Over 1 Million Thais Are Infected With Hiv/Aids

[theblether]

Last word....Thai women tend to be petite, farang men are bigger on average than Thai men. You will often hear Thai sex workers say that farang men have too much power. Thai women are often ruptured by farang men, rupturing is a blood injury, you don't want to be involved in a blood injury with a Thai sex worker. Burst condoms barebacking and or ruptured foreskins are the enemy.

Now the question is, have you ever burst a condom, went bareback or ruptured your foreskin? I would say most men have at some point in their lives. It's dangerous out there.

[denishuahin]

The biggest problem as I see it is that there is no legal recourse if your partner does not tell you they are infected. Let’s not say too much about the moral aspect of the Thai culture about disclosing anything let alone an infectious disease. When they are diagnosed with Aids, they are not counselled about their responsibilities morally or socially and as there is no legal action if they infect anyone knowingly, they keep quiet about it not even telling their family. If they suspect they have a “bad” disease they go out of their own area to get tested so nobody recognizes them. It’s all a big secret as it is in most countries but some countries have a deferent outlook and culture.

Edited March 19, 2012 by denishuahin

[oldthaihand99]

"Being circumcised, which may reduce risk for HIV by up to 70%, compared to condoms at about 85%" - this has been disputed recently.....

How recently was that? Sources?

"Ultimately, three distinct trials followed thousands of HIV-negative men over a number of years, and proved that circumcised men were 50-60 per cent less likely than uncircumcised men to acquire HIV during sex with women. Time magazine hailed the trial results as the top medical breakthrough of 2007.

"...UNAIDS and the World Health Organization now endorse circumcision as an effective AIDS prevention strategy in countries with significant transmission through heterosexual intercourse; WHO researchers estimate that up to three million deaths and 5.7 million infections could be prevented over the next 20 years."

http://www.cihr-irsc...ca/e/42578.html

"Reveals that several studies have been performed and found that circumcised males have between 55-76% REDUCED CHANCE of contracting aids. One doctor described this as "just as significant a reduction as usuing condoms)." (a comment on the following url)

http://www.cdc.gov/h...ircumcision.htm

"...demonstrated that male circumcision reduced the risk for HIV acquisition among men by 50%--60% (48--50). In these

trials, circumcision was also protective against other STDs, including high-risk genital HPV infection and genital herpes (51--54)."

http://www.cdc.gov/m...ml/rr5912a1.htm

[LTGTR]

Thailand-the Africa of SE Asia.

Yes,I know Africa is a continent.

[softgeorge]

Wonder how many females?

me too: more than males...

I wouldn't agree that more females have HIV . Because girls in secondary school are less likely to be involved with sex as much as males are during their school years. You see males are conditioned to have sex with each other by their mentors and culture then boys by nature are most likely to experiment more with each other in greater numbers that's without factoring in peir pressure. So I would belive there is a higher number of males carry the HIV that the females.

What nonsense, "Males are conditioned to have sex with each by thier mentors" Where on earth do you come up with this theory. School girls want to have sex just as much as boys and always have have you noticed the high amount of teenage pregnancies, abortions in Thailand alone, there have been many threads on this. The girls aren't getting pregnant because the boys have been mentored into have sex with each other.

[luckyman]

I had a girlfriend who was infected with H.I.V. Luckily I always had used a condom so I was clean...pfff! (Hence, my profile name!!)

However, after I just found out about her and started seeking treatment for her in several hospitals in Bangkok, Pattaya and up country, I talked with all the doctors. My Thai is fluent, so I talked alot and doctors were very honest about HIV in Thailand.

What they all agreed on more or less is :

a - 1 out of 3 'working girls and boys' has either HIV, TBC or a S.T.D. (!!!)

b - when they get diagnosed, doctors advise them always to start treatment asap, stop working and go back to live with family to prevent them from spreading it around.

c - almost none of them (the girls/boys) took their advice...

