Thai teen pregnancy on the rise as sex education misses the young

[webfact]

Thai teen pregnancy on the rise as sex education misses the young
by Amélie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS

BANGKOK, January 17, 2014 (AFP) - Days away from giving birth and living apart from her family, 16-year-old Ying is one of a growing number of Thai teenagers to fall pregnant every year in a country where sex education is focused on the married.

Despite its anything-goes image, Thailand has a conservative streak, meaning that young people are told to abstain from intercourse altogether instead of being educated about using protection, a situation that experts say has driven soaring rates of teenage pregnancy.

Ying, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, did ask her boyfriend to use a condom but "he is a man, he did not listen.

"He used some once I was pregnant, but it was too late," said the softly-spoken girl, who moved into sheltered accommodation at Bangkok's Association for the Promotion of the Status of Women (APSW) when she was six months pregnant.

"My parents were afraid I would be embarrassed among my friends, so they told me to stay here," said Ying, from Pathum Thani province north of Bangkok. She now has no contact with the baby's father.

The adolescent birthrate has continued to rise for the last eight years, instead of the expected fall, according to Caspar Peek, country representative for the UN's Population Fund.

"Instead of going down, as you would expect to happen with higher levels of literacy, higher levels of development, money etc, the levels have actually gone up," he told AFP.

According to the United Nations, the birthrate among Thai teenagers was 47 per 1,000 girls from 2006 to 2010 -- roughly in line with neighbouring Cambodia, but higher than Malaysia's 14.

Thai health minister Pradit Sintavanarong said there were 130,000 births to teenage mothers in the country in 2012.

But he said the true figure of pregnancies among the under 20s is thought to be double that, with many girls opting for an abortion -- a procedure that is illegal in Thailand under almost all circumstances.

"It is an increasingly important problem," said Pradit, adding that 12 percent of teenage mothers get pregnant a second time before they reach 20.

He said society was "very conservative" in Thailand where people "deny" issues of sexual activity among the young.
"They think teenagers should not have sex and that's all," he said.

Thailand has a low overall birthrate of just 1.5 or 1.6 births per woman, showing that access to contraception is not the problem.

It has successfully reduced its birthrate from 6 children per woman 40 years ago with family planning programmes aimed at married couples, said Peek, who added that school teachers were "often uncomfortable" giving sex education classes.

To mitigate this -- and the reluctance of parents to broach the subject with their children -- the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand has launched a campaign to educate 80,000 teenagers that will run until June 2014.

"We cannot tell anyone not to have sex, it's a natural thing. But they should be prepared," said Somchai Kamthong, the group's director of information, after giving a talk at a school in Bangkok.

About 50 teenagers aged 16 to 19 years old, some with balloons stuffed under their t-shirts, laugh as two of their classmates put a condom on a dummy penis.

"There is an average of two students dropping out of school per semester because they got pregnant," said Jittrakorn Kanphaka, a counsellor at the 130 pupil college.

Some girls, like Ying, are told to leave by their families because of the stigma of their pregnancy.

"Most of them came here because they have nowhere else to go. Their families rejected them," said the Bangkok APSW shelter's psychiatrist Kantanick Nirothon.

He said many of the boarders at the centre had been raped, often by a close relation.

Like 14-year-old Pook, who clasps her 11-day-old son against her chest.

"I was raped by my uncle," she said, matter-of-factly.

She has decided not to give up her baby for adoption, but to take some of the courses offered by the centre -- which include data processing, embroidery and massage -- to help her support her child alone.

"My parents do not have money so they told me to study here and take care of the baby at the same time," she said.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-01-17

[tominbkk]

Anyone in this day and age who does not know what a condom is should probably be sterlized.

[thaisaregrt]

face is just too important to people in Thailand, maybe they should start removing the nuts of those that either rape girls or refuse to wear condoms.

[focus27]

"I was raped by my uncle," she said, matter-of-factly.

