Children Growing Up Poor in Thailand
Why are some people poor and homeless, while others have so much money they literally
throw it away? Depending on who is asked, the reasons for the great inequality range from
illiteracy to corruption. Thailand has the widest gap between rich and poor and disparities continue to grow. The people
most affected by poverty are the future of this country, the children. “Young children are the
largest age group living in poverty today. Children are nearly twice as likely as adults to be
poor”( Papalia et al. 295).
Children from disadvantaged families are more likely than any others to have poor
health. “ Most parents of poor children have no medical insurance and don’t have the money to
pay medical bills. Less than half of these children are immunized against such preventable
diseases as measles, polio, and diphtheria” ( Meltzer 44). These children’s poor health often
begins before they are born. Pregnant women of low income are less likely to seek prenatal help
and are more likely to have poor nutrition and abuse drugs. This can have devastating effects on
a baby ranging from low birth weight and abnormalities to death. There are a few government
sponsored programs.
The ability to read and write is a basic condition for social and personal growth. In my
opinion, education is essential to have success in life. When the main goal of life is purely
survival, often privileges such as education and opportunity are forgotten. Poor children perform
less well in school and are more likely to drop out of school. Often, the reason for dropping out
of school is to get a job to help with family expenses. Ironically, without an education even
getting a minimum wage job is impossible to obtain. Illiteracy is often the result of not getting
an education. Lack of education combined with inability to obtain work sometimes leads youth
to a life of crime.