Footnote: My former girlfriend's doing great thanks to the Governments' wonderful health schemes- Up country where she stays now and visit the local hospital every 90 days, she gets her doctor's checks and all her meds free of charge!! Mr. Thaksin did have some very good ideas after all...

[RedQualia]

About the same number of HIV infected as in the U.S.A. which has about five times the population. Not good.

This article is wrong.

It's 1 million that HAVE BEEN infected since the beginning of the outbreak in 80s. Not currently have it. Half of those 1 million have already died.

As far as rates compared to the US, the CURRENT new infection rate is roughly the same as the US. Thailand is down to about 10,000 new infections per year, down from over 150,000 per year in the early 90s. The US has around 50,000 new infections per year, so the rate is about equal and will most likely be lower in a few more years.

References are a good thing to include. Same for all the other posts in this thread.

Ok

http://www.thaivisa....1000-this-year/

1,161,244 total infections since 1984, over half have died

10,853 new infections in 2010

Excellent! So much more impressive than posts that might start with "i heard..." or "I believe..." or "I have this friend who knows someone who believes they have a friend who heard about someone in a village upcountry who knows a monk who thinks that..." Best to discard everything that doesn't include a direct reference (including one of the replies to your post). And even with a direct reference, one must consider what's being referenced very carefully. And the info at the link you provide is much better than even the original "news summary" that began this thread. Thanks.

Folks -- include references, please. If you think you know something, prove it.

[simple1]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

[david555]

Meechai needs to start up another campaign.

Clearly the Thai's have, in general, a very short memory span.

no, amulet believe does it mostly , and goiing to temple .....

[ttelise]

"Being circumcised, which may reduce risk for HIV by up to 70%, compared to condoms at about 85%" - this has been disputed recently.....

How recently was that? Sources?

"Ultimately, three distinct trials followed thousands of HIV-negative men over a number of years, and proved that circumcised men were 50-60 per cent less likely than uncircumcised men to acquire HIV during sex with women. Time magazine hailed the trial results as the top medical breakthrough of 2007.

"...UNAIDS and the World Health Organization now endorse circumcision as an effective AIDS prevention strategy in countries with significant transmission through heterosexual intercourse; WHO researchers estimate that up to three million deaths and 5.7 million infections could be prevented over the next 20 years."

http://www.cihr-irsc...ca/e/42578.html

"Reveals that several studies have been performed and found that circumcised males have between 55-76% REDUCED CHANCE of contracting aids. One doctor described this as "just as significant a reduction as usuing condoms)." (a comment on the following url)

http://www.cdc.gov/h...ircumcision.htm

"...demonstrated that male circumcision reduced the risk for HIV acquisition among men by 50%--60% (48--50). In these

trials, circumcision was also protective against other STDs, including high-risk genital HPV infection and genital herpes (51--54)."

http://www.cdc.gov/m...ml/rr5912a1.htm

So that just means if there us one in two chances you can contract from unprotected anal sex, then it is one in three if you are circumcised. Seriously, a 50 reduction makes you fell safe enough to avoid using a condom. If not, then why argue. The fact is you run a pretty substantial risk either way to contract a life changing disease or a death sentence. The numbers are likely grossly under reported for a whole litany of reasons. Apathy and rather not know coupled with no legal responsibility like in some countries and then the whole nit want to affect tourism thingy.

The under reportrd numbers probably has a huge impact on the calculations utilized to determine chance of transmission. Fact is, it just takes one unlucky encounter.

Edited March 19, 2012 by ttelise

[RedQualia]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

You've included no reference.

What is "a reference?" It can be a link (minimally), or it can be the title, author, date, and/or mechanism to find the source being cited. An ISBN number, for example. A reference is that thing through which the reader can verify the information posted, and be sure that the writer hasn't simply pulled words from his/her anal orifice (whether the one being cited is doing so is subject to further verification). Without a reference, all one has are unsubstantiated rumors, no matter how well written (or not).

Nothing personal. So many posts in this thread include no references. As such, they constitute nothing more than hearsay and should be ignored.

