Thailand In Crisis: At Least One Person Becomes H I V-Positive Every Hour

[webfact]

HIV

'Country in crIsIs'

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA,

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Half a million have Aids virus but numbers adding up every hour; campaigns hamstrung by government indifference

BANGKOK: -- In Thailand, at least one person becomes HIV-positive every hour, joining a million others who have been infected with the Aids virus in the country over the past two decades.

Despite the national campaign launched more than 20 years ago, HIV infections have been growing steadily. The Public Health Ministry estimates that more than a million people have been infected over the past two decades, and only about 464,414 of them are still alive. The key reasons for this increase are that many people still indulge in unsafe sex and not many undergo tests.

In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007. According to Public Health Ministry data, about 62 per cent of those infected with the HIV virus are men who have sex with men, sex workers and drug users. It is estimated that about 80 per cent of new cases are caused by unprotected sex and about 300,000 people have the tendency to be carriers of the virus.

"They never think that they will be at risk if they don't use condoms," said Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, director-general of the Disease Control Department.

In addition to these alarming facts, Thais have been starting to have sex at a very young age. A recent survey on teenage sexual behaviour found that about 20 per cent of girls lose their virginity at the age of 12, while 40 per cent become sexually active at 16.

"This shows that teenagers are at high risk," Pornthep said, adding that eight out of 10 teenagers admit to not using condoms. "This is a reality that we have to accept. Our girls are no longer young virgins. In fact, many get married when they are merely 13."

The Aids Access Foundation reported that between July and September this year, 3,000 of the 4,000 people who called its hotline asked if they were at risk of contracting HIV after having unprotected sex. "They still don't know that they can get infected through a single sexual experience," Nimitr Tian-udom, a representative of the foundation, lamented.

However, improvement is evident among sex workers. Janta-vibha Abhisuk of Empower Foundation, which is working to promote HIV-prevention among sex workers, said the number of infections has reduced. "They now know how to refuse customers if they do not use a condom," she said.

A former bar girl, who wanted to be referred to as Rung, said she had been taught to use condoms every time and had learned to say no to sex outside her workplace.

In 2010, up to 90 per cent of Thai sex workers were found using condoms.

In another effort to win the battle, the government launched a five-year campaign last year named, "Zero new HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination, Zero Aids-related

Deaths", as part of a move to cut by half the number of HIV infections caused by unsafe sex by half.

As for tackling infections among teenagers, Pornthep said he would launch a campaign urging young girls to carry at least two condoms in their bag so they are always prepared. "They should carry condoms like they would carry toothpicks or their mobile phone," he said.

However, he admitted that taking the campaign to secondary schools would be tough because many parents and teachers think it is inappropriate or embarrassing for young girls to carry condoms.

"Some schools have even stopped us from holding activities to raise awareness among students. They won't even allow us to install a condom-vending machine out of embarrassment," he said.

Despite major government efforts, like distributing more than 60 million condoms, the number of new infections has dropped very negligibly. Nimitr blames this on the government's lack of interest in the subject and inadequate allocation of cash for HIV-prevention. Even simple public messages on safe sex lose their power because the government only allows them to be broadcast after 10pm.

Perhaps, the only day this issue comes to people's attention is on December 1 - World Aids Day.

"Our country is in a crisis," Nimitr warned.

In order to be more effective in cutting down the number of new HIV infections, he is calling on the government to start providing rapid HIV blood tests for people in the high-risk group. Currently, it takes at least three days to get blood-test results and many people don't bother returning to hear the results "The earlier people find out about the infection, the earlier they can start being treated," he said.

- This is the first in a three-part series to mark World Aids Day on December 1.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 29

[DocN]

Sexual education, anyone?

[Katipo]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

[chooka]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

one every hour is 8765 per year. Maybe they mean one every day, 533 this year is around 1.4 per day.

