Kids get 'too much screentime'

From toddlers watching cartoons on tablets to teenagers scrolling through social media, screens have become an integral part of childhood in Thailand, raising questions about how a generation growing up with them will develop, learn and interact with the world.

The issue has climbed the policy agenda as evidence accumulates that excessive screen time and unrestricted social media use are affecting children's wellbeing.

Experts warn the risks extend far beyond addiction, encompassing cognitive development, mental health, online exploitation and the erosion of social skills.

Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) data show that 93.1% of Thais use the internet and spend an average of seven hours and 54 minutes online each day.

Particularly alarming for child-development specialists is the finding that 72.6% of children aged up to two years spend more than one hour a day in front of screens.

For many experts, these figures represent a warning about the future quality of Thailand's human capital.

Concern has reached the highest levels of government.

Last Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, chairman of ThaiHealth, instructed the organisation to prepare proposals on reducing screen time among children and young people and assess whether further regulation may be required.

Warning signs

Danaya Wasuwat, Senior Project Management Specialist at the Thai Media Fund and a former university lecturer currently completing her second master's degree at the Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, said excessive screen time and unrestricted social media use are affecting children's cognitive development.

Teachers across the country have raised developmental concerns about children who spend excessive time on screens and social media. Children are arriving at school with shorter attention spans, weaker emotional regulation, delayed language development and declining social skills, they say.

Most concerning is that such problems are appearing among kindergarten-age children. She said Thailand had underestimated the long-term significance of the issue.

"We have not invested enough in protecting our future human capital," she said.

The problem is not limited to development. Children also face a rapidly expanding range of online threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, scams and gambling platforms.

She cited data shared by the Cyber Crime Police indicating large numbers of children are targeted by online scams and exploitation each year, while only a small proportion of cases are successfully resolved.

The fund has previously engaged with Google on online child safety.

Although platforms such as YouTube Kids offer additional safeguards, she noted these protections depend on parents actively choosing to use them, while many children continue to access content through standard platforms.

Danaya: Literacy is parents' job

Asst Prof Weerachat Soopunyo of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Education said the roots of the problem often begin at home.

"When we look closely at the causes, young children simply need care and attention," he said.

"Many are given mobile phones because adults are busy or want to keep them occupied."

Over time, what begins as a practical solution can harden into an ingrained habit.

"It may not amount to addiction in the clinical sense, but it develops into a behavioural pattern that is difficult to change," he said.

Behind the introduction of social media restrictions in several countries, extensive consultation with parents, educators and experts has played an important role in shaping policy.

Whether Thailand eventually follows the growing number of countries considering similar measures, experts argue that parents must also reflect on their own technology habits.

It has become increasingly common for families to sit together while each person is absorbed in a different screen.

While public debate often focuses on "screen addiction", Asst Prof Weerachat argues that habitual dependence on digital devices can be equally damaging because it gradually replaces activities essential to children's development.

As social interaction shifts online, some experts worry children are losing chances to develop communication, empathy and relationship-building skills.

Beyond bans

While international attention has focused on social media bans, Thai experts caution against viewing legislation as a silver bullet.

Australia's law barring children under 16 from social media has become a closely watched example.

Companies that fail to prevent underage access face penalties of up to A$49.5 million, or roughly 1.13 billion baht.

Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, manager of ThaiHealth, said the organisation is studying such measures and their potential in Thailand.

"Many countries have implemented such measures. We need to study them before deciding what is appropriate for Thailand," he said, though he said regulation is only one part of the solution.

ThaiHealth has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to strengthen online child protection, built around four priorities: improving digital literacy, developing educational tools for schools and communities, promoting healthier online behaviour through public campaigns, and strengthening cooperation among government agencies, businesses and civil society.

Ms Danaya said the Thai Media Fund has worked with Google on child online safety initiatives, including YouTube Kids, but noted such safeguards depend on parents actively choosing to use them.

Many children still access content through standard platforms where protections are weaker.

Pongthep: study first, then act

Weerachat: Care matters most

Structural challenges

Assoc Prof Dr Suriyadeo Tripathi, director of the Centre for Moral Development, said excessive screen use is partly a symptom of broader structural problems.

Thailand lacks space for kids to enjoy out-of-curriculum activity.

The education system also focuses on competition with excessive demands for homework and exams that are often set beyond a student's age level.

He called on local administrations, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, to improve parks, community libraries and local learning centres to draw children away from screens.

"We should not wait for the law as it might take longer than three years," he said. "This could be done immediately with less cost of investment."

Dr Suriyadeo said he and allied organisations would submit an open letter to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urging the government to treat children's digital wellbeing as a national priority -- not simply a welfare issue, but an economic one affecting the future quality of Thailand's workforce.

Suriyadeo: No outdoor spaces