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THAILAND PRESENTS REPORT TO COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD
01 October 1998
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MORNING
HR/CRC/98/52
1 October 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning started its consideration of the initial report of Thailand on how that country complied with the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Saisuree Chutikul, Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Children, Women and the Elderly and head of the delegation, introduced the report. She is also a Senior Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister on Children, Women and Social Developments and serves as Commissioner of the National Youth Promotion and Development Board.
She said that Thailand was in the midst of an economic crisis which was deeply affecting its society and was threatening its achievements with regards to child development. The financial crisis which began in July 1997 had led to rising unemployment, lost income and increased poverty, she added.
During the presentation of the report, two Thai children, who are also members of the delegation, expressed their views and said the Thai culture perpetuated elements which were detrimental to the rights of the child, such as beatings and corporal punishments.
The Thai delegation also included Krit Garnjan-Goonchorn, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Uraiwan Pichitkul, Secretary-General of the National Youth Bureau; Savitri Suwansatit, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education; Vitit Muntabhorn, Chairman of the National Youth Bureau Sub-Committee on Child Rights; Sienoi Kashemsanta Na Ayudhya, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Youth Bureau; Wanchai Roujanavong of Fight Against Child Exploitation; Apichart Chinwanno, Minister and Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Thailand at Geneva; Kannika Ratanamanee, Policy and Plan Officer at the National Youth Bureau and Secretary at the National Youth Bureau Sub-Committee on Child Rights; Darm Boontham, Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Thailand at Geneva; Anunya Lohakitja, senior high school student, Bangkong; and Praengprai Pukjai, senior high school student, Sri Saket.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention, Thailand is required to submit periodic summaries of its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. to continue its consideration of the Thai report.
Report of Thailand
The initial report of Thailand (document CRC/C/11/Add.13) reviews the efforts of the Government in implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It says that Thai policies and legislation facilitate the implementation and protection of child rights as stipulated in the Convention. Child rights is a new concept that has made Thai people aware of the needs of the child as his or her due - needs that must be fulfilled because it is the child's inherent right and not because he or she is a helpless being.
With regards to implementation measures, the report says that there are certain drawbacks that need to be addressed to ensure non-discrimination and better protection of child rights. Certain services have been started but have not reached the remote rural areas. Some laws have not been enforced properly for a number of reasons, human or circumstantial. There is also a need to devise a systematic data-collection process, to ensure adequate planning, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation and protection of child rights, adds the report.
The report further says that the Thai Government is determined to overcome these problems and limitations and endeavours to devote its efforts to promoting child survival, development, and protection and participation more effectively in the future. It believes that the true wealth of the nation lies in its investment in and for the child.
Presentation of Report
ANUNYA LOHAKITJA and PRAENGPRAI PUKAJI, both senior high school students from Thailand, said that the extended family structure provided children with warm relationships with their relatives. However, Thai culture still contained elements which were prejudicial to the rights of the child. Children were beaten and corporal punishment was committed against them both in school and at home. In school, disciplinary measures for misbehaving pupils included beatings and reduction of marks. The students said that such practises were reflected in verses of some traditional songs: "if you love your cattle you tie them, if you love your children you beat them".
Both students said that the Convention on the Rights of the Child was not adequately disseminated throughout the country. For that reason, most children were not aware of their rights. They urged that more efforts be made to promote the provisions of the Convention.
They further said that children were victims of sexual abuse. Thai children, as well as children from the neighbouring countries, were involved in prostitution. Children were also victims of labour and sexual exploitation, they said.
SAISUREE CHUTIKUL, Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Children, Women and the Elderly and head of the delegation of Thailand, introducing her country's report, said the importance of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its contribution to the progress Thailand had achieved for children could not be over-emphasized. The Government had taken several noteworthy steps to review and amend its national policies and legislation in compliance with the Convention's provisions.
Efforts to implement the Convention had in turn offered unprecedented opportunities to build up information about the situation of children as well as networks of child rights advocates and partners for children across sectors of the society, she said.
Mrs. Chutikul said that over the past few years, new initiatives and structures had been established to strengthen and protect children's rights. One of the more innovative developments was the fostering of greater awareness of and sensitivity for child rights issues and the encouragement of greater participation by the public, including children themselves, in the preparation of the report.
