Investing in Children for the Future of Thailand
Thailand is fortunate to have experienced decades of high economic growth, which has helped lift millions of children and their families out of poverty and served to bring millions of others fully into the middle class. We now have a universal health care system that is the envy of our neighbors, and most children in this country now complete at least a primary education and go on to enroll in secondary school.
Yet despite all the economic progress we have made, the benefits have not been equally shared. Far too many children still miss out and are being left behind. This is glaringly obvious when you look beyond the national level data and drill down to the numbers for specific regions and provinces, and among some sub-groups of the population.
The data shows that children living in many other parts of the country also suffer from the same or similar problems due to poverty and neglect. Clearly, we are still failing to promote and protect the rights of far too many children.
Given this scenario, it is quite obviously time for everyone in Thailand to begin treating the capacity development of every child as a national imperative. Every girl and boy being born or growing up in Thailand today is a precious resource, and we cannot afford to waste the potential of a single one of them.
I urge the government to move ahead as quickly as possible on rolling out this policy and in ensuring that it is fully funded so that all children in Thailand benefit. If Thailand is truly serious about improving child development, reducing poverty, achieving greater equity and social stability, building capacity to meet the coming challenges of the AEC, and to be considered a champion of child rights, investing fully in children is the only way forward.
Thank you.