Childline Thailand: Tackling Abuse & Neglect, Offering Hope & Safety Part 2 [S6.E69]

This is Part 2 of Greg's interview with Ilya Smirnoff of
Childline Thailand. Ilya begins with the 'timeline of a child,'
which is basically a roadmap of the rights and responsibilities
of children as they age. It begins at birth, when responsible
parents should get both a birth certificate and house
registration certificate for the newborn. At age 7, Thai children
have the right to attend nursery school, and at age 12, young
people become criminally responsible for at least some of their
actions, something that every kid should know, of course. Age 15
is the age of consent, where Thais can leave school if they want
and also work certain jobs in safe environments. Although Thai
men must register for the draft at 18, citizens don't become
fully legally adults until age 20. This allows them to marry
without their parents consent and buy cigarettes and
alcohol. 


Greg asks about parents and what role they play in Childline, and
Ilya notes that about 10% of the calls they receive are from
parents or teachers who need advice for how best to deal with a
troubled child. Although the organization's main role is not to
teach parenting, Ilya explains that the main problem in most
troubled families is poor communication, and that families can
survive through very dire circumstances if they maintain trust,
warmth, and effective dialogue. 


The two continue with more specifics on the different situations
Ilya has encountered over his years with this very important
organization. 


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