the children will have children, and new cycles begin, inflating the pool of parentless children. Any breakdown by province?

[exbelg]

this is sad news, but how about it ? who is keeping them poor ? they are driving to prostitution?

rich chinese thai elite in bangkok wants them to stay poor so they can be kept als cheap slaves for domestic tasks...

[BigJohnson]

Children being raised by grandparents is not just prevalent in Thailand, but is rampant in western culture (America, England, Australia, etc). It is a sad fact that many children today are either being raised by one parent or being pawned off on the older generation. It is sad to think that the world has become a festering pit of "no accountability" and as time goes on the human race will eventually pay the price for it.

[Nisa]

this is sad news, but how about it ? who is keeping them poor ? they are driving to prostitution?

rich chinese thai elite in bangkok wants them to stay poor so they can be kept als cheap slaves for domestic tasks...

[dumball]

Children being raised by grandparents is not just prevalent in Thailand, but is rampant in western culture (America, England, Australia, etc). It is a sad fact that many children today are either being raised by one parent or being pawned off on the older generation. It is sad to think that the world has become a festering pit of "no accountability" and as time goes on the human race will eventually pay the price for it.

You fail to note that in those Western cultures , government pay what is called ' Child allowance ' , low cost housing is supplied to help parents keep their children with them , there is welfare for those in need and food stamps/food kitchens and food banks .I am aware that this is not the real answer either , but at least governments are there for citizens in distress . The grandparents in those circumstances do not live in flthy conditions , are more educated and there is access to education , pointing fingers achieves nothing nor does it help those in most need .

The ' family circle ' is not what some believe exists in Thailand , oh the show is put on , but in the end the welfare of the children is pushed aside to better the welfare of the delinquent parent(s) , please do not hide it under a stone and shrug your shoulders .

[mark45y]

I really don't see this as a big problem. More manufacturing jobs are coming available every year. The population is shifting from agriculture to industry. Cell phones keep people in contact with the rural areas and if workers are needed they are summoned to Rayong and places like that to make cars and such. Once there the companies can train them if needed or if they only want HS grads then the word gets out and more people will go to HS. These are not the kind of jobs that will be farmed out to other countries. Burma is not going to supply the semi skilled labor to assemble Ford's.

Women can also be employed in these positions and from what I see it is about 50/50%.

Given the government maintains stability and a favorable climate for large investors and manufactures the infrastructure is here and shipping is not a problem so the population will eventually shift from the rural North to the industrial areas of Bangkok and the East coast.

Far more important than education is a stable political environment. Thailand has a good workforce and it is movable because the family can take care of the kids up North. Thailand is already one of the world's largest manufactures of light trucks and the world's largest exporter of rice.

Given an intelligent government for a few years, education and the rest will follow.

Education does not come before good government it is the reverse. If the jobs are there the education will follow. Light manufacturing takes very few complicated skills. Thailand does not need to turn out rocket scientists or MBA's. It needs a semi skilled work force that can add and subtract and multiply and read and write.

[tragickingdom]

Those children are not abandoned, unless abandoned is defined as "screwed by the democrat led government". given the fact that healthcare is hlaf that as it was under Thaksin, that education is for the rich again and that micro credit is no longer given, the poor has to go out and live in slumps near construction sites to build the houses for the stealing elite and make a living on fishing trailers. This kind of abandoning is a economic necessity for lots of people.

[TAWP]

Those children are not abandoned, unless abandoned is defined as "screwed by the democrat led government". given the fact that healthcare is hlaf that as it was under Thaksin, that education is for the rich again and that micro credit is no longer given, the poor has to go out and live in slumps near construction sites to build the houses for the stealing elite and make a living on fishing trailers. This kind of abandoning is a economic necessity for lots of people.

Another propaganda-post completely removed from reality -- congratulations. How much did this trite nonsense earn you? A bottle of moonshine?

[zzaa09]

I've met many a girl with kids that they've shipped off to their parents. The girls live in Bkk while the child lives somewhere else upcountry.

My philosophy in life is 'don't have a child if you can't afford one' but this is not a perfect world. Some of the girls miss their kids a lot and see them at every chance. Some couldn't give a shit and would rather go out with their friends.

It's all about education.

Agree wholeheartedly. Knowledge would be more than the proverbial education. Even today, the variety of birth control methods and practices are easily available through every public/provincial clinic. Affordability shouldn't be queried, but instead: "if you don't want to raise children or take such responsibility - don't have them" In defence of those whom seemingly are indifferent about their children, there is a matching percentage of {young} Mothers that take up the responsibility correctly.

[Nisa]

Isn't Thailand's birth rate incredibly low and been on a significant decline for a while?

[softgeorge]

Sad figures, but it is what I see myself.

I have experienced it myself also. My wife's cousin who is a single mum had to leave her young son with her parents and go to BKK for work. Her elderly father passed away a couple of months ago and the grandmother is very frail and can not look after the 5 yr old grandson. He is now staying with us and he sees his mother at the most twice a yr and only for a couple of days. The sad thing is he hardly knows her and we can sense that there is no real bond for him.