Edited March 19, 2012 by RedQualia

[SPIKECM]

I've been living in Thailand for 12 years and been around Thailand for over 20 years and I have never once come across one single farang who has contracted HIV... I have heard many many stories of rural living Thais with HIV and dying of aids... but I know only one bar girl with HIV... she was at death's door, lying in hospital delirious and not much over 30 kilos in weight...I saw her lying there.. but has since recovered and now looks as healthy as a butcher's dog and survives on drugs issued under the Thai National Health Service (what else would you call it?)...she used to sleep with young "gay for pay" boys so one has to assume she contracted it from them.... the highest at risk of coming into contact with HIV in Thailand are rural women who tend to be faithful to a philandering male who has sex on the side with cheap rural prostitutes who engage in unprotected sex with multiple high risk partners. The "good girls" who stay in their village are probably a lot higher risk of contracting HIV than the ones who opt for the easy Bangkok/Pattaya bar girl lifestyle....and the big danger for the bar girls there is their Thai boyfriend on the side (almost 100% of 18-30 year olds have one)....who will in many cases be bi-sexual and/or be a prostitute himself.

Edited March 19, 2012 by SPIKECM

[jalansanitwong]

You wonder how many HIV infected bar and street prostitutes are based in Pattaya. Thais have always said that AIDS is a huge problem down there.

I was told years ago that there is an AIDS colony outside Bangkok thats kept out of the media spotlight full of ex bar girls, spa boys and other hookers. Ive seen a picture of an AIDS ward in one of those black and white Thai magazines. Awful stuff. Looks like old pics of Changi WW2.

[RedQualia]

An example of hearsay:

I know a "working woman" who has had lots and lots of sex with foreigners, always using a condom. She did NOT use a condom with her husband. Why would she, right? That said, her husband turned out to be HIV positive, and ultimately died from AIDS. Years later, the woman in question still had not contracted the disease.

True story, however, anecdotal, and as I've lost touch with the woman in question, there is no longer any way to substantiate the matter. It is only hearsay. Probably best to ignore it.

[smedly]

Always use a Condom!!!!!!!!

If people always used condoms then the human race would cease to exist.

The only way to solve the problem is to come up with a cure. Too many people refuse to wear condoms thus spreading the disease.

simple fact as already mentioned on this thread and published by the WHO and a news article by the BBC late last year is - the spread of this disease is now caused by those who have it and don't know i.e. those that don't get tested , those infected and on effective treatment cannot pass it to another and generally live normal lives (apart from having to take medication every day)

The risks factors of spreading this disease have (as a result of recent research) changed dramatically, people who take responsibilty for their health and actually get screened on a regular basis are the very low risk group, those that choose to ignore regular screening and don't take responsibility for their health are in fact the extemely risky group now i.e. not knowing, this is the group that are currently responsible for the spread of HIV, also it is in everyones interest to get screened for two obvious reasons, if found to be positive you will get treatment that will not only prolong your life to near enough normal but will also prevent you from passing it to someone else

I always use condoms and if in the event I started a steady relationship with a girl (maybe 3-4 times over the last 10 years in Thailand) and wanted to stop using them - we both went and got tested for HIV, many of my friends that come here on holiday or are semi living here openly tell me they are not using condoms, when asked if they have ever been sceened for HIV they just laugh it off and say - well it's so difficult to get I don't bother !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kerryk]

You wonder how many HIV infected bar and street prostitutes are based in Pattaya. Thais have always said that AIDS is a huge problem down there.

I was told years ago that there is an AIDS colony outside Bangkok thats kept out of the media spotlight full of ex bar girls, spa boys and other hookers. Ive seen a picture of an AIDS ward in one of those black and white Thai magazines. Awful stuff. Looks like old pics of Changi WW2.

I was told there are no street prostitutes based in Pattaya. The Thais I know have said there is not a problem in Pattaya. Years ago someone told me that silly Farangs believed there was an AIDS colony outside of Bangkok but normal people knew it was only a rumor to scare children.

[simple1]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

You've included no reference.

