Thai youth survey reveals four key concerns ahead of National Youth Day

A recent comprehensive survey conducted by the technical centre of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, assessing approximately 20,000 Thai youths aged between 15 and 21, unveiled four significant concerns looming ahead of the National Youth Day scheduled for this Wednesday.

The first concern centred on the continued adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on youths from economically challenged single-parent families and skipped-generation families predominantly found in rural areas.

In these families, the grandparents assume the responsibility of bringing up children due to the absence of the parents. According to Nathaya Boonpakdee, the director of ThaiHealth’s children, youth, and family health promotion office, there has been an evident lack of targeted measures aimed at enhancing the life quality of the young individuals within these groups.

The survey also revealed a noticeable decline in the learning capabilities of young individuals across all educational levels in subjects such as reading, mathematics, science and social studies.

This downturn is attributed to the mandate of online learning, enforced over the three years of the Covid-19 pandemic’s duration. Some of these students have had to navigate the entire spectrum of lower to upper-secondary education online.

The third problem was an alarming increase in mental health issues among youths, a direct result of online learning. A significant number of these youths were grappling with stress and depression, with restricted access to necessary treatment.

Lastly, the survey found that a substantial number of children had fallen prey to various forms of violence, including sexual harassment.

An estimated 46% of youths encountered issues related to violence within their homes. Thailand was ranked 29th in a poll of 30 countries, indicating a high prevalence of online threats targeted towards children.

Nathaya noted that only about 30% of Thai youths lived in favourable family conditions, leaving the majority in vulnerable circumstances. This presents a formidable challenge in the quest to improve the overall well-being of Thai youth, reported Bangkok Post.

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