Thais Go Condom Crazy

[george]

Thais go condom crazy over AIDS meeting

BANGKOK:-- Waiters wearing condoms on their heads greet diners at the 'Cabbages and Condoms' restaurant in Bangkok and volunteers hand out condoms of all shapes, colours and sizes at cash machines, metro stations and the airport.

Visitors might be forgiven for thinking that Bangkok, infamous as the flesh-pot of southeast Asia, has gone condom crazy in the run-up to the 15th International AIDS conference.

Thailand's capital was bracing on Saturday for an influx of up to 15,000 delegates to the week-long conference that aims to highlight the scourge of the disease in Asia.

Besides armies of scientists, drug company bosses and victims of AIDS, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, former South African president Nelson Mandela, Indian ruling party leader Sonia Gandhi and Hollywood heart-throb Richard Gere are due to attend.

"This looks certain to be the largest AIDS conference in history," said Craig McClure, executive director of the International AIDS Society.

He said his main worry was whether delegates would be able to negotiate the notorious traffic jams of the sprawling metropolis.

For weeks, bright red banners hanging from walkways, flyovers and trees across Bangkok have been announcing the biennial event, which was last held in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

Hotels are bursting at the seams, with guests coming in from 160 countries.

Police are taking no chances, even though the meeting, which opens on Sunday evening, is not seen as a terrorist target.

Sniffer dogs made a last minute sweep of the conference venue in a northern suburb, and hundreds of police officers received a pep talk from Thai Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan.

But Thailand's human rights record under a 'war on drugs' is blamed by activists for driving injecting drug users, who are among the most at risk from AIDS, away from sources of help.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who may face protests when he speaks at the opening ceremony, said his government and the activists shared the same goals.

"I think both NGOs and the government have the same goal because we want AIDS patients and their families or children with HIV to get good care," he said in a weekly radio address on Saturday.

Police, who will deploy a 5,000-strong force during the conference, say they will take a "softly, softly" approach to peace and security inside the venue, which has a history of vocal, but non-violent, confrontation.

"So far there are no threats or indications from outside, but inside the venue there might be small protests, which are all part of the colour of AIDS conferences," police Lieutenant-General Pansiri Prapawat told reporters.

"We are prepared for this and it will be dealt with gently."

---Reuters 2004-07-10

[castelleone]

I really think Thailand is the best place for such a meeting

[john b good]

It's hoped that some effective strategies come out of the meeting, and it's not just another of these expensive get togethers.

When you think about it and in recognising the costs arising from the AID's toll around the world some of these big nosh ups must cost megabucks to stage.

[12call]

15,000 flock to world Aids conference - at $800 per head

By Jan McKirk in Bangkok

11 July 2004

Bangkok is reeling from the onslaught of Aids - the convention, that is. No fewer than 15,000 delegates from 160 countries have converged on Thailand's capital today for the start of the 15th international conference on HIV/Aids.

Aids has ballooned into an industry worth $4.7bn (£2.5bn) - 15 times the amount spent in 1996. But, health officials warn, it needs to be double that next year. With such enormous sums at stake, the Aids roadshow hits town this week with all the verve of a carnival and medical trade fair. Schools have been shuttered to make Bangkok streets less congested and a gleaming new underground railway system will whisk visitors between events.

Winsome Thai girls dole out condoms at the international airport arrivals lounge and highway toll booths. Sheaths reportedly come in two ego-enhancing sizes - big and bigger. Special counters help HIV patients to clear customs inspection quickly, even though their carry-on bags are stuffed with myriad anti-retroviral pills or odd herbal concoctions. Enormous red banners that feature a trio of elephants with erect trunks are stretched across Bangkok's highways and bus shelters, urging "access to all". The convention's slogan, aimed at bringing life-prolonging generic medicines to the poor, has provoked criticism because the registration fee for delegates is $800, equivalent to half a year's salary in much of the developing world. In response, hundreds of scholarships were subsidised.

At the Impact arena and other sideshows, displays by more than 100 non-government organisations and international charities are already bustling, with designer Adriana Bertini's rubber ballgown made of Brazilian condoms taking pride of place. Not far from the self-proclaimed "Positive Muslims" who live behind the veil with HIV, an Australian group, called "Debby Doesn't Do it For Free!", contrasts the cinematic clichés of prostitutes with hearts of gold to the perilous and grim lives of contemporary sex-workers.

"Welcome to NGO a-go-go," quipped one visitor, clutching a fistful of pamphlets. Sales reps from the world's pharmaceutical giants, medical researchers, carers, politicians and fundraisers mingle with sex-workers, spiritual healers, Aids orphans, and HIV survivors who practise a "positive lifestyle" in order to function with the disease. Government ministers, corporate donors, preachers, streetwalkers, and do-gooders are all on hand.

Celebrities, who fundraise for Aids charities include Richard Gere, Rupert Everett, Ashley Judd and the singer Dionne Warwick. Angelina Jolie jetted in from Cambodia, to get a new tiger tattoo etched on her hips and add her support. In contrast, a summit meeting for world leaders was cancelled when too few were able to show up and discuss Aids.

Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary General, and Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai Prime Minister, will inaugurate the Aids conference tonight, followed by a candlelit memorial service for the estimated 20 million people around the world who have died from Aids; another 40 million people are currently infected, although authorities estimate that only about 10 per cent of HIV carriers are aware of their status. After local activists demanded that Miss Universe, a 20-year-old Australian surfer named Jennifer Hawkins, should share the stage with an infected child, two choirs of Aids-affected youngsters will perform alongside her. Beauties will compete for the title of Miss Condom this week.

Earlier, Miss Universe was due to tour a temple at Lopburi, where Buddhist monks run an Aids hospice which doubles as a macabre museum. Mummified corpses are laid out on stone slabs or bob in tanks of formaldehyde like a Damien Hirst display.

Hundreds of sacks containing the ashes of Aids victims are heaped near outsized garden statues composed from the compressed remains of former patients. Most had unprotected sex, shared dirty needles or patronised infected tattoo parlours. Worldwide, the disease is now the leading cause of death among people aged between 15 and 59.

Although Thailand is considered in the vanguard for its promotion of condom use in the sex industry, cutting infection rates by a factor of 10, conference participants warned against complacency. Human Rights Watch condemned the Thai Prime Minister for driving intravenous drug users, who make up about 40 per cent of Thailand's Aids patients, underground. Nearly 3,000 uninvestigated deaths resulted from the government's crackdown on drug users last year.

"It's a scandal that Thailand is hosting the International Aids Conference while it persecutes people at high risk," said Jonathan Cohen, a researcher."There are proven methods of addressing drug addiction and HIV/Aids, and murder is not one of them."

[snoophound]

Well hopefuly some of the stupid falangs in thailand pay attention to this and start using them.

It never ceases to amaze me how many do not in thailand.

Even when the girl asks they stupidly offer more money not too.

[plachon]

Snoophound, would've thought it irrelevant what nationality or race someone is, when it comes to not using a condom in potentially hazardous situations. Stupidity is stupidity. Period.

As a matter of interest, how many cases of said behaviour have you come across?

[snoophound]

A lot more than i thought from 65 year old golfers in pattaya, thru to young marrie d guys in bkk on conference.

it amazes me.

I am only talking Falangs here.

I have several good friends who own bars in BKK and Patts who all try and caution their girls but money talks.

Some guys just offer another 500-1000 baht and the girl says ok