Thailand recently became the 68th country in the world to ban corporal punishment in all settings, marking a watershed moment for child protection in the region. Dr. Isang Awah, Head of Advocacy at the Global Parenting Initiative, sat down separately with child protection specialists, Dr. Amalee McCoy and Assistant Professor Dr. Jiraporn Arunakul, to reflect on what this milestone means and what can be done to ensure the ban leads to real change for children and families.
Dr Amalee McCoy
is the Project Lead for the Parenting within the Public Health System in Thailand Project, based at the Peace Culture Foundation, and a Researcher with the Department of Family Medicine at Chiang Mai University.
Isang: Amalee, congratulations again to Thailand on this important milestone. To start, you’ve been leading the effort to embed the Parenting for Lifelong Health programme into Thailand’s public health system. How does this new ban align with or reinforce those efforts?
Amalee: The Peace Culture Foundation and the University of Oxford have been working with the Ministry of Public Health to adapt, pilot, evaluate, and scale up the Parenting for Lifelong Health Young Children (PLH-YC) programme in Thailand since 2018. The programme is designed for low-income families with children aged 2-9 years. It has been adapted for the Thai cultural context and can be delivered by health workers at the community level to small groups of 15 parents. It helps these parents learn how to strengthen their relationships with their children, as well as how to use positive parenting and positive discipline skills rather than physical or emotional punishment. A scientific study that we conducted in 2019-2020 with 120 families in Udon Thani showed that PLH-YC was effective in reducing parental violent punishment by 58% and reducing child behaviour problems by 60%.
This new ban on corporal punishment in Thailand reinforces the importance of making evidence-based parenting programmes like PLH-YC more widely available to Thai families. In order to support parents in complying with the new law, we need to offer them alternative methods to corporal punishment that not only work well but will help to improve the bonds they have with their children. Programmes like PLH-YC help parents know how to create rules and daily routines that are appropriate to children’s levels of development, how to give instructions when you need your child to do something, how to give positive reinforcement, as well as what positive and non-violent disciplinary actions parents can take when their child does not comply.
Isang: It’s encouraging to hear how much progress has been made through PLH-YC. Building on that, I wanted to explore the cultural context a bit more. To what extent do evidence-based parenting programmes align with or challenge traditional Thai cultural norms? I understand that many Thais believe corporal punishment is necessary for discipline, following the way they themselves were raised.
Amalee: It’s true that most adults – in Thailand as well as in other Asian countries – have been raised by parents using violent discipline. In Thailand, there is the well-known saying: “If you love your cow, you should tie it up. If you love your child, you should hit him/her.” However, social norms and practices regarding the use of violence toward others – whether between married partners, between peers at school, and between parents and children – have changed a lot in the past decade, with more and more people turning to more peaceful resolutions to conflict and child rearing. In 2016, a national survey by the Thai National Statistical Office and UNICEF found that 48% of caregivers believed that physical punishment is necessary to raise children, with 3 in 4 children aged under 14 years old experiencing violent punishment. In 2022, this belief dropped to 39%, with about 1 in 2 children experiencing violent punishment. Scientific research across the globe demonstrates that these trends are in the best interests of children. A 2016 review of 75 studies found that corporal punishment is linked to higher levels of child aggression, anti-social behaviour, academic problems, and mental health problems during both childhood and adulthood. In addition, it is linked to less child self-esteem and lower cognitive abilities.
Isang: It’s heartening to hear that public attitudes are gradually shifting. With the new law in place, practical implementation will be key. So, what role can research institutions, NGOs, and advocates play now to ensure the ban is implemented effectively and widely understood?
Amalee: Research institutions, NGOs, and advocates can play several powerful and useful roles in supporting the Thai government to effectively implement the ban. First, we need to coordinate to ensure that all families in need of positive parenting skills can access evidence-based parenting programmes. In addition to the PLH Young Children programme, other programmes such as NetPama, the Thai Preschool Parenting Program (Triple-P), and the Strengthening Families Program are being implemented across the country. The Peace Culture Foundation is a member of the national Parenting Strategic and Technical Alliance Team, led by the Department of Mental Health, which is working to make this collaboration a reality. Secondly, research institutions need to continue to evaluate the quality and impact of such programmes, to ensure that they lead to actual reductions in corporal punishment by parent, and that such services are responsive to parental needs. Third, we can raise public awareness on the value of positive parenting, and that it is OK to seek out help with child rearing. Parents should know about the negative effects corporal punishment has on child health and development, as well as where they can go if they need parenting support. Finally, we all need to help support different professional sectors in understanding the importance of reducing violent punishment against children in Thailand. From the policy making level down to those who work directly with children, we need to help professionals across all sectors – including in health, education, social welfare, and justice – join our call for non-violent forms of discipline, which will contribute to a healthier, more productive, and more respectful and peaceful society.
Isang: It’s clear that collective action across sectors will be crucial. Given Thailand’s leadership on this, I’m curious about the broader regional implications. Do you think Thailand’s move could trigger a regional ripple effect in Southeast Asia? What’s needed to keep the momentum going across the region?