Now there's an ugly truth. There are usually negotiated reparations for such behaviour, unless the uncle was broke too. Under-age sex is also possible with the parents' permission. I've seen it - it's a sad mess.

[Costas2008]

They were supposed to distribute 80million condoms, they were supposed to start sex education in schools, they were supposed to start an HIV education and awareness program, they were supposed.........to bring the sea to Isaan.

Keep supporting this government and their continues lies and false promises and by doing so you are also responsible for the wrongdoings happening in this country.

[ChrisY1]

Children......if you put your willy in there without a johnny, she can get up the duff......how hard is it <deleted>!

[rkidlad]

When I started dating here I had many girls tell me 'No Thai lady sex before marriage - Thai culture. No same your country' I was very impressed with how perfect this all was and couldn't wait to go home to educate the masses.

And that's what it all boils down to - the refusal to accept and talk about reality and stop bullshitting.

Teenagers want sex. Bag it up and crack on in a safe and informed way. If you're really unsure, double bag it.

[DocN]

Anyone in this day and age who does not know what a condom is should probably be sterlized.

I guess, you missed an important part here.

Look, I show you!

"I was raped by my uncle," she said, matter-of-factly.

[bigbamboo]

Sex education begins in Thailand after your married?

Better late than never I suppose. Some subjects never seem to be taught at all.

[JoeThePoster]

So they've stopped using plastic bags too?

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01/05/national/Plastic-bags-not-a-wise-substitute-for-condoms-min-30145699.html

[cup-O-coffee]

Vices take away the pain of reality. Sex, drugs, alcohol, rage, and so on. This is simply one facet of reality here.

When a mother and father of a brutal murderer of a babysitter and two children says, "We could not control him", then stories like this really do not surprise me.

The words and phrases which are reserved for use, and applied to more developed societies and people, should not be used here in a politically correct fashion. It nauseates me. It gives me the impression that someone is trying to convince or persuade me that this particular society has some kind of grasp on words and phrases such as, "responsibility, self-restraint, constitution, reprimanding, rewarding, mentoring, etc.". It is as if idiots are endeavoring to lead me to believe that this society truly understands the merits which form a healthy society; full of well-being and consideration for self and others.

"Saying it like it is to the children" as another poster suggested, should not be limited to the children only. Regrettably, political correctness has put manacles on the wrists and ankles of Truth. One simply cannot "say it like it is" anymore without forming a committee and wasting precious time turning the truth into some bland, insipid pap that will certainly not offend the many demographics out there. The results are so utterly sterile that I would not wish them on anyone to listen to or read about.

I think that what the mother and father said should be a motto ("We could not control...") and used as an impetus to get away from and rather instead to achieve control. Unfortunately, this will never happen as taking control requires those words and phrases which are used so often here, but are empty and void of meaning; moreover they are used as a means to gain recognition and FACE and to gain approval of the very ones who need to hear the truth, yet can't stand the truth and do not want to be offended by it.

Funny thing... it is almost as if Truth is becoming a lost concept to the key to living a healthy and safe life. The regrettable thing is that those who are near the Truth cannot speak out as the days go by, and that Truth is being sought out with a warrant for arrest from the feeble minded sychophants who are killing us all. Another funny thing about that is, these days, our leaders and those with wealth and power more and more resemble those skinny armed, inbred, weakling types which infected empires like Rome, before its fall. The thing about that which disgusts me is that those with moral strength and fiber obsequiously bury their noses up the <deleted> of these weaklings whilst Rome burns.

No! Nothing will change simply because those fighting for change do not exist here in the form which I am describing; the form that I grew up around, and the forefathers I was taught about. The state of decay is too far advanced, and the Truth has gone elsewhere to live another day.

[geriatrickid]

They were supposed to distribute 80million condoms, they were supposed to start sex education in schools, they were supposed to start an HIV education and awareness program, they were supposed.........to bring the sea to Isaan.

