February 12, 2009
Bangkok (ASTV Manager Online) – 80.6 percent of Thai teenagers agreed that sex before marriage was not necessary while 59.3 percent considered it inappropriate and 27.6 percent said it was against Thai tradition.
Department of health surveyed 1,623 respondents aged 14-29 years old from Chiang Mai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Bangkok and adjourning provinces. The survey was conducted between January 26 and February 6.
79 percent of the sample group lived with their parents and 62 percent of them were high-school students.
49 percent had boyfriends or girlfriends whereas 51 percent did not. 68 percent used not to have sex with their boyfriends or girlfriends.
30 percent used to have sex with their boyfriends or girlfriends. 86.3 percent had sex with their lovers while 10.4 percent with friends or acquaintances and 3.1 percent with service sellers.
46.7 percent had unprotected sex whereas 34.9 percent had protected sex.
51.4 percent said sex before marriage was part of the cohabitation while 38.7 percent thought it was a kind of obligation for the other party.
“Most women view love as an abstract thing while men consider body touching as love expression. Unwanted pregnancy makes youths lose their educational opportunity and even become HIV-infected in some cases,” said Dr. Narongsak Angkhasuvapala, director general of the department of health.
As for a dream lover, 84.5 percent voted for habit and responsibility whereas 19.8 percent went for look and dress.
