Family ties behind bars: Mums, children come together

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AUGUST 12
Mums, children come together
The Nation


FAMILY TIES BEHIND BARS A female inmate prostrates herself at the feet of her mother after presenting her with a jasmine garland during the family promotion activity launched yesterday at the Correctional Institute for Female Drug Addicts in Pathum Thani

BANGKOK: -- FOR TODAY'S Mother's Day celebrations, the Corrections Department yesterday launched a three-day project named "mothers hug children, children hug mothers" at the Correctional Institute for Female Drug Addicts in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district.

Corrections Department chief Wittaya Suriya-wong, who presided over the launch, said the project aimed to bring inmates closer to their mothers and their children. The project wraps up tomorrow.

"The love between a mother and a child is powerful and pure, and if we can keep that relationship intact, it will help the inmates turn a new leaf," he said.

The facility houses women sentenced up to 10 years for drug abuse and provides them with rehabilitation and vocational training.

Schools and state offices also held family-promoting and merit-making activities yesterday to mark Her Majesty the Queen's birthday today.

In Prachin Buri's Muang district, Thesaban 2 School students, teachers and parents offered alms to 25 monks, and the pupils then presented jasmine flowers to their mothers. Jasmine is the symbolic flower for this holiday.

In Yala's Raman district, provincial Governor Samart Waradisai led schoolchildren and members of the public to plant 830 trees to make merit for the Queen.

Meanwhile, a seminar titled "How Gambling Jeopardises Families" was held in Bangkok by the Stop Gambling Network and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, and attended by 60 mothers and children from Bangkok and other provinces.

Saowapak Boonsaman, 43, told the forum that she used to spend up to Bt25,000 per month on lotteries and even pawned her household appliances to fund the habit. After her marriage failed, her children became the motivation for her to stop gambling, she said.

Another unnamed attendee said her abusive husband, who was addicted to gambling, had left behind a huge debt for her to repay. "I'm a public-school teacher and used to be wealthy, but I'm broke now because of my ex's gambling habits," she said.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Surin-based Single Mothers Association, Orakoch Chanplee, said up to 200 women came to her group for counselling over problems such as gambling, cheating husbands, domestic violence and alcoholism.

She called on relevant agencies to tackle the problem of gambling by creating a space for idea exchanges and activities to help people fight the habit.

Stop Gambling Network coordinator Thanakorn Komkrit said the group wanted to promote the power of women for the cessation of gambling in Thai society, as women can alleviate the impact it has on families and foster good attitudes by persuading their partners and children to deal with the problem.

In related news, the Public Health Ministry has put some 700 emergency medical staff on standby to provide first aid to those participating in the 42-kilometre "Bike for Mum" rally on Sunday. Of the staff, 333 will be stationed at 50 sites along the route, while 100 will follow the convoy, and 240 will be stationed at parking lots.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Mums-children-come-together-30266399.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-12

[SOTIRIOS]

....sadly....regardless of true context....

...strange thing...this 'demonstration of respect'.....

...whether earned......or warranted....or not.......

...just like this 'elders hierarchy'....

[DrTuner]

....sadly....regardless of true context....

...strange thing...this 'demonstration of respect'.....

...whether earned......or warranted....or not.......

...just like this 'elders hierarchy'....

Like usual in here, it's just going through the motions on automaton, as mandated by Thainess. True respect is rare and must indeed be earned, not given by default.