Thai Youngsters Switch From Drugs To Drinks

[george]

Youngsters switch from drugs to drinks

BANGKOK: -- The government's war on illicit drugs has led to youngsters in the Northeast turning to alcohol, with Sakon Nakhon province having the highest consumption rate among teenagers. Niruj Uttha, a health official at a Khon Kaen-based drug rehabilitation treatment centre, said the findings of a study he carried out about alcohol consumption among youths in the Northeast were worrying. Many teenagers, particularly girls, were taking alcoholic drinks for entertainment and relaxation. Before, teenagers drank alcohol to forget their sufferings, he said. His research team surveyed 4,482 young people aged from 13 to 20, male and female, in all 19 northeastern provinces.

The survey found that alcohol consumption among male teenagers was high, or about 76.52%, while 23% of the female teenagers drank alcohol. This compares to 15.9% in 2001. Most teenagers begin by trying beer before switching to other beverages with a stronger alcohol content. Mr Niruj said alcohol consumption among teenagers was high after the government's war on drugs.

Many teenagers turned to alcohol and cigarettes which they said were easily available and not illegal.

The study found that most teenagers had a misconception that drinking alcohol would show that they had matured into adults. Mr Niruj said teenagers in Sakon Nakhon had the highest alcohol consumption rate at 44.3% of those surveyed, followed by youths in Khon Kaen (32.3%) and Yasothon (27.9%).

--Bangkok Post 2005-10-23

[Neeranam]

Just goes to show that the Govt's. "war on drugs" was a waste of time, as well as lives. Who gained from it?

[britmaveric]

Progress!!!

[tuky]

Niruj Uttha, a health official at a Khon Kaen-based drug rehabilitation treatment centre, said the findings of a study he carried out about alcohol consumption among youths in the Northeast were worrying. Many teenagers, particularly girls, were taking alcoholic drinks for entertainment and relaxation. Before, teenagers drank alcohol to forget their sufferings, he said.

That is a worrying trend

[cdnvic]

Progress!!!

Yeah, now instead of motorcyclists cranked up on yaba, they'll just be blind drunk.

cv

[Thaipwriter]

Just last night i witnessed a worrying incident, at a late night venue the door staff had to carry a very drunk youth to his pick up truck in the parking area. the guy was about 25 years old. he then somehow drove the vehicle away.

Where do i live?

Khon Kaen!!!

[plachon]

Youngsters switch from drugs to drinks

BANGKOK: -- The government's war on illicit drugs has led to youngsters in the Northeast turning to alcohol, with Sakon Nakhon province having the highest consumption rate among teenagers.

Many teenagers turned to alcohol and cigarettes which they said were easily available and not illegal.

Does this mean that the Great Puritan Leader will soon make booze and fags illegal?

He's half way there with the tabs, and it's only a matter of time with the booze, so get in yer rounds, before the next crackdown begins.

[Johpa]

Well at least you don't hear too much about sniffing glue these days. But you still have a lot of young kids and young adults with few options in life and not a lot to look forward to after getting the free bicycle from Toxin to use to peddle to the elemetary school.

[haha]

I feel for the kids. they probably don't have enough legitimate activities to keep their minds and bodies busy. (correct me if I'm wrong.)

they need activities to keep them involved mentally and physically. to make them happy.

in the states, we had all sorts of sports activities at school. football, basketball, track and field, baseball, fencing, wrestling, kung <deleted>, karate, judo. I mean there were so many different sports available. there was something for everyone.

and to top it off, we had sports competition between schools at different levels from city, district, state, and even at the international level.

this makes for a very busy kid.

[ProfessorFart]

So what next? A crackdown on booze anyone??

[OZONE]

So what next? A crackdown on booze anyone??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

forget cracking down on the Booze, how about cracking down on the parents.

They obviously need to do a better job at teaching these kids.

[snoophound]

Seems like no more or less of a problem than anywhere else in the world.

Jeez just spent the weekend in Surfers Paradise for the Indicar racing.

