Cosmetic Activities

Thai teenagers are a lot like youngsters in other countries around the world. They like to chat with their friends, play computer games, listen to music, and hang out in shopping malls.

But a recent poll by the Child Watch Project/Thailand Research Fund revealed a few other interests. Not surprisingly, “engaging in sex” was a popular choice with 16 percent of respondents listing that as a daily activity. Slightly higher, at 18 percent, was “Soccer Betting.” But just behind that, in the 17 percent group, was a most curious item: “Planning to have cosmetic surgery.”

Yes, it looks like a lot of nose jobs and breast implants are on the horizon for the youth of Thailand. But that number still pales in comparison to the 63 percent that obsess over something else: buying a new mobile phone.