Over 3.17 million children in Thailand are in dire need of direct care, intervention and support from the government, a local academic warned yesterday.
Education expert Sompong Jitradup said this "high-risk" group include school dropouts, abandoned kids, street children, child offenders, unwed mothers, young drug addicts, stateless children with no legal rights, children with learning problems, children with disabilities and those facing severe poverty.
"These children are feeling neglected and discriminated against by society. Some are even excluded from fundamental services and protection. Without timely intervention, their anger and alienation could push them into dangerous or anti-social behaviour," he said. Mr Sompong made the remarks at the "Little Voices of Neglected Children" seminar organised by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Chulalongkorn University, the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
He said 1.7 million Thai kids have learning problems such as autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 476,647 are living in severe poverty, 200,000-300,000 are stateless, 138,000 are abandoned or living on the streets, 104,289 are teen mothers, 33,121 are child offenders and 25,000 have been forced into commercial sex.
"I've heard drug cartels in the North are now opening schools for stateless children to teach them how to deliver illegal drugs," Mr Sompong said. "These kids often can't get access to higher education or high-paying jobs due to their legal status."
Mr Sompong also read a statement in front of Social Development and Human Security Minister Pol Gen Adul Sangsingkeo suggesting the ministry take five steps to improve the situation. First, he suggested it develop a database of vulnerable children together with the Ministry of Interior and local administrative organisations nationwide.
He also advised the ministry to share its data and personnel with NGOs and the private sector to form a "social protection system". His third demand was for the government to unlock some restrictions for stateless children and allow them to access higher education, fundamental services and basic legal protection.
Pol Gen Adul's ministry should also allocate more money to NGOs and provide vocational training courses that align with market demand, Mr Sompong said. Finally, he suggested the ministry create more opportunities for vulnerable children to express their opinions.
Pol Gen Adul said the suggestions would be incorporated into the ministry's development plan. He vowed no children would be left behind.