Thailand AIDS Problems At Critical Level

[george]

Thailand AIDS problems at critical level; two Thais infected hourly

BANGKOK: -- AIDS infections in Thailand are reaching a critical level as some 500,000 Thais have been infected with the deadly virus, while an average of two people contracting HIV every hour, according to AIDS-prevention advocate Meechai Viravaidya.

Mr. Meechai said at the re-launching of "Learn to love and learn to be safe" predicted that the rising number of AIDS infections in the kingdom was the result of changing sex partners and failure to use condoms when having sex.

According to a survey in 2006, in the 15-29 year-old age group, nine per cent of office workers sampled use condoms every time they have sex with their boy- or girlfriends, while 40 per cent use condom when having sex with partners they have just met.

The result of survey among students showed that 13 per cent use condoms with their boy- or girlfriend partners while 52 per cent use condoms when having sex with partners they have just met.

The survey demonstrated that the group was aware of the serious problem of AIDS, as unsafe sex could lead to the infection with the deadly virus, said Mr. Meechai.

The AIDS activist explained that "Learn to love and learn to be safe" is a project focusing on risk group, trying to adjust the attitude of the group to protect themselves against AIDS and manage their sexual risk safely.

--TNA 2008-03-20

[peter991]

I have been wondering when the AIDS numbers will be reported as rising.

Khun Meechai understanding of statistics leaves me astonished.

He is quoted as saying: '40 per cent of 15-29yo use condom when having sex with partners they have just met' and 'The survey demonstrated that the group was aware of the serious problem of AIDS, as unsafe sex could lead to the infection with the deadly virus.'

Surely these are two conflicting statements. By my understanding, 60% of people in the 15-29yo age group did not use condoms on their first encounter with a new person. Therefore - they were not aware of the serious problem of AIDS (and STDs).

Peter

[Scott]

Like many things in the country, the gov't needs to learn to have a sustained effort to combat the rise of aids, rather than occasional 'crackdowns' when they think it's too big of a problem.

Whether it's AIDS, wearing helmets, drunk driving, it requires constant attention.

[clausewitz]

AIDS-prevention advocate Meechai Viravaidya has a very poor graps of statistics indeed. Why doesn't he point up the huge decline in AIDS cases over the last 3 years.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/...ent_7169227.htm

14,000 new HIV cases in Thailand this year, one tenth of 2004

BANGKOK, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- It is estimated that there will be 14,000 newly-infected HIV cases in Thailand in 2007, comparing to 140,000 new cases found in 2004, according to Thailand's Public Health Ministry.

About 45 percent of the new cases are expected to be found in female teenagers and housewives while 20 percent in homosexual men, Dr. Somchai Pinyopornphanit, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department under the Public Health Ministry, said Thursday.

[geriatrickid]

Don't be too hard on the guy as I think his comments are taken out of context. We've been predicting and warning that the epidemic was about to raise its ugly head again. The culprit was complacency. When the new infections decreased in large part due to the herculean education and prevention programs the government and public health workers had implemented years ago, people said ok, the problem is solved. When new treatments came out, those that had not been educated, figured, ok, no problem we'll just pop a pill and it will go away. So when it came time to cut budgets, HIV and STI prevention was slashed. All the benefits from the hard work was lost. I think the tip off was the jump in herpes and NSU infections in females 2 years ago.

The scariest part of these developments is the spike in adolescents and in the important reproductive population segment. This time around, it is hitting young women hardest. The impact will be felt in the economy soon enough once the workforce deteriorates and the sosts associated with care set in.

The current HIV rate has to be adjusted to reflect the decrease in screening. Years ago, there was a terrific screening effort. Now, it's just another victim of funding. There are a lot more cases out there that the general public is unaware of simply because the carriers have not been identified. Another big driver in the infection rate is the depressing increase in IV drug users. Unless something is done now and fast, Thailand will be back to where it was in 1992 and this time around the strains will be more resistant to medication. No subsidized drug program or theft of proprietary rights will solve that issue either.

[Martin]

As 'geriatrickid' says: "There are a lot more cases out there that the general public is unaware of simply because the carriers have not been identified."

The official figures only ever give the number of KNOWN cases. There is no place for complacency in this.

I am glad to see former-Senator Mechai back in the news. He deserves to be seen as the most-famous 'luk krueng', having probably saved more lives than anybody else in Thailand. Carry, and wear, those 'mechais', lads.

[Ijustwannateach]

Indeed, it's about time the alarm bells went ringing on this issue- and shame on the Culture Ministry and their recent (5-10 year anyway) attempts to stifle real public discourse about sex and responsibility. The message going out from the government should be,

CONDOMS!!!!

and you might try monogamy, too

rather than the other way around.

