Stop wasting time on the Net, youth told

He was speaking at a four-day seminar, which wraps up on Thursday, at which 120 students from 10 Bangkok-based schools were present. The seminar is part of a ministry project to discuss social media and freedom of speech with the youth. 

Apinan Poshyananda, Culture Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, explained that the “safe and constructive media bill” would cover films, television shows, games as well as karaoke as he cited a recent survey showing that Thai students spent up to eight hours a day surfing the Net or chatting with their friends. He said these chats or time spent on the Net were mostly unrelated to schoolwork. 

In comparison, he said, students in Singapore spent just as long surfing the Net, except they did it to research their school subjects or to complete projects. He also called on parents to set a good example by not wasting time on such activities either. 

Apinan also said the controversial television series “Hormones”, in which characters openly engage in sexual acts and discuss taboo topics, might require intervention by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission.