Thailand: Let's talk about sex

She also recently introduced a new channel - the Sex Box - on her web site www.smustsay.com to spread sex-related information. The new channel allows teenagers to post questions. They are answered by 10 veteran experts and specialists from different fields.

She has also produced magazines containing information on sex, which she has distributed to schools.

"Normally, adults just tell teenagers what to do - that's very much the norm when it comes to sex education. But [teenagers] can learn more through their own questions and curiosity. They have the right to ask for and receive answers. There is nothing wrong when they want to know about sex. We have to provide them with the right information that is applicable to life in the real world."

Montira added that the Internet can be regarded as a double-edged sword. It can be versatile and powerful as well as destructive. There are always attempts to block web sites that present porn images so teenagers will not be able to access them.

Through arts and honest discussions, students have a chance to learn about sex and sexuality at the Sex! Must Say camps. Montira is against that idea.

"That is not the real solution. Teenagers will resort to other ways if they want to know more about sex. If the Internet is used in a wrong way, why can't we figure out how to use it properly? We can provide teenagers with information via the Internet. That's what I'm working on now - to offer sex education to youngsters who can access it," she explained.

The number of participants in the Sex! Must Say camps has increased every year. After a small turnout the first year, the number of participants increased to 300 and 350 in the second and third years, respectively. This year, 64 teachers from 38 schools partook in the activities as well.

"To many people and in some countries like Thailand, sex is taboo. But to me sex is something that must be said, must be talked about. Yet sex, in the way I mean it, doesn't involve explicit demonstrations of how to properly wear a condom, or porno films, or how to have safe sex. What I want to drive home is the message that sex is part of a relationship that stems from love and mutual understanding between two partners," she said.

"Sex is a covert topic both at school and at home. Teenagers learn about sex from their friends and the Internet. which can put them at great risk. When they are curious about sex they don't know where to go or who they can turn to. They often make wrong decisions, which can lead to other social problems."

At present, some 1,000 teenagers visit her web site each day, posting questions in the Sex Box where 10 experts and specialists in different fields answer their inquiries. All the questions posted are first screened by the editor of the web site to make sure that they are appropriate and then forwarded to each expert according to the type of question it is.

"The rule of thumb with this project is to talk about sex at the right place, at the right time and with the right person. All the experts are carefully screened and we have occasional meetings on how to give good, beneficial answers. There is nothing obscene."

Montira said most questions concern sexual affairs, the main interest of teenagers.

"Many girls ask whether their boyfriend will love them more or not if they consent to have sexual relations with them. I have told them countless times that although you may have sex many times, there is no guarantee that they will love you more."

During the second year, apart from organising the Sex! Must Say Camp, Montira also held an online live talk show entitled "Love with Indiscriminate Gender" since there were many questions about homosexuality - many teenagers are confused about their gender and "different" behaviour. Experts were invited to join the live show and provide appropriate advice to the youngsters calling in.

"The questions that stem from their experiences and the answers from experts can guide them to the right path or at least help them to make a more accurate decision before they go too far. I have collected all the questions and answers and produced six pocketbooks named Enter. These serve as guidelines for youngsters," Montira said.

This year the "Love Box" has been introduced on the smustsay web site. Four sexperts and love gurus, two deejays, one actress and one doctor have been invited to provide information on how to create a better understanding of love and its value and virtue.

"Eighty percent of the content is about love while 20 percent is about sex. We want to inculcate an element of love among teenagers. Otherwise, they will talk only about sex."

According to Montira, although this project will wind up next year, for her the campaign will be endless. Students who have had a chance to attend the camps will be volunteers for her next project to help educate the younger generations. Some students are deejays in their local communities, which provides a good opportunity for them to talk about sex education.

"It's high time that students exert their power and continue the project on their own to produce a fruitful outcome in their communities. We will provide guidance while teachers will be their coordinators," she said.

After the project is finished, all the information gleaned over the past three years will be accumulated to produce a monthly magazine so that teens will have an additional way to learn about sex.

"Currently, some schools have no access to the Internet and some students can't attend the camp so we need to resort to other media forms to reach them."

For Montira, the success of the sex camp can be seen in what the teenagers learn. "One boy talked to me at the end of the camp and promised that he wouldn't hurt any girl, neither physically nor mentally. To me, examples like that show the real success of the project."

In addition to learning about sex, Montira believes that participants will learn life skills that might rescue them when difficult situations arise.

"Theories are in the textbooks. Some are not applicable to real life. What we have to provide teenagers is real life so that they can get real experience. Memorising information won't help them. But learning by doing and having a better understanding can. We need help both from school and home. Most of the students who join the camp behaved well. By just shaping them in a certain way, they will be less at risk," she said.

This "sex work" has brought Montira great satisfaction. Apart from getting to know more about teen life and the teenage point of view, she has also been able to establish many networked groups across the country that can join forces to educate teenagers about sex. She also gives sex talks to many organisations and at many national events.

"This project has been my life," she said.