Draft law 'will help' reduce teen pregnancies

“We believe the law will help. We need a law, not just rules,” Jetn Siratharanont said late last week, in his capacity as president of the National Legislative Assembly’s committee on public health.

Teenage pregnancy has been a major problem over the past decade. Records show that every two hours, a baby is born to a mother younger than 15 years old. This puts Thailand at 11th in the world when it comes to teenage pregnancy problems.

Proposed by the Public Health Ministry, the Prevention of and Solutions to Teenage Pregnancy Bill has already won backing from Cabinet. It is now being reviewed by the Council of State.

“If the bill is turned into law, the number of teen pregnancies should drop. This is because the new law will prescribe comprehensive sex education. For example, students will learn about how to refuse sexual advances,” Jetn said.

Lessons would be different depending on the age of students, but the main objective is to create understanding and cut down risky behaviour that might lead to teenage pregnancies.

“This bill focuses on girls aged between 10 to 19 years old,” Jetn said.

An informed source revealed that the new law would also make condoms more available to teenagers.

It added that the draft law was also designed to help pregnant teenagers cope with what happens to them.

“For example, schools will be required to allow pregnant students in their classes,” the source said.

The source said in the event of a pregnancy, the draft law proposes a pregnancy test, antenatal care, or even having birth control in order to prevent further unwanted pregnancies.

But Suphensri Pheungkhoa-ksoong, head of the Friends |of Women Foundation’s Women’s Rights Protection Centre, said the draft fails to address the full scope of unwanted pregnancies.

“Teenage moms account for just 10 per cent of 800,000 pregnancies in Thailand each year,” she said.

She said university students in their 20s and working women in the 25 to 35-year-old group, also faced unwanted pregnancy problems.

“In fact, such new laws should also address issues surrounding rape victims and low-income pregnant workers, and pregnant migrants,” Suphensri said.

She also expressed concern about Section 23 of the bill, which gives officials the right to question and inspect any teenage couple walking near a hotel, or even to break into a “suspicious room”.

“Such actions may violate children’s rights,” she said.