Never seen so many drunk teens and that was in the early evening,by midnight they are puking everywhere,girls staggering around blind drunk,asleep on the beach ,etc etc etc

So what next? A crackdown on booze anyone??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

forget cracking down on the Booze, how about cracking down on the parents.

They obviously need to do a better job at teaching these kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[bdenner]

forget cracking down on the Booze, how about cracking down on the parents.

They obviously need to do a better job at teaching these kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have gotta wonder what the parents can do. A couple of weeks ago we had a horrific prang here in Ban Dung. Somewhere between 13 and 17 in a pickup the driver 'stole' from his father, all drunk and refused entry to various bars and finished up wrapping the vehicle around a power pole. Thus far 8 dead with more not expected to make it. This gang of youths were notourious thugs and the general feeling in the community is 'Som Nom Nah'. A sad thing for the loved ones to hear. BUT will the remaining youth learn anything from this, I think not. Edited October 24, 2005 by bdenner

[carlthailand]

Well at least you don't hear too much about sniffing glue these days.  But you still have a lot of young kids and young adults with few options in life and not a lot to look forward to after getting the free bicycle from Toxin to use to peddle to the elemetary school.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nor the sniffing of petrol. Major problem back in Oz. Hopefully, it won't come here. But really what sort of life do half the kids have. They go to school when they leave, if they are lucky enough to finish. How well, paid is the job they get. Sure if you are in with the crowd you get paid GOOD money, but it never works it way down the ladder. SHAME.

C

[ben01]

as much as you wouldn't want to admit it, but this is just a sign'o' the times, these problems come hand in hand with the western culture that is obviously ever increasing all over the country.It doesn't really matter whats on offer for a child/ adolescent, everywhere these days kids just grow up too quick..

[MyNameIsFarang]

as much as you wouldn't want to admit it, but this is just a sign'o' the times, these problems come hand in hand with the western culture that is obviously ever increasing all over the country.It doesn't really matter whats on offer for a child/ adolescent, everywhere these days kids just grow up too quick..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's not so obvious to me, so why don't you explain the connection, if you can?

[gburns57au]

I feel for the kids.  they probably don't have enough legitimate activities to keep their minds and bodies busy.  (correct me if I'm wrong.)

they need activities to keep them involved mentally and physically.  to make them happy.

in the states, we had all sorts of sports activities at school.  football, basketball, track and field, baseball, fencing, wrestling, kung &lt;deleted&gt;, karate, judo.  I mean there were so many different sports available.  there was something for everyone.

and to top it off, we had sports competition between schools at different levels from city, district, state, and even at the international level.

this makes for a very busy kid.

So you are saying the US doesnt have a youth Drug or drink problem.......

[Pattaya_Fox]

It`s interesting to see the discrepency between the sexes.

Only 23% of young females drank whilst over three times that number of young males were drinking.

Now is is boredom? or it it the macho attitude that the young males have?

If it`s boredom then the females must be busier than the males or have they got more common sense?

[Joey Boy]

So what next? A crackdown on booze anyone??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that happens as regularly as christmas

[OZONE]

forget cracking down on the Booze, how about cracking down on the parents.

They obviously need to do a better job at teaching these kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have gotta wonder what the parents can do. A couple of weeks ago we had a horrific prang here in Ban Dung. Somewhere between 13 and 17 in a pickup the driver 'stole' from his father, all drunk and refused entry to various bars and finished up wrapping the vehicle around a power pole. Thus far 8 dead with more not expected to make it. This gang of youths were notourious thugs and the general feeling in the community is 'Som Nom Nah'. A sad thing for the loved ones to hear. BUT will the remaining youth learn anything from this, I think not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"stole" a pick up from his father?. It just goes to show you how much respect the parents received their child. If he were taught better when he was young, he would not have disrespect them as so. I be willing to bet this young man had his ways since he was born; anything @ anytimetime he wanted, he got it. I do feel sorry for the younger kids in the pickup, but the others at 17 years old, you should know better... no excuses... som naam nah for the Thugs to be.