Mrs. Chutikul stressed that Thailand was now in the midst of an economic crisis which was deeply affecting its society and was threatening its achievements with regards to child development. The financial crisis, which began in July 1997, had led to rising unemployment, lost income and increased poverty. Some 1,650 companies had ceased their operations and 161,558 people had been laid-off since January this year.
There was no doubt that children were among the inevitable casualties of the crisis, perhaps the most innocent and vulnerable of them all, Mrs. Chutikul said. Job losses among parents and consequence falling in family disposable income meant that many children had had to drop out of school or were unable to continue their education.
Supply of medicine was less in the hospitals, Mrs. Chutikul declared. Rising prices of staple foodstuffs threatened the quality and quantity of dietary intake of children which could have long-term detrimental impacts on their nutritional and health status. Increased crisis-induced stress might aggravate the already growing problem of abuse and violence in the family, she added.
Discussion
Committee experts put a series of questions to the delegation, focusing on such topics as minimum age for child labour; reservations on article 7 and 29 of the Convention; non-ratification of the 1951 Convention on Refugees; discrimination against refugee children; participation of non-governmental organizations and international cooperation; and corruption among the police and law enforcing agents, among others.
In response to the questions of the Committee experts, the delegation expressed regret that Thailand was considered in the minds of foreigners as a centre for sexual activities. Thais deplored such conceptions of their country, and stood against some of their own people who permitted such conceptions to spread.
The delegation said Thailand was an open society, particularly for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which had contributed a lot to activities relating to child development. In all national commissions, one-third of the members belonged to NGOs. The institutions set up by the Government either worked under an umbrella organization or carried out their work independently. Under the umbrella of the National Youth Bureau, there were many institutions operating within similar policies and guidelines.
A question was asked on the decentralization process and particularly in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention. The delegation said that although Thailand was a small country with a large population, centralization had been taking place at provincial and district levels. Although the division of labour among the districts and other institutions depended on the nature of their role, they all shared the same policies and guidelines.
HR/CRC/98/52
1 October 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning started its consideration of the initial report of Thailand on how that country complied with the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Saisuree Chutikul, Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Children, Women and the Elderly and head of the delegation, introduced the report. She is also a Senior Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister on Children, Women and Social Developments and serves as Commissioner of the National Youth Promotion and Development Board.
She said that Thailand was in the midst of an economic crisis which was deeply affecting its society and was threatening its achievements with regards to child development. The financial crisis which began in July 1997 had led to rising unemployment, lost income and increased poverty, she added.
During the presentation of the report, two Thai children, who are also members of the delegation, expressed their views and said the Thai culture perpetuated elements which were detrimental to the rights of the child, such as beatings and corporal punishments.
The Thai delegation also included Krit Garnjan-Goonchorn, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Uraiwan Pichitkul, Secretary-General of the National Youth Bureau; Savitri Suwansatit, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education; Vitit Muntabhorn, Chairman of the National Youth Bureau Sub-Committee on Child Rights; Sienoi Kashemsanta Na Ayudhya, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Youth Bureau; Wanchai Roujanavong of Fight Against Child Exploitation; Apichart Chinwanno, Minister and Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Thailand at Geneva; Kannika Ratanamanee, Policy and Plan Officer at the National Youth Bureau and Secretary at the National Youth Bureau Sub-Committee on Child Rights; Darm Boontham, Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Thailand at Geneva; Anunya Lohakitja, senior high school student, Bangkong; and Praengprai Pukjai, senior high school student, Sri Saket.
As one of 191 States parties to the Convention, Thailand is required to submit periodic summaries of its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. to continue its consideration of the Thai report.
Report of Thailand
The initial report of Thailand (document CRC/C/11/Add.13) reviews the efforts of the Government in implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It says that Thai policies and legislation facilitate the implementation and protection of child rights as stipulated in the Convention. Child rights is a new concept that has made Thai people aware of the needs of the child as his or her due - needs that must be fulfilled because it is the child's inherent right and not because he or she is a helpless being.