[davejones]

If you consider how many men are having sex with prostitutes every hour, how many druggies are shooting up every hour, etc, then just one new infection is extremely low. Of course, even one more is too much, but more people die from smoking, drink and eating junk food. Of course you should protect yourselves from HIV, but let's not blow this out of proportion. At 1 per hour it would take almost 100 years before 1% of the population became infected. And most would die in that time, so it would never get to 1%. Just look at the graph. HIV infection is at an all-time low. No time to get complacent, but this is just scaremongering. The graph would be better used to show how we are winning the battle against HIV.

[trainman34014]

'They wont even allow us to install a condom vending machine out of embarrassment '. Says it all really; Face, Mai pen rai, heads stuck firmly and deeply in the sand, worry about it after it's happened etc, etc, etc.

[chooka]

'They wont even allow us to install a condom vending machine out of embarrassment '. Says it all really; Face, Mai pen rai, heads stuck firmly and deeply in the sand, worry about it after it's happened etc, etc, etc.

Really no condom vending machines, geez stand at the front counter of any 7 eleven and what do you see? Condoms in easy reach and view of children. Seems a little weird if they can do this but have vending machines in places like bars and toilets is wrong, oh well thai logic I guess.

[Thai at Heart]

44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007

What the hell kind of statistic is that? This surely has to be "has been". 44% percent of the population is currently infected with an STD of some sort? This cannot be correct. 44 per hundred thousand?

[Xonax]

At least no men gets infected by their wives (unlike the other way round). It also seems like premarital sex is safer than after marriage.

[DP25]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

one every hour is 8765 per year. Maybe they mean one every day, 533 this year is around 1.4 per day.

The 1 every hour is about correct. If you add up the numbers on that line below it is 9,473. That is approximately right from previous years articles about new HIV infections. Last year was a bit over 10,000 new infections if I remember right, and it has been decreasing every year, so that is probably correct.

It is important to point out, that the number of new HIV infections in the early 90s was over 150,000 per year. The new HIV infection rate has been slashed to only a tiny fraction of what it was in the 90s. The current new infection rate is approximately the same as in the United States. The sex prevention and education program in Thailand was very successful, back in the 90s Thailand was on track to become like Southern Africa and would have had a 30% infection rate like those countries do.

[DP25]

'They wont even allow us to install a condom vending machine out of embarrassment '. Says it all really; Face, Mai pen rai, heads stuck firmly and deeply in the sand, worry about it after it's happened etc, etc, etc.

Really no condom vending machines, geez stand at the front counter of any 7 eleven and what do you see? Condoms in easy reach and view of children. Seems a little weird if they can do this but have vending machines in places like bars and toilets is wrong, oh well thai logic I guess.

She talking about condom vending machines specifically in schools.

You see condom vending machines in bars and public toilets all over the country.

[spermwhale]

44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007

What the hell kind of statistic is that? This surely has to be "has been". 44% percent of the population is currently infected with an STD of some sort? This cannot be correct. 44 per hundred thousand?

The Nation always flubs numbers and percentages. Both their sub editors and reporters are too lazy to whip out a calculator to figure out that something's amiss.

And the answer that nobody wants to talk about is sexual education in the schools.

Edited November 29, 2012 by spermwhale

[chooka]

Makes you wonder what percentage of sex tourists take home a little extra after spending time with bargirls. One very good reason I won't be seen dead in the same room as a bargirl so to speak. I value my quality of life far to much.

[ronthai]

"Currently, it takes at least three days to get blood-test results and many people don't bother returning to hear the results"

Sounds odd, but TIT.

Anyway I take tests every 3-4 months and always have safe sex. I get the result in about 5 minutes and costs 500 baht.

Of course this is a basic test, which can be done at any clinic. If it shows positive, then a blood test is done for conformation.

[Riggi]

] Half a million have Aids virus but numbers adding up every hour; campaigns hamstrung by government indifference

BANGKOK: -- In Thailand, at least one person becomes HIV-positive every hour, joining a million others who have been infected with the Aids virus in the country over the past two decades. [/b]

So, is it half a million, or a million people, that have Aids?