"S"

[soundman]

Indeed, it's about time the alarm bells went ringing on this issue- and shame on the Culture Ministry and their recent (5-10 year anyway) attempts to stifle real public discourse about sex and responsibility. The message going out from the government should be,

CONDOMS!!!!

and you might try monogamy, too

rather than the other way around.

"S"

How right you are.

If the government spent even 10% of the energy it spends on its social order & moral conservatism crusades, on STD & HIV awareness and prevention programs rather than trying to squash and control basic human functions, I am sure the figure's on HIV infections would be substantially smaller.

Cheers and use dingers,

Soundman.

[kankaroo]

Don't be too hard on the guy as I think his comments are taken out of context. We've been predicting and warning that the epidemic was about to raise its ugly head again. The culprit was complacency. When the new infections decreased in large part due to the herculean education and prevention programs the government and public health workers had implemented years ago, people said ok, the problem is solved. When new treatments came out, those that had not been educated, figured, ok, no problem we'll just pop a pill and it will go away. So when it came time to cut budgets, HIV and STI prevention was slashed. All the benefits from the hard work was lost. I think the tip off was the jump in herpes and NSU infections in females 2 years ago.

The scariest part of these developments is the spike in adolescents and in the important reproductive population segment. This time around, it is hitting young women hardest. The impact will be felt in the economy soon enough once the workforce deteriorates and the sosts associated with care set in.

The current HIV rate has to be adjusted to reflect the decrease in screening. Years ago, there was a terrific screening effort. Now, it's just another victim of funding. There are a lot more cases out there that the general public is unaware of simply because the carriers have not been identified. Another big driver in the infection rate is the depressing increase in IV drug users. Unless something is done now and fast, Thailand will be back to where it was in 1992 and this time around the strains will be more resistant to medication. No subsidized drug program or theft of proprietary rights will solve that issue either.

Oh I think they are going to be very pro actively on the case of that matter, from today I believe !

[Tony Clifton]

Look at how they drive and how there's no one out there to tell them how to.

How can anyone even begin to think something can even be done with the way they f*%# ?

[moldy]

Look at how they drive and how there's no one out there to tell them how to.

How can anyone even begin to think something can even be done with the way they f*%# ?

I simply don't believe the figures, and am sceptical regarding numerous inconsistencies throughout the AIDS paradigm full stop.

[jdinasia]

Meechai's work in this area in the 90's on was astounding! Instead of pretending that nothing was wrong he actively promoted safer sex. Instead of pretending prostitution did not exist he put up billboards outside of military bases telling them to wear a condom every time! etc etc

Few enough Gov't officials impress me , anywhere in the world! Meechai is one that did ..

[Johpa]

Like many things in the country, the gov't needs to learn to have a sustained effort to combat the rise of aids, rather than occasional 'crackdowns' when they think it's too big of a problem.

Whether it's AIDS, wearing helmets, drunk driving, it requires constant attention.

Thailand's sustained program in combating and bringing under control its AIDS epidemic of the early 1990s was a great success that is still used as the role model elsewhere in the developing world. It was that success that perhaps led to the youngest generation's apathy and now Meechai sees a need to jump start the campaign anew. You can't help but admire the man.

[Dakhar]

Another brewing problem is.... TB. HIV is acting as catalyst for TB and it is becoming more and more prevalent.

What happen is those that have HIV and latent TB, aquire active TB and spread TB. Or those with HIV, once exposed to TB can not supress the disease, so they spread it around like rain.

I don't take walking through hospitals too lightly any longer.

[Smithson]

The official figures only ever give the number of KNOWN cases. There is no place for complacency in this.

Are you sure? I thought they were estimates?

[britmaveric]

I seriously doubt those figures, but regardless one should use protection because you never know.

[Mosha]

A couple of years ago, when my wfe's BIL was a Kamnam, he dragged me off to a local meeting, wher a HIV positve girl was giving a talk. There were a couple of young Americans on a volunteer scheme, and we got talking. I pointed out what a waste of time this was. When they asked why, I pointed out that the only youngster here was the girl giving the talk. The "invited" guests were all from the old peoples groups in the area. It should have been the young ones she was talking to.

[plachon]

Like many things in the country, the gov't needs to learn to have a sustained effort to combat the rise of aids, rather than occasional 'crackdowns' when they think it's too big of a problem.

Whether it's AIDS, wearing helmets, drunk driving, it requires constant attention.

Thailand's sustained program in combating and bringing under control its AIDS epidemic of the early 1990s was a great success that is still used as the role model elsewhere in the developing world. It was that success that perhaps led to the youngest generation's apathy and now Meechai sees a need to jump start the campaign anew. You can't help but admire the man.

For his impressive work on birth control and HIV/AIDS control yes. For his previous stance on Burma and occasional forays into promoting GMO rice and other questionable agricultural practices upcountry, I'd reserve my admiration..........

