Message
Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister
On the Occasion of “the National Children’s Day” Year 2013
January 12, 2013
On the occasion of “the National Children’s Day” year 2013, may I offer love and goodwill to all the Thai children and youths, as well as, parents who have an important part in nurturing and developing them.
The National Children’s Day is meant for children and youths to recognize their significance in the society. They need to be aware of their rights, duties, responsibility, and disciplines by studying hard, being well-behaved, listening to parents and guardians, being well disciplined, having volunteering spirit, sharing, being united, being thoughtful, loving themselves, their families, their nation, as well as respecting and admiring the nation, the religion, and the king.
For the year 2013, I present the National Children’s Day motto as “Uphold Disciplined, Enhance Knowledge, and Bring Thailand toward ASEAN”. All the children and youths can have freedom of thoughts, but they have to express it properly and productively. This will naturally forge their discipline which is an essential factor in living together in a society, and in growing up as decent adults. With the rapidly changing society and all the technological advances which have broadly created new and innovative knowledge these days, learning is no longer limited to the classroom. Self-study can be done in so many ways as self-reading, traveling, and internet searching. Children and youths, therefore, must thought out and be selective in inputting only useful information. Particularly in the year 2015 when Thailand will officially be part of the ASEAN Community, children and youths need to learn more about economic system, politics, history, culture and traditions, and languages of the neighboring countries in order to promote mutual understanding. They also need to develop skills in English language and other foreign languages for effective communication which will prepare the Thai children and youths and the country as a whole to move towards ASEAN Community with confidence.
On the occasion of the National Children’s Day 2013, may the virtue of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, and all the sacred things in the universe bless Thai children and youths, as well as those who are nurturing and developing them, with happiness, prosperity, good health and strong mind in order to become the country’s significant force in the future.
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