Distant fathers and nagging mothers are producing a generation of youths in Bangkok who are emotionally needy and materialistic, surveys have found.

The youths were also found to be prone to experimenting with alcohol and premarital sex.

Assumption University's Abac poll surveyed 1,159 city residents aged from 12 to 18 over the past six months.

The survey found that what youths want most is love and encouragement from their parents, followed by a cell phone.

More than a third of those surveyed, 39.5 per cent, said what they wanted most was more attention from their parents, while 16.8 per cent wanted a new cell phone, Abac said.

Another survey, by Family Network, found that married life looks unappealing when seen through the eyes of many teens.

The network found that one in three of the teens it surveyed felt their parents lacked affection for each other.

The network also called for parents to readjust their attitudes towards their children with the aim of encouraging them to behave ethically rather than focus on material success.

The Abac poll found that 3.5 per cent of Bangkok teens have suicidal thoughts, 25.6 per cent drink alcohol, 15.5 per cent smoke cigarettes and 33.4 per cent lie to their parents.

More than one-third, 35.5 per cent, said they were most disappointed by a father who smoked, drank alcohol and gambled.

Almost 10 per cent said their father paid them too little attention while 15 per cent said their father was too busy with work to pay attention to them. About one-fifth described their mother as warm while 58 per cent said their mother nagged too much.

When asked about sex, more than a quarter of the teens or 26.3 per cent, said premarital sex was acceptable.

Commenting on the surveys, the director of the institute for research and learning development, Dr Yongyut Wongpiromsat, said it was significant that one in three of those surveyed by the network felt that their parents were not attracted to each other.

The surveys showed that most youths felt pressure from their family to succeed materially.

Parents are sending the wrong signals to their children, he said.

They should be encouraged their children to achieve self-awareness and happiness, Yongyut said.