The youth of Thailand are kissing love goodbye this Valentine's Day, because it's the friggin' law.

Teenagers below the age of 18 will not be permitted to physically display their love and affection, which includes a no kissing crackdown. Should you be caught kissing in public you will receive an official warning, and reports will be made to your parents that you've totally ruined the family name by showing that your heart beats to a tune called love – now your family will be forever shamed, and you'll never get a job. Police will be out in force ensuring that Bangkok's youth are ever mindful of the state's recently issued "10 Commandments of Love," by the Culture Ministry. See how many commandments you can adhere to:

• 1. Love with patience, so as not to become a premature parent
• 2. Truly love only one person
• 3. Love with mercy, trying not to hurt the one you love
• 4. Carefully love to avoid taking risks that might lead to contracting sexual diseases
• 5. Love with honour, waiting until the proper time to have sex
• 6. Love in accordance with custom
• 7. Love reasonably, not taking sexual advantage of your lover
• 8. Love permanently, without defaming the one you love
• 9. Love honestly, believing in your partner
• 10. Love with understanding, forgiveness and without anger

Seems to me you can pull off all 10 of those easy and still get a little action. Sure, it makes things a little less convenient but still totally workable. There's even a loophole built in, if you don't love your partner, all bets are off.

My question is why even have a Valentine's Day in Thailand at all then? I mean most people seem to accept that it's a made up holiday, but they play along because it's fun. Why don't the Thai people just skip Valentine's Day, like Buddhists skip Christmas?