Why not make them go to school? Sheesh!!!

[..]

Young garland vendors 'can help ease traffic'

 

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra wants young garland vendors to play a role in tackling city traffic problems.

 

Instead of running around the city's busy streets, the children could be selling expressway coupon booklets at toll plazas, he said.

 

Apart from easing traffic congestion at toll plazas, the scheme is likely to improve the quality of life of the children, he said.

 

The young participants will get a commission fee of two baht per booklet and accident insurance coverage.

 

The prime minister has urged interested children to register with the traffic centre at Government House between Sept 12 and 16.

 

After receiving training, which will take place from Sept 19 to 23, the children will start working on Oct 3 during the morning and late afternoon.

 

+++++++++

 

Any comment would be superfluous. :onfire:

 

Regards,

SD

[Zaad]

My guess is that there are way too many of such kids out there and 'not enough' available funds to financially support an education.

 

Besides, let's keep things simple and focus on the election promises, shall we?

[rchapstick]

Not too many people would say "go out and play ain traffic" and mean in.

 

I suppose this is the CEO's idea of "population control". What a guy!

[rickfarang]

"The young participants will get a commission fee of two baht per booklet and accident insurance coverage."

 

A. Accolades are desrved for thinking outisde the box to convert a problem to a solution.

 

B. One should not, however expect that the government would actually send children into dangerous jobs rather than protecting them

 

I qualify satemetn B by saying that this is Thailand, and anything can happen, and this might be the case of a news reporter taking some casual specualtion from an influential politician way too serieously, as sometimes happen. Also take note that the concept of a child, as opposed to a young person, is a fairly new phenomen, especially in this part of the world, so perhaps 100 years ago, nobody would have though there was anything weird in the concept as described.

[Flashermac]

The current law requires all children to go to school through Mattayom 3 (9th grade) -- or until they are 16 (for the thickies).

 

Obviously, the kids out selling things during school hours are violating the law, or rather their parents/guardian is.

 

But a typical Thaksin solution. Rather than enforce the existing laws, instead find the kids something else to do. Huh?

 

 

 

::

[Torneyboy]

You would think they could find the funds....cut back on other waste ..and help the youth and future of Thailand ::

[thalenoi]

Just back from Issaan where I asked how the boy there (11) was doing. (he's the kid of my gf sister and lives with the grand parents)

 

"He finish mini school this year, no more school for him after this"

Asking why??? "he too lazy and too stupid" What the heck???

 

If the issue is money, I will pay for the boys education...shit

[Flashermac]

Not so many years ago, the minimum school requirement was completion of grade 6. The reason was that every village will have a primary school. But for secondary school, the kids may have to go off to the provincial capital or some other larger town. Poor farm families couldn't afford the bus fare, on top of the other school fees. The amount required is ridiculously low to us -- say 3,000 or 4,000 baht a year. But to a farm family with numerous children, that is way beyond their means.

 

Even now, when the legal minimum is 9 years, it is often not enforced upcountry. My wife personally set up a scholarship at one school for qualified students who couldn't study otherwise. She told me one girl was brilliant. But without the few thousand baht my Mrs gave her, the girl couldn't have gone beyond primary school.

 

If Mr T really wants to do something, why doesn't he make schools free. He could afford to pay the money out of his own pocket and not miss it!

 

p.s. Say what you want about Bill Gates, but Billy Gee does give away millions of dollars in scholarships and medical payments. I've asked Thais why Mr T doesn't do the same. I usually get the reply, "Why should he?" Well, bloody hell ... don't Buddhists believe in making merit and good karma?

 

[Guest]

"What a guy! "

 

I wonder what his cut is?

[Coss]

I would have though that Thailand was a signatory to what ever UN treaty there is about exploiting children?

 

But then I'm no expert.

 

Cheers

 

Coss