Gandtee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I taught all of my Thai nephews and nieces to swim. Same as I taught my own children many moons ago. To me swimming is an essential skill. It is the difference between life and death if you are in trouble in water. In addition to that is something to be enjoyed. More important than classroom lessons when the kids are young. If you are dead, you cannot learn maths or the alphabet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nbarch Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 In the school I went to in the 1960’s, with pupils from across the social spectrum, the headmaster made it very clear on our first day that every pupil would leave school; (1) being able to sign their name and (2) be able to swim. Everybody left school being able to swim. It was not rocket science. The teachers knew it was a priority and made it happen. As a previous contributor has said, the Thai government should hold their head in shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banzai99 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 The global statistics for deaths by drowning are quite horrendous, so Thailand is not alone in losing thousands of young souls to drowning. Don't let this get in the way of declaring Thai people as unfit parents, after all, this is ThaiVisa, the hub of Thai bashing. In Western countries people have accidents of all types and they are just that, accidents, the same things happen in Thailand, but on ThaiVisa they are attributed to Thai stupidity, Thai uncaring, Mai pen rai attitude, etc etc. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalbz Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I read that Thailand is making "people smuggling" a top priority. Obviously the lives of Thailand's children are not a priority. Sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffP Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 How about mandatory swimming lessons in school for all kids! And where would they conduct those swimming lessons?? How many schools have swimming pools?? In my teens, many years ago, my father was asked by my sister's school to help some other parents build a swimming pool for the school. Between about 50~100 parents providing the labour, local contractors (parent) being coerced to supply a JCB, and local suppliers giving big discounts, they built a 50m pool (yes fifty metres) for just a few thousand pounds. Parents who couldn't help the physical work chipped in a couple of quid each and the School had a great resource, which could be used by everyone in the community and of course it was! Here in Thailand there is nearly twice the labour-force available since, unlike back then in UK, many women are not averse to physical labour. Get the village chiefs involved and there could be a swimming pool (named after him/her of course) in at least one school in most villages within a few months. And a few buckets of chlorine will take care of the water for a few months, until next year they have a whip round for filtration plant. It IS doable if the kamnan (?) can be persuaded that his/her name will live on much longer than the current six-shooter given for services rendered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seewolf Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I think nobody teach them to take care or stay away from the water, pool or whatever. The boy of my wifes brother came to our home in age of 3 and whithout saying nothing he jumped in the pool where the fence wasn't finished yet. I finished the fence quickly and few weeks later he climed over the fence and jumped in the water again, I pulled him out and he got some good correction and it was finished he never tried to climb over the fence or jumping in the water , The Family was shocked as I corrected him but he didn't jumped of the fence again.............. I explained to my wife why I gave him a slap or two on hus backside, what I have to do , let him do and if he is dead I have to say sorry to her brother make a new boy, that's it.......? She understood and we have a closed subject as he is still alive and now he can swim............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlQaholic Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) And reportedly people who die in traffic accidents are around 14,000. On top of that there is the additional number of people who get disabled for life but does not die. But go ahead....worry about the 400 or so who drown.... Edited March 30, 2015 by AlQaholic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandtee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I have just read that in the UK, 2010, 28 children under 15 drowned.A vast difference to Thai numbers. Here it should be a government priority to make swimming lessons and facilities available to all children. The worrying thing is that if swimming pools were built, would the maintenance be carried out and would the water quality be kept up to scratch? At least though, the children would be able to learn to swim.It just needs someone like the late Lee Kwan Yoo to implement it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 And reportedly people who die in traffic accidents are around 14,000. On top of that there is the additional number of people who get disabled for life but does not die. But go ahead....worry about the 400 or so who drown.... good attitude 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 How about mandatory swimming lessons in school for all kids! And where would they conduct those swimming lessons?? How many schools