What is "a reference?" It can be a link (minimally), or it can be the title, author, date, and/or mechanism to find the source being cited. An ISBN number, for example. A reference is that thing through which the reader can verify the information posted, and be sure that the writer hasn't simply pulled words from his/her anal orifice (whether the one being cited is doing so is subject to further verification). Without a reference, all one has are unsubstantiated rumors, no matter how well written (or not).

Nothing personal. So many posts in this thread include no references. As such, they constitute nothing more than hearsay and should be ignored.

The quote is base upon a google search "Thai Army conscripts - HIV rates" over to you. Also I query your thought processes if you seriously believe I made this up

[RedQualia]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

You've included no reference.

What is "a reference?" It can be a link (minimally), or it can be the title, author, date, and/or mechanism to find the source being cited. An ISBN number, for example. A reference is that thing through which the reader can verify the information posted, and be sure that the writer hasn't simply pulled words from his/her anal orifice (whether the one being cited is doing so is subject to further verification). Without a reference, all one has are unsubstantiated rumors, no matter how well written (or not).

Nothing personal. So many posts in this thread include no references. As such, they constitute nothing more than hearsay and should be ignored.

The quote is base upon a google search "Thai Army conscripts - HIV rates" over to you. Also I query your thought processes if you seriously believe I made this up

I didn't say you made it up. I said you provided no reference. And you've still provided no reference. Saying that you googled for it is not a reference. Telling others to google for it is also not a reference. A link to the actual article =would= be a reference.

Again, nothing personal here. More to do with the endless stream of unsubstantiated postings in this thread, and on Thaivisa generally.

[Awk]

The sad part about the lack of public information in Thailand is that people are not getting tested. If people got tested, went on antiretrovirals, and eliminated their viral load, they would not pass on the virus. This is slowly becoming realized in Western countries. The biggest advance in HIV treatment in 2011 was that "treatment is prevention". A person taking their HIV medicines regularly for six months, with no viral load, cannot pass on the virus. It is those who have not been tested, so don't know they have HIV, who are spreading the virus today.

That was news to me. The CDC site (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/treatment/resources/qa/art.htm) seems to confirm what you are saying, though they are, presumably correctly, being a bit more conservative and saying it reduces, but does not eliminate the chance of spreading the virus.

[kerryk]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

You've included no reference.

What is "a reference?" It can be a link (minimally), or it can be the title, author, date, and/or mechanism to find the source being cited. An ISBN number, for example. A reference is that thing through which the reader can verify the information posted, and be sure that the writer hasn't simply pulled words from his/her anal orifice (whether the one being cited is doing so is subject to further verification). Without a reference, all one has are unsubstantiated rumors, no matter how well written (or not).

Nothing personal. So many posts in this thread include no references. As such, they constitute nothing more than hearsay and should be ignored.

Completely agree. Threads like this just bring the Pattaya and gay bashers out by the score.

[Awk]

That is why hookers are a LOT safer. they always insist on condoms, because they know the risks.

Nonsense. Hookers are in the game for money. The chances of them turning down a John and loose the money they more or less desperately need, because the John does not want to use condoms, are not overwhelmingly big.

[crusader79]

no doubt the flourishing sex industry plays an important role in coming up the number. a sector that is so essential to the thai economy and yet quite so detrimental and destructive.

The sex industry is larger than the rice export industry says a thread running in the news forum currently. "Thailand's sex workers don't want to be rescued."

What does it say about a country that it gives so many of its young women only these two choices in life (a Hobson's choice).

[scduck]

HIV is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ...... AIDS.

AIDS is a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive.

Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breat milk.

Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells. The four major routes of transmission are

Unsafe sex

Contaminated needles,

Breast milk,

and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth

Complacency and a lack of education about HIV has to play a key role in educating the Thai people about the risk of HIV.

Without antiretroviral therapy, someone who has AIDS typically dies within a year and the therapy costs money!

[RedQualia]

You wonder how many HIV infected bar and street prostitutes are based in Pattaya. Thais have always said that AIDS is a huge problem down there.

