webfact Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 EDITORIALFor Thai teens, Cupid's arrow can be poison-tippedThe NationThis Valentine's Day will bring another leap in accidental teenage pregnancies; we need proper sex education to tackle a problem that is ruining too many livesBANGKOK: -- Valentine's Day tomorrow will see the usual warnings from authorities about the problem of unplanned pregnancies among teenagers. The concern is sparked because young lovers often associate the occasion with sex. According to a recent survey, almost 32 per cent of teenage boys said they saw Valentine's Day as a good occasion to have sex with their girlfriends for the first time.But Thailand's inadequate sex education means that many such encounters lead to unplanned pregnancies. Last year 54 out of every 100,000 girls under the age of 18 became pregnant - a far higher ratio than the World Health Organisation average of 15 per 100,000, according to Mathurada Suwannapho, director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute. The figures among even younger girls are equally shocking. Citing a report by the Thai Health Department's Bureau of Reproductive Health, Mathurada says 3,725 girls under the age of 15 gave birth in 2012.Teenage pregnancies lead to a comparatively high rate of abortions, stillbirths and deaths of the mothers and newborns. Every year an estimated three million girls aged 15 to 19 undergo unsafe abortions, which contributes to a high rate of maternal deaths as well as lasting health problems for the mothers.Meanwhile, in most low- and middle-income countries, complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among girls ages 15 to 19. Rates of stillbirth and death among newborns are 50 per cent higher among infants of adolescent mothers than among infants of women aged 20 to 29. And babies born to adolescent mothers are more likely to be low in weight, which can have a long-term impact on their health and development.The WHO blames high rates of teen pregnancies on adolescents' lack of knowledge of how to avoid becoming pregnant and on the unavailability of contraceptives. "However, even where contraceptives are widely available, sexually active adolescents are less likely to use them than adults," it says. Department of Disease Control deputy director-general Dr Somsak Akksilp notes that failure to use contraceptives (particularly condoms) has also led to high rates of sexually transmitted disease, including HIV, among teenagers in Thailand.Parents, guardians, teachers and others responsible for the care of youngsters should try to make teens aware that they're still too young and inexperienced to take on parenting. Youngsters who get pregnant put their academic progress at risk, having to leave school either because they're expelled or because they must look after their child. Those from poor families are then often stuck in a cycle of poverty, unable to gain the academic qualifications that could lead to a better life. Unplanned pregnancies also lead to abortions or abandonment of newborns, which in turn causes more problems and financial burdens for society.The problem of accidental pregnancies in Thailand will only be effectively tackled when teens get proper education about sex, the use of contraceptives, and particularly condoms, and basic family planning. Meanwhile, involvement in sports, volunteer work and academic achievement are useful ways to divert energetic teenagers' thoughts away from sexual pursuits they might regret. -- The Nation 2014-02-13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Red Snake Posted February 12, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 12, 2014 One problem is these girls are so desperate to have a boyfriends, which is a big social status symbol for them that they will do anything the boy ask just to please him. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVGerry Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Reading this article, it's like teenagers only do it on Valentine's Day. Aren't hormone raging teens horny all the time? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sustento Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Old man isn't getting his leg over - moans about fact that teenies are doing it all over the place 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JeremyBowskill Posted February 13, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2014 Didn't they fix this already by telling teens to go to the temple? nothing to see here.... move along! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post chooka Posted February 13, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2014 I wonder how many of these 3 million abortion for 15 - 19 yr olds are a result of being forced into prostitution by the parents. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyman Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 "An old Mongolian saying", " If age could, if youth knew" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABCer Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 One problem is these girls are so desperate to have a boyfriends, which is a big social status symbol for them that they will do anything the boy ask just to please him. You make it sound like it is boys fault. Allow me to disagree. It is tropics. Sex maturity comes early. Especially for girls. To address the problem of unplanned pregnancies education is the only option. And I mean education for all involved - Parents, Girls, Boys. What you teach is another matter. Just remember: condoms are not 100% safe, pills are not 100% safe, IUD's are not 100% safe. The only 100% safe thing is a glass of icy cold water taken not before, not after, but instead of sex!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Yunla Posted February 13, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2014 I don't see Valentine's Day as being the problem. The problem is stigma attached to contraception, females-viewed-as-objects, teenage hormones, and as other posters have pointed out ; sexual exploitation by immoral persons for profit. The first problem is easy to fix, you just have to bombard people with media about why contraception is "hip cool and adult." Second problem is a huge complex regional and cultural issue and takes decades/centuries to re-balance. You can't really change the hormones problem lol, its just the teenage rollercoaster ride where everything is sugar and fireworks all day. The last problem, the selling of young bodies for profit, is also impossible to fix without increasing wage-values across the board and making normal work so worthwhile that selling sex is no longer considered useful, this is a huge task and again would take decades at least. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyman Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 We all like the girls to "Get em off" its been going on a long time now, ask the Romans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
