Officials urge teens to avoid sex on Valentine’s Day and to visit temples instead. The country faces high teen pregnancy rates and a growing HIV infection rate.

According to a recent media survey, teenagers in Thailand pick Valentine’s Day as the “perfect day” to lose their virginity. Bangkok officials are urging young Thai couples to avoid sex on the unofficial holiday and visit temples instead.

The country’s Ministry of Affairs is also taking measures to crack down on underage sex. An order has been issued by the ministry to provincial authorities to ensure that all hotels and nightclubs are observing the country’s underage sex laws.

According to public health officials, Thailand’s teenage pregnancy rates are among the highest in Southeast Asia. To combat the issue, more than 3.5 million condoms have been made available in 68 healthcare facilities in 10 cities.

The health ministry in Thailand also has plans to install condom vending machines in some high schools. The initiative was first tested in 2010 and welcomed by most students. However, 90 percent of parents strongly disagreed with the measure. They believed that vending machines would encourage teens to have sex.

HIV infection rates in the country’s gay population are another concern. They are nearly as high as those in Africa’s AIDS hotspots.

Pirapong Saicheua, a city official, encouraged teens to free birds and fish, or visit the temple instead of making love. Freeing caged birds is a Buddhist ritual that Thai followers see as a way to enhance their karma. Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist country and remains conservative despite its reputation as a hotspot for gay bars and sex tourism.

Bangkok’s Moral Promotion Center also revealed its “Just a Meal for Valentine” campaign that encourages teens to stick to dinner dates on Valentine’s Day and avoid putting themselves in situations that would tempt them to engage in premarital sex.

In addition to the ministry’s orders, nightclubs and entertainment venues are encouraged to report any inappropriate behavior.

-- 2015-02-12

Amazing Thailand

Yeah, right, and these 'officials' never got it on when they were kids, of course! You'll have to come up with a better plan than urging them to visit a ... temple I'm afraid. This is teens you're talking about, they think a little bit differently than you.

An annual rite for those crazy Thai officials.

They are a bit early with the April First jokes right.

Thus marking the launch of yet another successful tourist campaign by TAT, this one to be called SHAW day, stay home and w**k.

I thought they would suggest sending each other those LINE stickers for which they've paid a small fortune

...pathetic......Thailand Hub of brainless non-sensical ideas.......

My head is just blank, as brain dead as the officials, no idea what to say to this.

Well, they could just fight, instead. Violence would be another way to vent, instead of hugging and kissing.

Either that, or birth control. But boys and girls are going to be exactly that.

No physical contact on Valentines Day.

No Lanterns on Loi Krathong Day.

No Beer Sales Most of the Day.(and most holidays)

No Border Runs for Tourists

The Hub of "No"

...pathetic......Thailand Hub of brainless non-sensical ideas.......

It never fails to amaze me , the ideas floated by the Public service offials, I would liek to ask, how many pregnancies are due entirely down to young couples, or is it a situation where family members are actually committing offences.

While the situation is dire with the number of unwanted or underage pregnancies, some it due to the culture of the country, where girls are not so important as boys, which then leads girls to escape the system of arranged marriages almost to deal with family problems including debt. . Over the l;ast few years while living here, the numbner of young girls m,arried off ( via headman ) is astonishing and worrying. Children then appear but the man vanishes, no money no support, what i ask does the girl do, the only thing she can to feed her children. DO away with the unofficial marriages ( make it Amphur only ) and the number of so-called unwanted pregnancies will drop as most Thai men do not want to be legally bound to someone who they arranged to marry just for the physical act.

did they ever hear about reverse psychology or.. when i think about it.. did they ever hear about psychology?

If freeing caged birds gives one good Karma what does caging them in the first place do for one's Karma? This place never ceases to amaze me. I wonder how the Budda would spin that?

Let me think...will young people with hormones raging prefer sex or bird/fish releasing on Valentine Day? That's a tough one to answer. Hey, simple answer...do both!

"They believed that vending machines would encourage teens to have sex."

Maybe they forgot what it was like to be a teen. I remember that I didn't need much encouragement, although it was a little embarrassing to walk into a store and buy them at that age.

why not stop the root (excuse the pun) of the HIV/AIDS source......hmmmmmm rampant prostitution, you brainless <deleted>!!!! Oh sorry there's too much money in that... idiots at the highest level!

Some funny stuff to be sure . . .

Generally speaking, this folks have the morals of a cat but on Valentines Day they are not going to get "too close"? Go to temples? Maybe play some footy?

Some funny stuff to be sure . . .

Generally speaking, this folks have the morals of a cat

....My Cat is offended

Better that "officials" would encourage parents to talk to their kids about sex and birth control

"90 percent of parents strongly disagreed with the measure. They believed that vending machines would encourage teens to have sex."

Yes, that vending machine is giving me ideas that I never got from my hormones, or pheromones or advertising, or porn, or R rated movies, or the examples of my peers, or parents. . . . or the way girls dress, or . . . we cannot go there can we?

I must use it.

Sexy vending machines. Almost as sexy as farang men.

Better that "officials" would encourage parents to talk to their kids about sex and birth control

Because Officials are parents, they have no idea how to raise children properly, Thai society proves it. Road deaths, education, violence (TV) growing up in a totally corrupt society, Free style family, drink--smoking--laws not upheld. and on on on on.

They are a bit early with the April First jokes right.

Actually this country is one big joke, the rest of the world are laughing their heads off.

Asking teens not to have sex on Valentine's Day is Thailand is like asking an Irishman not to drink on St. Patrick's Day.

"Officials urge teens to avoid sex on Valentine’s Day and to visit temples instead."

But its OK to traffic humans from other country's into the sex trade.

Well, they could just fight, instead. Violence would be another way to vent, instead of hugging and kissing.

Either that, or birth control. But boys and girls are going to be exactly that.

No physical contact on Valentines Day.

No Lanterns on Loi Krathong Day.

No Beer Sales Most of the Day.(and most holidays)

No Border Runs for Tourists

The Hub of "No"

More and more like Malaysia (land of "no" and "shut up") every day. Just need an Islamofascist coup to complete the picture.

How about giving out free condoms instead of talking down to people. And do they think HIV transfer and teen pregnancy only happen on Valentine's day?

Officials urge teens to avoid sex on Valentines Day and to visit temples instead.

Yes Dad.

I think it's a perfect day to lose virginity, at least it's a day and time you will always remember when asked.

I think it's a perfect day to lose virginity, at least it's a day and time you will always remember when asked.

What an important reason to pick as to losing your virginity on valentines day, so you can remember what day it was if someone asked.