Thai youth are increasingly falling prey to risky behaviours, with e-cigarette use soaring and online gambling reaching troubling levels, according to the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). Speaking recently, she cited findings from the 2025 Thai Health Report compiled jointly with a team from Mahidol University. Online gambling presents a similarly alarming trend. A 2023 study by the Gambling Problem Study Centre found that 32.3% of Thai youth had participated in online gambling. Local children and youth councils have emerged as a central mechanism in this effort, with more than 243 local administrative organisations now operating strong youth councils.

Source: Bangkok Post February 24, 2026 19:20 UTC