Thailand struggles to curb high teen pregnancy rate

Thailand struggles with teen pregnancy

Published: 8 Mar 2013 at 10.55
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When Mallika told her parents she was pregnant at 17, they pulled her out of school and ordered her to marry the baby's father. But the marriage didn't happen and the one-time aspiring singer now cares for her baby girl alone.

The two-hour old daughter of a 17-year old girl is fed by a nurse at a hospital in Chiang Mai's Fang district Oct 2, 2012. Out of every 1,000 live births in Thailand, 54 are from teen mothers aged 15-19 (REUTERS/Sukree Sukplan).

"I love her, but at the time I hid in shame," said Mallika, now 23 and a vendor of cheap, made-in-China clothing at a weekend market in Bangkok.

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faceless
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Discussion 6 : 08 Mar 2013 at 18.566
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YS recently took the opportunity to pose with S. Korean PM hyping up the fact two female PMs equalled women's empowerment.

She could get fair dinkum about women's empowerment and initiate measures in Thailand to address the issue of girls with unwanted pregnancies.

Sexual health education. Access to contraception. Change abortion laws.

These would be a good start and today being international women's day would be a good time to start.
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felixqui
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Discussion 5 : 08 Mar 2013 at 12.085
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The most urgent need here is for legal abortion on demand.
Current Thai abortion law is grossly unjust. There are no good grounds for denying a safe, legal abortion to any woman who wants one, for whatever reason, at least up to the sixth month of pregnancy.

Forcing women, especially teens, to bear unwanted babies is a lose - lose - lose situation for the mother, whose life is blighted; for the child, who grows up unwanted and typically impoverished; and for society, which must bear the often ugly consequences.

Why is Thai abortion law so immoral? What is the root of this injustice?
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joa
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Discussion 4 : 08 Mar 2013 at 12.014
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Start my making 'condoms' free, can you do that? I guess not.
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upena
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Discussion 3 : 08 Mar 2013 at 11.263
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New year, same story
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CMfarang
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Discussion 2 : 08 Mar 2013 at 11.162
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You notice it is the girl who goes to buy condoms.Some onus has to be put on Thai men and their families. How about child support? You make them you support them. Then young man will think twice.
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dao
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Discussion 1 : 08 Mar 2013 at 11.131
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Why are people surprised ? Abortion is illegal and expensive .Sex education is looked at with an attitude that it will encourage kids to have sex instead of enlighten them .Immorality has become so common that people vote for it .Welcome the result .
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Thailand struggles to curb high teen pregnancy rate | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Thailand struggles with teen pregnancy

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