With regards to implementation measures, the report says that there are certain drawbacks that need to be addressed to ensure non-discrimination and better protection of child rights. Certain services have been started but have not reached the remote rural areas. Some laws have not been enforced properly for a number of reasons, human or circumstantial. There is also a need to devise a systematic data-collection process, to ensure adequate planning, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation and protection of child rights, adds the report.
The report further says that the Thai Government is determined to overcome these problems and limitations and endeavours to devote its efforts to promoting child survival, development, and protection and participation more effectively in the future. It believes that the true wealth of the nation lies in its investment in and for the child.
Presentation of Report
ANUNYA LOHAKITJA and PRAENGPRAI PUKAJI, both senior high school students from Thailand, said that the extended family structure provided children with warm relationships with their relatives. However, Thai culture still contained elements which were prejudicial to the rights of the child. Children were beaten and corporal punishment was committed against them both in school and at home. In school, disciplinary measures for misbehaving pupils included beatings and reduction of marks. The students said that such practises were reflected in verses of some traditional songs: "if you love your cattle you tie them, if you love your children you beat them".
Both students said that the Convention on the Rights of the Child was not adequately disseminated throughout the country. For that reason, most children were not aware of their rights. They urged that more efforts be made to promote the provisions of the Convention.
They further said that children were victims of sexual abuse. Thai children, as well as children from the neighbouring countries, were involved in prostitution. Children were also victims of labour and sexual exploitation, they said.
SAISUREE CHUTIKUL, Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Children, Women and the Elderly and head of the delegation of Thailand, introducing her country's report, said the importance of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its contribution to the progress Thailand had achieved for children could not be over-emphasized. The Government had taken several noteworthy steps to review and amend its national policies and legislation in compliance with the Convention's provisions.
Efforts to implement the Convention had in turn offered unprecedented opportunities to build up information about the situation of children as well as networks of child rights advocates and partners for children across sectors of the society, she said.
Mrs. Chutikul said that over the past few years, new initiatives and structures had been established to strengthen and protect children's rights. One of the more innovative developments was the fostering of greater awareness of and sensitivity for child rights issues and the encouragement of greater participation by the public, including children themselves, in the preparation of the report.
Mrs. Chutikul stressed that Thailand was now in the midst of an economic crisis which was deeply affecting its society and was threatening its achievements with regards to child development. The financial crisis, which began in July 1997, had led to rising unemployment, lost income and increased poverty. Some 1,650 companies had ceased their operations and 161,558 people had been laid-off since January this year.
There was no doubt that children were among the inevitable casualties of the crisis, perhaps the most innocent and vulnerable of them all, Mrs. Chutikul said. Job losses among parents and consequence falling in family disposable income meant that many children had had to drop out of school or were unable to continue their education.
Supply of medicine was less in the hospitals, Mrs. Chutikul declared. Rising prices of staple foodstuffs threatened the quality and quantity of dietary intake of children which could have long-term detrimental impacts on their nutritional and health status. Increased crisis-induced stress might aggravate the already growing problem of abuse and violence in the family, she added.
Discussion
Committee experts put a series of questions to the delegation, focusing on such topics as minimum age for child labour; reservations on article 7 and 29 of the Convention; non-ratification of the 1951 Convention on Refugees; discrimination against refugee children; participation of non-governmental organizations and international cooperation; and corruption among the police and law enforcing agents, among others.
In response to the questions of the Committee experts, the delegation expressed regret that Thailand was considered in the minds of foreigners as a centre for sexual activities. Thais deplored such conceptions of their country, and stood against some of their own people who permitted such conceptions to spread.
The delegation said Thailand was an open society, particularly for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which had contributed a lot to activities relating to child development. In all national commissions, one-third of the members belonged to NGOs. The institutions set up by the Government either worked under an umbrella organization or carried out their work independently. Under the umbrella of the National Youth Bureau, there were many institutions operating within similar policies and guidelines.
A question was asked on the decentralization process and particularly in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention. The delegation said that although Thailand was a small country with a large population, centralization had been taking place at provincial and district levels. Although the division of labour among the districts and other institutions depended on the nature of their role, they all shared the same policies and guidelines.