have swimming pools?? In my teens, many years ago, my father was asked by my sister's school to help some other parents build a swimming pool for the school. Between about 50~100 parents providing the labour, local contractors (parent) being coerced to supply a JCB, and local suppliers giving big discounts, they built a 50m pool (yes fifty metres) for just a few thousand pounds. Parents who couldn't help the physical work chipped in a couple of quid each and the School had a great resource, which could be used by everyone in the community and of course it was! Here in Thailand there is nearly twice the labour-force available since, unlike back then in UK, many women are not averse to physical labour. Get the village chiefs involved and there could be a swimming pool (named after him/her of course) in at least one school in most villages within a few months. And a few buckets of chlorine will take care of the water for a few months, until next year they have a whip round for filtration plant. It IS doable if the kamnan (?) can be persuaded that his/her name will live on much longer than the current six-shooter given for services rendered. More like in a year it will be a muddy cesspit full of crap that no one will want to pay for any chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine51 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Teach the kids to swim & build swimming pools to facilitate this. It's easy to do if the gov't wants to. No excuse for anybody not knowing how to swim IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveinAsia Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 It's due to neglect - most Thai parents give a toss and have their kids just live alongside like a cat or dog, best if they can drop them at school early and pick them up late so they're out of the way. Great if they go somewhere to a lake, waterfall or river in the afternoon with thier friends, providing some free extra quality time to mom and dad to watch some braindead Thai soaps on the telly while gulping down some Lao Khao mixed with red or green Fanta. Same goes for aunts, uncles and grandparents who have to bring up the small ones because mom has been impregnated by a useless 15 year old drug addicted punk (who did not and will not achieve anything ever in life despite a wheelie on his pimped-up Honda Click) who fled to another province as soon as the belly showed and mom ended up in some girlie bar in the south... Let's face it - the majority of Thai parents care just about themselves, kids are a necessary burden because later, as adults, they will provide for their card playing, gambling, alcohol addicted parents who never gave them a hug, or kiss, letting alone teaching them empathy or other human values. You seem very angry. The majority of Thai parents I know sacrifice a lot to provide for their kids You seem very condescending jd. Maybe catweazle cares so much that it hurts him to see the amount of neglect going on around him. It always p-issed me off too when I witnessed it. It's very frustrating to see caretakers neglect their kids. It makes you wanna shout..... Again, this kind of opinion has to do with experience. Where you live, how you live. If one lives in the sticks, among the uneducated non-caring folks it can be exactly as catweazle explained it but if you live in a nice expensive condo you will have a different perspective, more like jd's. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 It's due to neglect - most Thai parents give a toss and have their kids just live alongside like a cat or dog, best if they can drop them at school early and pick them up late so they're out of the way. Great if they go somewhere to a lake, waterfall or river in the afternoon with thier friends, providing some free extra quality time to mom and dad to watch some braindead Thai soaps on the telly while gulping down some Lao Khao mixed with red or green Fanta. Same goes for aunts, uncles and grandparents who have to bring up the small ones because mom has been impregnated by a useless 15 year old drug addicted punk (who did not and will not achieve anything ever in life despite a wheelie on his pimped-up Honda Click) who fled to another province as soon as the belly showed and mom ended up in some girlie bar in the south... Let's face it - the majority of Thai parents care just about themselves, kids are a necessary burden because later, as adults, they will provide for their card playing, gambling, alcohol addicted parents who never gave them a hug, or kiss, letting alone teaching them empathy or other human values. You seem very angry. The majority of Thai parents I know sacrifice a lot to provide for their kids and how many of them give their underage children the keys to their motorbike? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 How about mandatory swimming lessons in school for all kids! Great idea, but have you noticed that almost no schools have swimming pools? I have tried to convince the local school that building a pool and teaching swimming for physical education would be a good Idea. I even pointed out that revenue could be generated by charging people to use the pool after school hours and on weekends. They just looked at me like I was crazy. I cant remember the title, but last year I read a book written by an Englishman who visited Siam in the late 1800s. He stated that at that time when Bangkok was basically a floating city on the river, that almost everyone in Siam was a great swimmer! What happened?. I personally teach about six children how to swim every year since I have lived here. Once you teach them to float on their backs, the rest comes easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertthebruce Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 If Thais let there Kids drive Motor Bikes at 9 years old and above, i doubt very much that learning them to swim is a Priority... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I have just read that in the UK, 2010, 28 children under 15 drowned.A vast difference to Thai numbers. Here it should be a government priority to make swimming lessons and facilities available to all children. The worrying thing is that if swimming pools were built, would the maintenance be carried out and would the water quality be kept up to scratch? At least though, the children would be able to learn to swim.It just needs someone like the late Lee Kwan Yoo to implement it?? And what percentage of the population actually swims in the cold, damp, foggy UK? How often is the weather warm enough to even want to swim in the UK? Thailand is warm and or hot enough for people to want to swim tear round. This is not the UK. How could you possibly compare the two countries??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 MY GOD THERE IS REALLY NO EXCUSE FOR THIS !!!!! Miserable failure of the Thai government. The Thai government don't bother how many children die on motorbikes every year because of stupid parents, it can easily be fixed, but they just don't care. So why should they care about children drowning? it is only a fraction of the number killed on motorbikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 It's due to neglect - most Thai parents give a toss and have their kids just live alongside like a cat or dog, best if they can drop them at school early and pick them up late so they're out of the way. Great if they go somewhere to a lake, waterfall or river in the afternoon with thier friends, providing some free extra quality time to mom and dad to watch some braindead Thai soaps on the telly while gulping down some Lao Khao mixed with red or green Fanta. Same goes for aunts, uncles and grandparents who have to bring up the small ones because mom has been impregnated by a useless 15 year old drug addicted punk (who did not and will not achieve anything ever in life despite a wheelie on his pimped-up Honda Click) who fled to another province as soon as the belly showed and mom ended up in some girlie bar in the south... Let's face it - the majority of Thai parents care just about themselves, kids are a necessary burden because later, as adults, they will provide for their card playing, gambling, alcohol addicted parents who never gave them a hug, or kiss, letting alone teaching them empathy or other human values. You poor, sad, sorry individual. Get off the bar stool & venture into the real LOS. Numerous kids in my village, all extremely well cared for & loved. Always with a BIG grin or smile on their face. Always polite with a wave for a silly ol farang. Before you get on your high horse, no, I'm not a Thai apologist. I know all about the scams of bar girls & gold diggers. Been there... done that. I do speak with several years experience of both the good & the bad situations. Admittedly, there are a few parents that should have a license to breed. But in the main, most rural folk are decent caring parents & providers. I feel a lot more sorry for you than any kid in my village. Not trying to be rude here, but how many of those "decent caring parents" let their underage offspring ride motorbikes in your village? Also, how many of those "decent caring parents" put out a barrel of water at the side of the road, give their children a bucket and encourage them to throw water over motorbike riders and car drivers risking their lives along with their childrens? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seajae Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 here kids learning to swim is simply not on the agenda, too many parents want kids so that they will take care of them when they are old, they do not want to have to go out of their way in a lot of cases. You only have to look at the number of under age non licenced bike(and car) riders/drivers, parents do not want to have to take any responsibility for them. As a father I cannot believe the lack of concern shown by many parents, having kids is a privilege but here their well being and being taught right from wrong simply doesnt happen,easier to get other family members to take care of them.....worrying about them drowning is a non issue, plus it would mean going out of their way 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangon04 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 It's due to neglect - most Thai parents give a toss and have their kids just live alongside like a cat or dog, best if they can drop them at school early and pick them up late so they're out of the way. Great if they go somewhere to a lake, waterfall or river in the afternoon with thier friends, providing some free extra quality time to mom and dad to watch some braindead Thai soaps on the telly while gulping down some Lao Khao mixed with red or green Fanta. Same goes for aunts, uncles and grandparents who have to bring up the small ones because mom has been impregnated by a useless 15 year old drug addicted punk (who did not and will not achieve anything ever in life despite a wheelie on his pimped-up Honda Click) who fled to another province as soon as the belly showed and mom ended up in some girlie bar in the south... Let's face it - the majority of Thai parents care just about themselves, kids are a necessary burden because later, as adults, they will provide for their card playing, gambling, alcohol addicted parents who never gave them a hug, or kiss, letting alone teaching them empathy or other human values. wow....that seems to cover it, more or less. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevepompey Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 These are the same parents who drive their kids round with no seatbelts. Stupid and irresponsible. On motorbikes;- Dad puts a helmet on - all kids none.\ Education is the key and show them up for their inadequacies. Problem... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingdoc Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I agree with jdinasia at least in part. Maybe I am just lucky in that I meet up with Thai parents who do actually care about their children, almost without exception! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaorop Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 said it before fully qual to teach WATER SAFETY and swimming could i run a one man operation in the local pools or safe beaches? not, no, nadda, so i would have to get ngo type of funding (which does happen from foreign governments) employ umpteen thais and then jump hoops, run around in circles, do a song and dance to get the bits of paper to make it legal. but really, they obviously dont care enough about their own citizens to change policies. so many children unnecessarily die. there are other factors like being fully clothed due to modesty/dark skin bs that add to that here at a local swimming spot, 3 girls playing in the water unsupervised fully clothed if one were to get into trouble or hit their head the others would have no hope to help excuse me, i get rather angry at this disgrace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawadee1947 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 How about mandatory swimming lessons in school for all kids! ...and what will you do if the teachers are not able to swim - never leraned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Deerhunter Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 It's due to neglect - most Thai parents give a toss and have their kids just live alongside like a cat or dog, best if they can drop them at school early and pick them up late so they're out of the way. Great if they go somewhere to a lake, waterfall or river in the afternoon with thier friends, providing some free extra quality time to mom and dad to watch some braindead Thai soaps on the telly while gulping down some Lao Khao mixed with red or green Fanta. Same goes for aunts, uncles and grandparents who have to bring up the small ones because mom has been impregnated by a useless 15 year old drug addicted punk (who did not and will not achieve anything ever in life despite a wheelie on his pimped-up Honda Click) who fled to another province as soon as the belly showed and mom ended up in some girlie bar in the south... Let's face it - the majority of Thai parents care just about themselves, kids are a necessary burden because later, as adults, they will provide for their card playing, gambling, alcohol addicted parents who never gave them a hug, or kiss, letting alone teaching them empathy or other human values. Is it just me, or do other people detect a note of cynicism in there? Seriously, the man does offer an accurate summation of a certain sub-set of Thai society, but fortunately he does not speak for all Thais. Unfortunately, just a few million too many. I followed a motor bike last week with a toddler riding on Dad's shoulders, a school kid on the back, plus another one in front. It does make you feel desperate dis-belief at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johpa Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Taken from the US CDC website: "Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk10002000 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Quote from the USA CDC From 2005-2009, there were an average of 3,533 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States — about ten deaths per day. An additional 347 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.2 About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.2 For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbbooboo Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Stupid IS what stupid DOES ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodojero Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 The time during semester break is the time where Thai parents don't know what to do with their kids. So give them a few baht to go to the next Internet shop playing onine games or to meet friends. I have rarely seen Thai parents doing family activities, playing games together, etc. Even when they go to the beach together the parents sitting in the shadow, eating Somtam and drinking Red Label Whisky.... but not an eye on their kids. They give them a motorcycle and never care if they are wearing helmets or not. Nothing has changed and nothing will change! T.i.T. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheard Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Awful statistics and IMO nothing will change Kids run around unsupervised and parents are clueless Yes all kids should be taught how to swim but who is gonna pay for it? Lack of pools, lack of qualified instructors, a lack of funding and an I do not give a crap about it attittude from parents and leaders Nah, they don't give a crap! And not a constructive thought about the reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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