I was told years ago that there is an AIDS colony outside Bangkok thats kept out of the media spotlight full of ex bar girls, spa boys and other hookers. Ive seen a picture of an AIDS ward in one of those black and white Thai magazines. Awful stuff. Looks like old pics of Changi WW2.

I was told there are no street prostitutes based in Pattaya. The Thais I know have said there is not a problem in Pattaya. Years ago someone told me that silly Farangs believed there was an AIDS colony outside of Bangkok but normal people knew it was only a rumor to scare children.

So happy to have this matter cleared up! Thanks!!

[EyesWideOpen]

The province with the highest rate of AIDS is Chiang Rai, which would surprise most people. For the number of 1 million Thais with AIDS, I would really like to see a breakdown between men and women. I think the ratio would be shocking. There is also a false assumption that if a woman has AIDS, or the the man, that the ratio of risk of transmission is 50/50. That is simply not true. The woman is at far higher risk of getting AIDS from an infected man, than vice versa...

Wrong. The province of Rayong has the highest rates.

I remember when an article about Chiang Rai about one of the highest AIDS rates came out. It just seemed counter intuitive, as the immediate assumption would be that an area like Pattaya would have the highest rates. The conclusion was that in that area, Thai men, principally truckers were having lots of unprotected sex at road side knock shops , and then giving AIDS to their wives... Also odd because you will rarely meet a Chiang Rai girl working in the farang based sex trade. There are a few working in Chiang Mai, but they are seldom seen working in the Bangkok / Pattaya sex trade areas. However I suspect in the Thai sex trade ( which of course is 90% of what goes on) , they are desirable to Thai men due to their white skin. So that may be another factor for the high rate there, lots of bareback riding by Thai men.

As far as Rayong taking over the province for the highest AIDS rate , that is a new one on me. Sailors from Sattahip going crazy while on leave ??? :-)

IntroductionHIV/AIDS has been quite a serious problem in Northern Thailand. At one point, Chiang Rai had one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country. If one was to analyze the reasons for the high prevalence rate for HIV, it could be said that poverty was one of the main causes of the rapid spread of the disease. PDA Chiang Rai has been involved in educating the population or Chiang Rai about HIV/AIDS. Its main focus of attention is how HIV's transfer can be prevented or avoided.

Link: http://www.pda.or.th/chiangrai/aids.htm

[kerryk]

no doubt the flourishing sex industry plays an important role in coming up the number. a sector that is so essential to the thai economy and yet quite so detrimental and destructive.

The sex industry is larger than the rice export industry says a thread running in the news forum currently.  "Thailand's sex workers don't want to be rescued."

What does it say about a country that it gives so many of its young women only these two choices in life (a Hobson's choice).

The survey is not about Thai women but about immigrant women who come to Thailand to sell sex. So it does not mention choices Thai women have for employment. However most Thai women I know are not employed in the sex industry and are quite happy and well paid. So from my point of view there are a lot of other choices in Thailand for employment outside of the sex business.

[kerryk]

The province with the highest rate of AIDS is Chiang Rai, which would surprise most people. For the number of 1 million Thais with AIDS, I would really like to see a breakdown between men and women. I think the ratio would be shocking. There is also a false assumption that if a woman has AIDS, or the the man, that the ratio of risk of transmission is 50/50. That is simply not true. The woman is at far higher risk of getting AIDS from an infected man, than vice versa...

Wrong.  The province of Rayong has the highest rates.

   I remember when an article about Chiang Rai about one of the highest AIDS rates came out. It just seemed counter intuitive, as the immediate assumption would be that an area like Pattaya would have the highest rates. The conclusion was that in that area, Thai men, principally truckers were having lots of unprotected sex at road side knock shops , and then giving AIDS to their wives... Also odd because you will rarely meet a Chiang Rai girl working in the farang based sex trade. There are a few working in Chiang Mai, but they are seldom seen working in the Bangkok / Pattaya sex trade areas. However I suspect in the Thai sex trade ( which of course is 90% of what goes on) , they are desirable to Thai men due to their white skin. So that may be another factor for the high rate there, lots of bareback riding by Thai men.

