Rights activists have demanded stronger protection of children against exploitation, abuse and neglect in the wake of the so-called "bleach mum" case in which a boy was allegedly poisoned.
The call was made during a seminar organised by the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) yesterday. The event aimed to highlight the plight of mistreated children and how unplanned pregnancies can lead to abuse and neglect.
Participants brought up the case of Nittha Wongwan, 29, a single mother who allegedly poisoned her biological son with bleach and killing her adopted daughter so she could elicit sympathy and money from netizens.
The woman allegedly convinced netizens to donate 20 million baht through her schemes.
Participants at the TJA event yesterday said the authorities must look into all calls for donations involving children, especially those made on social media sites.
Doing so would ensure the protection of children against exploitation, they said.
They expressed concern about the lack of a comprehensive support system for women with unplanned pregnancies and those who fall victim to illegal surrogacy gangs.
They said having unwanted babies can lead to the mistreatment of children.
"This [bleach mum] case is tragic, and it may reflect a weakness in the support system for women with unwanted pregnancies," said child rights advocate Ticha Na Nakorn. "Illegal surrogacy spells similar problems."
The participants also called on the government to raise subsidies for children from 600 baht to 2,000 baht per month and provide consultation services to women with unplanned pregnancies.
Meanwhile, Prayuth Phetkhun, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General, yesterday said Ms Nittha is not facing human trafficking charges, even though she allegedly used her son to solicit money.
Mr Prayuth noted human trafficking includes forms of slavery or forced labour. He said police have not found evidence linking Ms Nittha to human trafficking.
Ms Nittha was arrested early last week after she managed to earn 10 million baht with her online products after displaying images of the sick boy.
She said he had "severe allergic reactions".
The boy has now been placed under the care of a shelter for children in Pathum Thani province. He was vomiting blood and a doctor found his digestive tract had corroded "like it was damaged by acid".
Ms Nittha was initially charged with exploiting children for illegal gains, attempted murder and fraud.