February: Howls of laughter. Rapturous applause. Cheers of appreciation. To the unsuspecting ear, it sounded like playtime — and in many ways it was — as teenage students took part in a sex education session with a difference. Fun, engaging learning was the order of the afternoon at Suankularb Wittayalai Rangsit School, just outside capital Bangkok, as the teens were put through their paces, fumbling condoms onto cucumbers and racing three-legged across the yard with 5kg bags of rice strapped to their fronts.
The bags of rice, which symbolized pregnant stomachs, gave the girls and boys an insight into the stresses young mothers go through. I feel less embarrassed to talk with my friends about these things now.
There were other activities in the yard. Once a coloured liquid was added into the mix, it took no time at all before all the drinks turned a deep shade pink. The idea here was to show how easily sexually transmitted infections can spread. About 30 of the enthusiastic undergrads were on hand to ensure everything ran smoothly.
But while there was lots of fun involved, the underlying reasons for holding this event were more serious. Thailand has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the region, with teenagers accounting for 47 births per 1, women aged , according to UN data.
You have to know what is good and what you should do. Pathum Thani is home to a hive of workers who have travelled from all over the country to work in the factories. Most of these factory workers have had minimal education themselves and many of their children go to Suankularb School, said Ploy, Pang, Ploy and their friends have taken the issue to heart and are keen to educate the youngsters to make informed decision, stay healthy and steer clear of undesired situations. Other activities on the day included the screening of two films shot by the Thammasat crew and the distribution of a handy pocket book chock full of useful info for the teens.
