Thailand celebrates Children’s Day this Saturday amid concerns about growing threats to the safety and future of its young citizens.
“Thai children and youth face numerous risks because of government policies that seem to prioritise economic growth over protecting the country’s minors from harm,” said Visanu Srithawongse, chairman of the Social Power Network Foundation.
He pointed to the liberalisation of “vicious products” like alcohol and marijuana and the ubiquitous presence of e-cigarettes, narcotics, and online gambling.
“Countless news reports reveal that these vices cause severe problems among youngsters,” he said.
A study by the Department of Children and Youth revealed that of the 97 news reports about children published last September, 16.49% involved sexual abuse, while 15.46% detailed physical assault of minors.
Another 11.34% were about children fighting or attacking others, while 9.28% concerned kids being neglected or abandoned.
ThaiHealth also reported that 7.8 million children were from farming households with irregular income and monthly earnings below 3,000 baht per month. Such low levels of income reduced the children’s development and education opportunities, it said.
The Public Health Ministry reports that last year, 74.8% of primary school students lagged in expressive language development, while 60.9% showed delays in receptive language development.
Large numbers of children also displayed development problems in fine motor skills, intelligence, and mobility.
The Mental Health Department reports that one in 14 Thai children aged between five and eight have development issues, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or low intelligence. These issues are linked to mental illness, drug abuse and depression in later life.
The Education Ministry adds that students’ mental problems stem from various factors, including family problems, learning stress, high competition at schools, and family expectations.
“Many children find it hard to cope with stress and pressure,” the ministry stated.
Internet dangers
More threats to children come from the internet. Studies suggest that young kids who get too much screen time suffer delayed development and shortened concentration spans. Older children, meanwhile, can be exposed to online predators while browsing, including those trying to lure them into gambling and pornography.
Many also fall prey to cyberbullying.
Srida Tantaatipanit, of the Internet Foundation for the Development of Thailand, said a large-scale 2022 survey found that 36% of children had been groomed or propositioned online.
“In some cases, children have been lured to rendezvous and sexually abused,” she said.
Srida also voiced concern about the rising trend of youngsters posting sexy selfies online, noting that cybercriminals often use the provocative images to blackmail children.
These images can be turned into child pornography and sold online, spreading around the internet and causing prolonged suffering for the victims, she said.
“Some victims have endured this for months or even years. Some have found the pain so unbearable that they have committed suicide.”
Children’s advocates have urged the government to provide better protection for children online by upgrading existing laws. They emphasise that the private sector also has a duty to protect the personal data of internet users, especially children, who should also be taught how to stay safe online.
Opportunity gap
PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s Children’s Day motto this year is: “Every opportunity is a learning experience – be ready to adapt to the future you choose”.
Asst Prof Kiatanantha Lounkaew, an economics lecturer at Thammasat University, said that if the government really wanted to provide opportunities for children, it must focus on ensuring equality in education.
“Children can only choose their own futures if they have access to opportunities,” he said.
Kiatanantha emphasised that education is a powerful tool for improving lives, but too many children suffer from the wide gap in quality that persists in Thailand.
“Children in rural areas do not enjoy the same education quality as their urban peers,” he explained.
This leads to a divide between children who have the power to choose their own futures and those who have to go with the flow.
“To be in the first group, you must have the abilities, opportunities, and readiness to adapt and keep pace with the changing world,” he said, emphasising the crucial role of education.
Kiatanantha said the government should reform the country’s education sector to ensure that “every space is a learning space”.
The education system should also cater to individual learning needs, based on the understanding that one size does not fit all, he added.
“Authorities need to understand that each child has a different learning style. Also, people must be equipped with both soft and hard skills to address our increasingly complicated lives and work culture,” he said.
8 out of 10 kids not active enough
Assoc Prof Dr Piyawat Katewongsa, director of the Thailand Physical Activity Knowledge Development Centre at Mahidol University, emphasised the importance of play for children’s physical, mental and emotional development.
“Physical play strengthens children’s muscles, bones, joints and improves mobility,” he explained. “It also boosts their self-esteem, happiness and adaptability.”
Meanwhile, play helps children develop skills in teamwork, problem-solving, self-confidence, and communication, he added.
“Playtime also has positive impacts on their analytical thinking and academic performance.”
However, Piyawat said that eight out of 10 Thai children do not do enough physical activity or lack mobility.
“Most kids now spend too much time in classrooms and are glued to screens at home,” he lamented, adding that children should engage in at least one hour of active physical activity daily.
Lack of physical activity in children has been linked to weight problems and health risks. The percentage of overweight children under five in Thailand has increased from 3.2% in 2017 to 11.5% in recent years, according to official data.
Dr Ampon Benjapholpitak, director-general of the Health Department, urges parents to play with their children to foster familial ties and support their development.
What children want
Children responding to an education survey conducted last year listed their top priority as “clean toilets” at school.
They also wanted the curriculum to be improved with content more relevant to their lives. They suggested, for example, that the traditional Krabi-Krabong (staff and sword) martial arts practice should be replaced with lessons in financial literacy.
The young respondents also wanted schools to stop using humiliating punishments.