[canuckamuck]

You fail to note that in those Western cultures , government pay what is called ' Child allowance ' , low cost housing is supplied to help parents keep their children with them , there is welfare for those in need and food stamps/food kitchens and food banks .I am aware that this is not the real answer either , but at least governments are there for citizens in distress . The grandparents in those circumstances do not live in flthy conditions , are more educated and there is access to education , pointing fingers achieves nothing nor does it help those in most need .

The ' family circle ' is not what some believe exists in Thailand , oh the show is put on , but in the end the welfare of the children is pushed aside to better the welfare of the delinquent parent(s) , please do not hide it under a stone and shrug your shoulders .

I agree with you and particularly the part I bolded. I know quite a few people how operate childrens homes, and I have seen over and over that the main purpose of children for many people is to benefit the parents.

Most homes are inundated with requests to take children and often a very sad story is provided (eg parents are dead), but on investigation the usual case is that the parents are simply trying to find a place that will raise the children for them until they are at an age where they become useful. It is very difficult to sort out the cases where there is an actual need as opposed to negligent parents just looking to prey on the charity of NGO's and missionaries.

Many of these kids are taken back out of the homes when they are old enough to work, often parents who were once dead, amazingly come back to life.

[amykat]

I strongly agree with Dumball and Canukamuck ...especially the part in bold too.

Seems strange that in the 25 years that I have either been visiting Thailand or living here, that the birth rate has indeed gone down significantly, and the wealth of the country has increased signficantly ...however the children are seemingly much worse off.

Edited March 18, 2011 by amykat

[Pops]

The lack of education - particularly sex education - in Thailand's underaged kids goes a long way to solving the problem. As has been told to me on many occasions, 'we all have a 'mistake' by the time we are 20 because our boyfriends refused to use a condom." So when reality hits, and after the birth, they come to the city to sell what they gave away for free in the village using the only real asset they deem themselves to have, and leave the child with grandparents, which is a far better option (in my opinion) than placing a 6 month old baby in some overpriced day care centre with multiple of the same problem, limited hugs and connectivity etc, so the parents can head to work! No easy solution but comparing apples with apples, Thailand still is stronger in the family unit than the west and that suits me fine.

Can't help but notice you basically are putting this on the mother but then talk about the 'parents' going to work. The sad fact is this should be looked at as both a male/female problem and if it was .. it would be less of a problem. If the father stuck around then many of these women would not be in the position they are in. Hopefully the day is not far off when Thailand will take the steps many other countries have and hold the father liable in supporting their children. Too many young men in Thailand have far too many children with far too many women and provide no support to any of them. If held accountable for their actions they too would have motivation to use a condom.

Edit: I don't mean to say you blame this on the women only but it seems so few times anybody thinks about or holds the father accountable here as would be the case in the west. And I do agree Thailand has a strong view of the family unit.

Indeed, the fathers should legally be held liable for supporting the children after a separation but most of them are not "legally" married (Jot Tabian), but only undergo the local village type of marriage.

However it is not so that all children raised by grandparents are kids of divorced/separated parents.

Main reason for children being raised by grandparents is financial.

Parents cannot provide for the upbringing and education of their kids and have to look elsewhere for (better paying) jobs.

Furthermore the salaries are so low that a single salary does not suffice.

How can anyone raise a kid and live, eat and drink of a minimum salary of 4600 THB/month, think about it !

If the problem of salaries being too low, is not tackled, kids will be raised by their grandparents for ever.

Besides the fact that it affect the kids it is also a heartbreaking situation for these parents.

Do not judge these people for most of them also want to raise their own kids themselves, just like us.

They only lack the means to do so.

Very very sad !

[zzaa09]

Isn't Thailand's birth rate incredibly low and been on a significant decline for a while?

Yes. Correct.

[jimbeam1]

But many "Chai Dee Farlangs" will come and marry them, plus taking care their kids. That's what a Thai man would never do. What sort of employment can an Isan girl expect in Bangkok, Pattaya, or elsewhere?:jap:

I think I know what you are Implying. But foresure there is plenty of good honest employment, For Issan women/girls also men/boys

jb1

[dunkin2012]

6/10 is almost 50% livin' with the parents. it's pretty low indeed... I can see some of the issues here. People in BKK have nearly everything like other developed countries have. The development is more concentrated in BKK. Sky walk, Hi-so department stores and skyscrapers are the fact. To earn enough for the living in other rural areas is almost impossible. That's why they have to desert their children. dam*n Poor! Decentralized many things and build enough infrastructures out side of BKK can be good idea. Additionally, education here is suck. Is there any good reason that educating people is bad for the country? For communism only to think that educating people too much is to put them in danger. Otherwise, they grow up then enter into the sex industry. Pattaya is a <deleted>*kin' filthy city that's full of gays and hookers