Keep supporting this government and their continues lies and false promises and by doing so you are also responsible for the wrongdoings happening in this country.

When HIV first reared its head in Thailand and government of the day during that decade refused to respond, where were you?

Those governments were either military junta or folks we would identify as "Democrat" today. Whether you want to believe it or not, the most successful period at reducing the incidence of STI and of promoting the use of condoms came during the first Thaksin government. The National Economic and Social Development Plan introduced in 2002 set out multiple reforms that made Thailand a leader in the prevention of STIs and condom use. When the economic costs associated with the epidemic were reduced, the governments that followed, foolishly cut funding for infection prevention education including the promotion of condoms. Perhaps they thought pills were the answer. The current PTP government is the government that reversed the cuts and boosted spending on health education. Look at the budget allocations for health education.

You hate the current government. I get it. You can believe whatever you want. However, when you lie and try to distort facts, it speaks volumes about your character. Pick another issue that you know something about to base your attack on the government, because on this subject you are wrong, very wrong.

Edited January 17, 2014 by geriatrickid

[MickeyKnox82]

Once an oldschool thai teacher in my school was shocked, when she found a new condom (not used) in a m5 classroom! When i said its good, at least they take care, she said NOO, thats thai culture, they are only 16 /17 they dont have sex! Its not like in europe! Well, thats where it comes from, 40 years back in the past, dont talk abt sex in school!

[Thaddeus]

Once an oldschool thai teacher in my school was shocked, when she found a new condom (not used) in a m5 classroom! When i said its good, at least they take care, she said NOO, thats thai culture, they are only 16 /17 they dont have sex! Its not like in europe! Well, thats where it comes from, 40 years back in the past, dont talk abt sex in school!

Similar.

The wife of a friend of mine is a teacher in a senior position at our largest government school.

During a very large meeting she raised the subject of sex education, she was immediately shouted down by a Thai Administrator (a woman with big hair, you know what I mean) who stated that only married Thai people have sex and she was only saying that because she was married to a farang.

While that attitude exists in the people that control the Thai education system, nothing will change, except for the worse.

[Kudel]

Anyone in this day and age who does not know what a condom is should probably be sterlized.

Yes and al those stories one reads about farangs knocking up bargirls too.

[Engborg]

It started way earlier. Look at this video:

Mechai Viravaidya: How Mr. Condom made Thailand a better place http://on.ted.com/exhj

[crazydrummerpauly]

Interesting, but not very new news as far as the change in Thai culture is concerned. How long ago do you think Thai youths discovered internet porn ? And family-members have been abusing Thai girls for decades if not generations. Nothing in LoS lives up to its public face - it would be very funny if it wasn't so totally depressing.

[hansnl]

Denial of reality and denial of truth are part of Thainess.

Like face.

[kingstonkid]

Teen pregnancy is not a Thai problem although it is a huge problem here.

The challenge is to educate teens about sex and get the boys to realize that they have to put a rubber on when they want it to get wet.

The US, UK, Canada and I am sure all other countries have the same problem.

Here though the fact that students do not get the proper training by teachers that are wiling to teach them, do not have a peer system where they can go or the resources for things like female contraception is a huge issue.

Remember a lot of these girls come from homes where daddy is non existent. They are looking for love or to fit in. You see it in the way they quickly find boyfriends and gf in matayom.

For a parent that themselves may have come from a dysfunctional situation there is no ability to teach.

Mom is still in the old world where they feel that if they tell their little girl NO then she will say no.

The only thing that slows them down is when one of their classmates goes away part way through the year.

[MickeyKnox82]

(a woman with big hair, you know what I mean)

I think the sex education has the same problems as drug education. I alwas see and hear: No No , it's bad, bla bla bla

They told me that in German school as well (when I was a student) but I did anyway a lot of drugs....luckily I never lost control about it and stood every monday morning fresh at work.