Amalee: This is certainly a step in the right direction, and hopefully this move, as well as the recent Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, will call for other countries to follow suit. Unfortunately, there has only been one other country in Southeast Asia to enact a full legal prohibition: Lao PDR. However, several other governments in the region have expressed a commitment to doing so through the Convention on the Rights of the Child Universal Periodic Review process or in another official context. Those countries include Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.
In order to support the realization of these commitments, and to encourage other Southeast Asian nations to follow suit, at least three things are necessary. First, multi-sectoral regional dialogue within ASEAN or through other inter-governmental fora can help to share successful experiences in legal reform, awareness raising, and parenting support and other services on this issue. Secondly, further research within Southeast Asian countries on contributing factors and the impact of corporal punishment on children and wider society would help governments to more fully understand the problem and the urgency of tackling it. Finally, the Universal Periodic Review process, with the active engagement of civil society actors, can help to send a strong message at national level that a ban in all settings would bring State parties in closer compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Isang: Thank you so much, Amalee, for sharing these powerful insights. It’s inspiring to see how Thailand’s progress can serve as a catalyst for change across the region, and a reminder of the collective effort needed to make this vision a reality.
Isang: Dr. Jiraporn, thank you for your tireless work in this area, and congratulations on Thailand’s historic ban on corporal punishment. As someone deeply embedded in this work, how did you feel when the news of the ban was confirmed?
Dr Jiraporn: As a doctor working with families and the committee of this law, I felt deeply proud and hopeful. It was a moment that reflected a growing of societal understanding that all children deserve to be raised with respect and protection. I felt a sense of hope for future generations of Thai children who will grow up in a society that no longer supports violence, especially within families where more often that violence has been masked as love, good intentions, or framed as a necessary form of discipline especially in Thai culture. This new legal protection means that many children will no longer have to grow up carrying the pain form adverse childhood experience. I also felt proud that Thailand has joined the global community in affirming that harsh punishments are not necessary, nor acceptable, in raising and guiding children. At the same time, I also feel concerned about how the law will be understood and received. Many parents and caregivers in Thailand were themselves raised with the belief that hitting, scolding, and harsh criticism were acceptable, even necessary methods to teach right and wrong. For many of them, the new law may cause confusion, and raise questions such as, “If I can no longer spank or scold my child harshly, what can I do instead?” This reflects an important challenge not only for professionals working in this field but for all stakeholders to guide society through this transition with understanding and empathy. Because real and lasting change cannot be achieved by legal reform alone; it must also be supported by public education, cultural shifts, and sustained work with families based on respect, compassion, and genuine understanding.
Dr. Jiraporn Arunakul
is an Assistant Professor of Adolescent Medicine at the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University.
Image courtesy of Thai PBS (https://theactive.thaipbs.or.th).
Isang: Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt and thoughtful reflection. It’s powerful to hear how this law represents both pride and concern for Thailand’s families. Building on that, what does this milestone represent for Thailand’s children and for the broader movement to end violence against children globally?
Dr Jiraporn: This milestone marks significant progress in advancing the rights and wellbeing of children in Thailand. It delivers a clear message that every child has the right to grow up free from violence, including violence disguised as discipline. For Thai children, it represents formal recognition of their human dignity and affirms that ensuring their physical and emotional safety is a collective societal responsibility.
At the global level, Thailand’s step strengthens the movement to end violence against children worldwide, demonstrating that traditional norms can evolve toward greater protection and deeper understanding. It also aligns Thailand with international standards on human rights and public health, reinforcing the country’s leadership role in the region in protecting children through non-violent means.
Isang: That’s a compelling vision, one where Thailand is not only protecting its children but also inspiring global progress. Now that the ban is in place, how can Thailand strengthen its support to families, especially caregivers who might now be seeking alternatives to corporal punishment?
Dr Jiraporn: After the ban is in place, one important next step is to help families and society better understand the law. Many people may still feel unsure or have concerns, and without clear understanding, it is easy for resistance or disagreement to arise. The Thai government now has an opportunity to support families, especially those who may have fewer resources, and offer them new ways to guide and raise their children.
This can include sharing information about the long-term harm caused by violent discipline, offering positive parenting workshops, providing free online classes (which we already have one, such as Net-PAMA, Triple-P (Thai Preschool Parenting) program, Parenting for Lifelong Health Young Children (PLH-YC), that parents can access easily, or working with schools to talk about these issues during parent-teacher meetings. It is also important to set up spaces where parents can seek advice, talk about their challenges, and find support from counsellors or specialists when needed.
Additionally, creative media initiatives should be developed to help parents understand that positive discipline offers practical, non-violent methods for raising children. It is also essential to establish a strong support system for children and families who have been affected by violence, ensuring that they receive the help they need to heal and thrive. All these efforts must be carried out with deep respect for the diversity of family experiences, avoiding blame or stigma toward parents who have previously used corporal punishment. Instead, the goal should be to foster understanding and to present new, healthier alternatives to traditional child-rearing beliefs.
Isang: Thank you so much, Dr. Jiraporn, for sharing your insights and experiences so generously. It’s clear that this legislative ban is just the beginning of a longer journey, one that requires compassion, collaboration, and a deep commitment to supporting families as they navigate change. We look forward to seeing how this important work continues to unfold, and to learning from Thailand’s leadership in creating a safer, more supportive world for all children.