englishoak Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 In Thailand, abortion laws are ambiguous. More than 15 clinics provide abortion care somewhat openly, but high maternal mortality from complications of unsafe abortion persists throughout the country. What some of these girls go through sometimes is amateur procedure at best and at worst tragic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisY1 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 3 million abortions!!!! Astounding......but then again...who knows where these figures come from...... Sent from my GT-P7510 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooka Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I don't see Valentine's Day as being the problem. The problem is stigma attached to contraception, females-viewed-as-objects, teenage hormones, and as other posters have pointed out ; sexual exploitation by immoral persons for profit. The first problem is easy to fix, you just have to bombard people with media about why contraception is "hip cool and adult." Second problem is a huge complex regional and cultural issue and takes decades/centuries to re-balance. You can't really change the hormones problem lol, its just the teenage rollercoaster ride where everything is sugar and fireworks all day. The last problem, the selling of young bodies for profit, is also impossible to fix without increasing wage-values across the board and making normal work so worthwhile that selling sex is no longer considered useful, this is a huge task and again would take decades at least. Saint Valentine was a farang and the cause of this problem in Thailand. Wow that is the problem fixed on the Thai end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yunla Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Saint Valentine was a farang and the cause of this problem in Thailand. Wow that is the problem fixed on the Thai end. Yes our evil and murky tradition of exchanging cards, chocolates and flowers, is bringing this nation to its knees! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomyummer Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 3 million abortions!!!! Astounding......but then again...who knows where these figures come from...... The TAT of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmirage2013 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Just keep clowns like Chalerm from reproducing.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockneyGit Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 One problem is these girls are so desperate to have a boyfriends, which is a big social status symbol for them that they will do anything the boy ask just to please him. You make it sound like it is boys fault. Allow me to disagree. It is tropics. Sex maturity comes early. Especially for girls. To address the problem of unplanned pregnancies education is the only option. And I mean education for all involved - Parents, Girls, Boys. What you teach is another matter. Just remember: condoms are not 100% safe, pills are not 100% safe, IUD's are not 100% safe. The only 100% safe thing is a glass of icy cold water taken not before, not after, but instead of sex!. Red Snake is bang on the money. It's not the boys ''fault'' as such, however they do know how to play on the fact that teenage girls have to have a boyfriend as an ''accessory'' and use this to their advantage. A boyfriend is a necessity as much as a mobile phone. Girls/Women are still 2nd class citizens here and as such will always have to please their man, whatever he asks. I have two teenage daughters and, trust me, sleepless nights are in endless supply! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luk Mhee Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 One problem is these girls are so desperate to have a boyfriends, which is a big social status symbol for them that they will do anything the boy ask just to please him. The other problem of course is that “sex” is in every teenagers mind from the beginning of time. Sex between teenagers is not considered as criminal, as long as there is consent from both parties. Sex education at schools talk about preventative measures on pregnancies, HIV, and other viruses, it does not educate the teenagers on the morality of keeping virginity until marriage. Nor does it educate the primary school students on the dangers of under-age sex. Last, but not least, the male species is a natural hunter, and the system does not educate the males. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai at Heart Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 3 million abortions!!!! Astounding......but then again...who knows where these figures come from...... Sent from my GT-P7510 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app 54 out of every 100,000 Wait for it. Unless I am mistaken, this is a grevious typo Shouldn't it be per 1000? If its per 100,000 there might only 250 to 1000 underage pregnancies per year in the whole country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cup-O-coffee Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Thanks, Nation. But why tell us? Why not go into the schools and tell them? We already know this. And... as I have stated many times before; ...yet again another story bemoaning the woes of Thailand's societal problems with nary one mention of mum or dad. Of Lemmings and Lunatics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaltsc Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 "For Thai teens, Cupid's arrow can be poison-tipped. Obviously, the tip on Cupid's arrow is not the tip Thai teenage girls need to be worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 In this country where young girls can afford to buy new motor bikes,and expensive smart phones, they should be able to afford condoms too! Oh, wait, sorry..... I forgot, condoms are only for Farangs! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit47 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 In this country where young girls can afford to buy new motor bikes,and expensive smart phones, they should be able to afford condoms too! Oh, wait, sorry..... I forgot, condoms are only for Farangs!Teenage-Pregnancy-2.jpg Where to buy condoms in rates... You mean condominiums, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cup-O-coffee Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 In this country where young girls can afford to buy new motor bikes,and expensive smart phones, they should be able to afford condoms too! Oh, wait, sorry..... I forgot, condoms are only for Farangs!Teenage-Pregnancy-2.jpg Where to buy condoms in rates... You mean condominiums, right? LOL. 'made me think about Gazo and Rocky talking about the same thing just after Rocky married Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NongKhaiKid Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 All we have is the annual debate on sex education and the hypocrisy that's part and parcel. Use the word ' education ' and the parents take a massive pace to the rear and point to the schools. Schools say the basics about sex, and other aspects of life, should begin in the home and then they can, may, might play their part. As with so many other issues taking responsibility is something to be avoided like the plague. Of course Thainess prevents people talking about sex but doesn't prevent them getting on with it big time though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Those numbers are just so messed up. "Every year an estimated three million girls aged 15 to 19 undergo unsafe abortions" 2013 - ages 10-14 females 2 million. Interpolate the ages maybe 1 million max 13,14 years of age ages 15-19 females 2.5 million total population in Thailand So there are more females per year getting pregnant then there are available. Of course it could suggest multiple pregnancies per year per girl in that age group but I really doubt it. Just silly numbers IMHO. Thailand Age Structure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebell Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Reading this article, it's like teenagers only do it on Valentine's Day. Aren't hormone raging teens horny all the time? I was. Come to think pf it - still am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebell Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I was. Come to think of it - still am. Whoops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Reading this article, it's like teenagers only do it on Valentine's Day. Aren't hormone raging teens horny all the time? It`s called the Mr Spock syndrome. Vulcans become rampant for it every 7 years, Thai teens once a year. On the planet Vulcan it`s called amok time, in Thailand it`s called, run amuck time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRSoul Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Cupid's arrows?? I didn't think his bow was that small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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