   As far as Rayong taking over the province for the highest AIDS rate , that is a new one on me. Sailors from Sattahip going crazy while on leave ???  :-)

IntroductionHIV/AIDS has been quite a serious problem in Northern Thailand. At one point, Chiang Rai had one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country. If one was to analyze the reasons for the high prevalence rate for HIV, it could be said that poverty was one of the main causes of the rapid spread of the disease. PDA Chiang Rai has been involved in educating the population or Chiang Rai about HIV/AIDS. Its main focus of attention is how HIV's transfer can be prevented or avoided.

Link:  http://www.pda.or.th...angrai/aids.htm

I think you will find if you look at the dates on information about Northern Thailand being the leader in AIDS that they are older studies and have to do with drug use. Rayong is big now because of international shipping and so many single men living and working in the area.

[simple1]

Following may be on interest. About eight years ago there was a report that 8% of Thai army conscripts from the northern provinces were HIV positive. However the following talks to a lower rate of 2.4% in 1998.

Epidemic HIV-1 infections were first recognized in Thailand in 1988 but increased dramatically in the 1990s primarily as a result of sexual transmission. The Ministry of Public Health instituted programs, including condom promotion during commercial sex, and health education to prevent HIV transmission. We assessed the HIV infection prevalence and risk behaviors among eight cohorts of 21-year-old randomly selected male military conscripts in northern Thailand between 1991 and 1998 to evaluate temporal trends in HIV infection and risk behavior. The prevalence of HIV was 11.4% to 11.9% in 1991 through 1993 and progressively fell to 2.4% in 1998. The men reported progressive decreases in commercial sex from 80% in 1991 to 38% in 1998, increases in condom use for commercial sex to greater than 95% in 1998, and decreases in lifetime history of a sexually transmitted infection from 42% in 1991 to 4.4% in 1997. There was an increasing proportion of men who reported a history of injecting illicit drugs, however, which involved 1.0% of the men in 1991 but 4.2% in 1997. The population attributable risk of drug use for HIV infection increased in recent years; the proportion of HIV-positive men with a history of drug use increased from 1.0% in 1991 to 25.8% in 1998. The public health program to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in Thailand continues to be highly successful. Nevertheless, injection drug use has emerged as an important risk behavior and is maintaining endemic HIV transmission in Thailand

You've included no reference.

What is "a reference?" It can be a link (minimally), or it can be the title, author, date, and/or mechanism to find the source being cited. An ISBN number, for example. A reference is that thing through which the reader can verify the information posted, and be sure that the writer hasn't simply pulled words from his/her anal orifice (whether the one being cited is doing so is subject to further verification). Without a reference, all one has are unsubstantiated rumors, no matter how well written (or not).

Nothing personal. So many posts in this thread include no references. As such, they constitute nothing more than hearsay and should be ignored.

Completely agree. Threads like this just bring the Pattaya and gay bashers out by the score.

Not sure of the connection between the Royal Thai Army conscript rate of HIV infection and Pataya/Gay bashing. However here's the URL for your reference http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8527079

[canuckamuck]

Holding oneself to a few moral guidlelines does wonders to basically eliminating the threat of HIV.

Especially if you are married to someone with similar conviction.

[Sense2012]

Most people reading this article know of somebody who is virally enhanced ,( including me) HIV has been around for so long now and education on HIV and how to prevent iris different from country to country. Thailand lacks behind on this and there is allot to improve ,, a million of the population is allot , using the media for awareness is a great tool HIV affects everybody!

The first person is already cured ,, we have never been so close to a cure and scientists and doctors never felt so close, read more

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/health/new-hope-of-a-cure-for-hiv.html?pagewanted=all

The biggest problem with the virus now is the stigma that surrounds it. So manny people know so little about the virus and prevention. Thailand must start a campaign to fight the stigma on HIV infected people .