Bangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students
The Bang Khun Tien District Office, near the mouth of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, has given away 20,000 sanitary pads to female students in 16 public schools, in line with the policies promised by the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittphun.
Last Sunday, the Director of the Bang Khun Tien District Office, Pongjakarin Thawonpong, told the media that the district office received a budget from both state and private sectors to buy sanitary pads for the students. Pongjakarin said the district expected each public school to provide free sanitary pads in school toilets and in the first aids room.
The district director said this project is included as one of the 214 policies launched by the newly elected Bangkok governor Chadchart. According to foreign research, there were many students who were unable to afford sanitary pads, and that was affecting their studies.
After Chadchart’s team visited each area in Bangkok, the team found that the same problem also existed in parts of Bangkok (and presumably the rest of Thailand).
“This project will help students and their parents reduce the cost of living and fix the ‘Period Poverty’ problem mentioned in the policies.”
Pongjakarin added that this was only a pilot program. After Chadchart is officially sworn in as the Bangkok governor, they will use the fines collected from motorbike riders or drivers who violate traffic rules to buy sanitary pads for Bangkok’s students.
SOURCE: Khaosod | Prachathai
