Bangkok—
On January 30th, 2024, Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security (SDHS), publicly discussed a major case about a 14-year-old student stabbing his classmate to death in Suan Luang, Bangkok.
After the incident, SDHS and Bangkok officials sent psychologists and mental health officials to consult the parents of both the victim and the 14-year-old student. Both families were currently undergoing mental recovery with regular visits from relevant agencies, said Varawut.
Social workers from SDHS would participate in legal actions during the police process involving minors and youths, remarked Varawut.
On February 1st, 2024, the Thai National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights will hold a meeting regarding a proposal by some parties to amend laws on child delinquency. SDHS would discuss the matter with all parties on the best possible solutions to prevent future incidents, stated Varawut.
Furthermore, online social media nowadays could cause bullying, it is not just physical bullying anymore, but also emotional abuse by words that could cause violence, remarked Varawut.
In response to preventing school and social media bullying, guardians of minors and youths together with education institutes should keep an eye to monitor bullying behaviors and must learn to live with new trends on social media, concluded Varawut.