Sometimes I talk to my students, that drugs are fun, and let you feel good BUUUTTTTT especially here in asia, you get only sh** . Yaba and Ya ice are dirty bad drugs, worth 10 baht and you paying 400 for a pill or a gramm or whatever, telling them the ingredients, what's actually rubbish, ... [...]

Students start to understand....I think....way better than saying: No, this is bad.

Next point is as well one of the biggest, the education by the parents, which is in many cases like Zero..........

Edited January 17, 2014 by MickeyKnox82

[zakk9]

Thai boys don't care anyway. The consequences for them are nil. They just find another girl.

[jerry1989]

well Thai customs...getting away from reality, BUT WHY SO IN A PRATHUM 6 CLASSROOM, I WAS SURPRISED BY A THAI TEACHER WHO SHOWED A PORN THAI TEEN MOVIE ON MASTURBATION!!!!so at the end of the day till his marriage, i used to call him masturbation.

[Thai at Heart]

When I started dating here I had many girls tell me 'No Thai lady sex before marriage - Thai culture. No same your country' I was very impressed with how perfect this all was and couldn't wait to go home to educate the masses.

And that's what it all boils down to - the refusal to accept and talk about reality and stop bullshitting.

Teenagers want sex. Bag it up and crack on in a safe and informed way. If you're really unsure, double bag it.

Indeed they are all so amazingly conservative.

They only put out on the second date.

[Tokay]

Ying, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, did ask her boyfriend to use a condom but "he is a man, he did not listen. "He used some once I was pregnant, but it was too late,"

When the man starts wearing condoms AFTER he knocks up the girl, that pretty much sums it all up. This is the guy, the guy who wears condoms after the girl is pregnant, who is building your house, fixing your car, driving your mini van at break neck speeds during your visa run, or sleeping on the job as a security guard while burglars ransack your home.

In other words, the next time, "my God, how stupid is this guy?" runs through your head, now you know.

[vulcan903]

Thai boys don't care anyway. The consequences for them are nil. They just find another girl.

Yep shocking attitude.

My loving and very soft Thai lady got pregnant when she was 16. Her boyfriend who she really loved and trusted went with another girl once he knew she was preggers.

Alone and with a baby she looked after a elderly bed ridden Thai man for 6000 bht a month until his death then had to give her baby away to the fathers parents to look after.

I use the term look after loosely.

You would think there would be a sex awarness program in 2014 in Thailand.

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Keesters]

Thailand a country that like to think it is in the 21st century. But on many counts, like sex education, it is still in the dark ages.

[stedyedy]

Here in new zealand weve got the highest pregnancy rate for teens,people per capitta in the world and its more the binge drinking passing out and taken advantage of,there was one girl who passed out at a party and 6 different guys had sex with her,gross as it sounds it happens and alot its usually the case though go out on a date have a couple of drinks cant think straight,and the authorities got the cheek to go on about weed smokers bunch of fools.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[MyFriend You]

Anyone in this day and age who does not know what a condom is should probably be sterlized.

Yes and al those stories one reads about farangs knocking up bargirls too.

Don't know about you, but I haven't been able to go bareback since the Eighties in Bangkok, now that I know what I know, I am thankful that the girls insist on 'Wrapping That Rascle" in those days a dose of the clap was a 'common cold' now what you get is a death sentence.

[DGIE]

Teens here are aggressive and older people do not mind if they see those young ones already have boyfriends and girlfriends.

So what else do they expect for the young people's aggressiveness? The product is pregnancy of course. Not everytime

they want sex they are prepared with condoms and other contraceptives.

[belg]

kind of stupid + hypocritical, internationally known for sex industry

maybe fuelled by teenage pregnant girls, no chance to get a descent education and doing or forced into a job where they dont have to think with their head but with what is between their legs ...

parents are proud then, or just dont care where the monnies come from, right ?

as long as they get their new tv, dose of chang, bills paid...