“Children are the future of our nation and they are in the hands of older people who should be good role models,” said Thai Consul General Chalee Sakolvari in a speech during the National Children's Day celebrations at the Royal Thai Consulate General in Jeddah last week. Some 300 children living in the Western region attended the function in Jeddah. In Thailand, the second Saturday of every January is celebrated as the National Children's Day. On this day, government organizations such as Parliament, the Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Army open their doors to the children and the nation acknowledges the rights of its children. Children are also given the chance to be in the Prime Minister's seat for a day to learn more about the Thai democracy. The Thai Prime Minister gave the motto for the Children's Day of 2012 as “Unity with Knowledge, Preserve Thai Identity, Mind the Technology”. Thailand's first National Children's Day slogan was bestowed by Field Marshal Por Pibulsongkram in 1956, encouraging children to be helpful to others and to society. There have been 54 National Children's Day slogans given by Thailand's prime ministers. Parliament opens for children to visit on National Children's Day. Vachirabenjatas Park (Rot Fai Park), Chatuchak Weekend Market, the Thai-Japan Bangkok Youth Center, the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Center and Government House all held events for National Children's Day.