[eagleflyinghigh]

Thais if they stick to their famous culture are not supposed to have sex before marriage - at least if they are female .

Something that is supposed not to happen (like the illegal prostitution) can not be correctly addressed. And in the case of AIDS, silence means death.

Remember these well thinking people who claim that making condoms readily available for students encourages them having sex.

The reality is that Thais are doing it like rabbits and more openness and less morality will make new AIDS cases decrease.

[jberwick]

<deleted> are all you people talking about. AIDS is not caused by HIV and AIDS is not sexually transmittable. Stop gobbling up all this AIDS industry and religious group propaganda and actually discover the truth.

[johnwills]

<deleted> are all you people talking about. AIDS is not caused by HIV and AIDS is not sexually transmittable. Stop gobbling up all this AIDS industry and religious group propaganda and actually discover the truth.

Eh.sorry must have missed something during the last 20+ years, I was under the impression that HIV leads to aids

[Johpa]

<deleted> are all you people talking about. AIDS is not caused by HIV and AIDS is not sexually transmittable. Stop gobbling up all this AIDS industry and religious group propaganda and actually discover the truth.

O pray tell what was the cause of death of the dozens of people I knew personally in the rural areas of Chiang Mai who died of this horrible wasting disease. There was certainly no industrial presence in the villages. And the only religious presence in most of the villages was the local Thai temple and usual assortment of village monks who on the whole are a rather humorous group of hapless souls who sit around all day smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo cuz there is nothing else to do. So Khun Jabberwicky, please enlighten us to the truth.

[BigSnake]

[jdinasia]

<deleted> are all you people talking about. AIDS is not caused by HIV and AIDS is not sexually transmittable. Stop gobbling up all this AIDS industry and religious group propaganda and actually discover the truth.

GADS .. yet another nutter!

[Ijustwannateach]

Ok, I got 'im. Now the adults can continue.

[exexpat]

None of these people have their facts straight, neither Xinhua nor Bangkokpost. Thailand has had a severe epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the 90's, where rates went from very low to 500,000 cases in a matter of years, and was under control by the year 2000. Meechai was instrumental in raising public awareness of the crisis then. From about the late 90's to early 2000's (2003 or so), the number of newly infected with HIV (HIV positive) in Thailand held at around 50,000 per year, with about 15,000 progressing to AIDS (clinical T-cell count of 200 or less).

This is compared to US rates of 50-75,000 per year for HIV, 20,000 for AIDS, and 20,000 deaths annually from about the year 2000, despite the US having a larger total population. As with Thailand, rates are increasing slightly, instead of decreasing, which is why the news makes a big fuss.

Lately, the stigma of AIDS has worn off, and so has the message that safe sex is important. People are engaging in riskier sex now and have become complacent, but the epidemic is far from the triple digit increases during the the 90's. What seems to be happening is that the rates are rising fast in certain at-risk populations that are being complacent rather than the general population as a whole, the big fear is that it will spill over but so far that hasn't been the case.

[Chris Lawrence]

Is unsafe sex the only problem? What about the IV drug population. The figures are not good, but I don't know exactly how they are interpreted. It would be good to see the outcome from the survey.

[john b good]

That's not too bad is it. Two people infected every hour in the realm, 48x a day and 17,520 p/a

Japan with a population twice that of Thailand has around 100 infected each year.

Here they have so many stop start campaigns it is laughable.

It's a wonder that there are still any one living in the realm with around 40 killed on the roads every day, how many thousand in the southern unrest, then the several thousand in the last drugs clean up and now 48x (a day) infected with AIDS.

It wasn't called "Amazing Thailand" for nothing, now was it ??

The reality is that the problems that the authorities have to face in the realm are just so great that they don't really know where to start.

[distortedlink]

I can remember back in 1960s London, when it was safe to walk the streets, neighbours actually spoke to each other, no irritating in your face mobile phones, drug dealing was a rarity, people done you favours without asking HOW MUCH? And there was no such virus as AIDS.

Most enjoyments except smoking didnt involve risk of life.

WHAT A SAD WORLD THIS HAS BECOME.

Glad I`m no longer in my 20s just starting out.

The party`s over folks.

Edited March 25, 2008 by distortedlink

[jackspratt]

I can remember back in 1960s London, when it was safe to walk the streets, neighbours actually spoke to each other, no irritating in your face mobile phones, drug dealing was a rarity, people done you favours without asking HOW MUCH? And there was no such virus as AIDS.

Most enjoyments except smoking didnt involve risk of life.

WHAT A SAD WORLD THIS HAS BECOME.

Glad I`m no longer in my 20s just starting out.

The party`s over folks.

Maybe your party is over, distorted. But I am sure many others would argue there's is just beginning