44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases

Why not just say 44% of the population?

This relates to all STDs though, which suggests that the one million people with Aids make up a very small percentage of people with STDs overall.

[catweazle]

Sounds just like another of those hastily typed down horror news newspapers try to reel in readers with... A good idea here for everyone participating in the discussion is to think outside the box and check what AIDS really is and how it was "designed"... People not die of aids, but because of a tempered with test that is more or less "strict" in counting particular cells in the blood mix but does absolutely NOT detect any virus as there is none. Third world and also many southeast asian countries have the tests with the lowest treshold - kicking in very early. If the text says "positive", then the doctors subscribe medicine that not prolongs life of the patient for up to ten years as they say, but actually kills them by slowly suffocating the metabolism and destroying vital organs. In the past these "nice" doctors subscribed AZT to the poor victims of the AIDS scam - AZT is a trash medication - a waste of the cancer research. It was abandoned because it kills the patient within 10 years. Open you eyes people and please please read and research in the internet about AIDS!!!

I don't want you to believe me, but do your own research on this issue. There are doctors who were in the AIDS research and who dropped it and went public to expose this construct of lies that by now killed millions using medicine that had no other use but destroying and ultimately killing the host. As I said - do your own research and hopefully wake up!

Just as food for thoughts: I know Thailand's dive scene for over 20 years now. The dive masters and instructors to 90% are all messing around in bars and other "etablissements" almost on a daily basis, often drunk and not really keen on using condoms and all. None of them I know died of AIDS, but 5 of them died in fatal road accidents and one lost his leg.

Didn't you wonder why it was so quiet for a long time about AIDS? Didn't you wonder why all of the AIDS positive people who refused medication and changed their life style to non-smoking, no drugs, no alcohol and sports were ALL negative 3 months later and survived the "deadly" disease?

I know that my email will most likely kick off an avalanche of mails flaming me for writing all this. As I said - I don't insist that what I am writing is correct and I of course urge everyone to use condoms - but I want you to stop just dreaming and sucking in everything the streamlined media says and do your own research. It is important!!!! If AIDS were what they said it was, we all would be dead by now! Wake up!!!!!

This article is just another campaign to slow Thailand down and give it a bad name. Whoever profits from this has done another great job on keeping Thailand down. Every single incident that would not be worth being mentioned in the news abroad is blown up beyond proportion if it happens in Thailand. Some of you wonder why? No? Then keep sleeping...

Edited November 29, 2012 by catweazle

[techboy]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

Welcome to the world of statistics. Just remember to "wrap that rascal" ol boy.

[sirchai]

"In addition to these alarming facts, Thais have been starting to have sex at a very young age. A recent survey on teenage sexual behaviour found that about 20 per cent of girls lose their virginity at the age of 12, while 40 per cent become sexually active at 16."

How can they come up with such numbers? I pretty much doubt that every fifth girl at my school in P.6 have lost their virginity. Why don't they have sexual education instead of boy scout activities that nobody wants?.

Teachers would loose face talking about something they don't really know. I've seen four girls in my wife's village, who died of Aids. One mother refused to wash her daughter, thinking she could get infected.

​Another girl was brought all the way from Bangkok, to die discretely in an Isaan village. Took a lot of talking to make some of them understand what Aids really is.

Another hub of not telling youngsters what could happen if........

[rolandvanhelven]

catweazle got it right ! i was positive twice, once after a flu and once after an infection. refused AZT therapy. alive and kicking - negative !

[Time Traveller]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

It means in 2011 44% of thais have stds. In 2007 it was 29%

[lounger]

At least no men gets infected by their wives (unlike the other way round). It also seems like premarital sex is safer than after marriage.

We dont know how they do their stats. Do the authorities ask for data and check it out? If a married guy has HIV do they check his wife? Do they track the bug back up the line, I bet they dont in which case isource of infection data is down to propaganda.

If we play the stats right then being a sex worker is safest but not for the man ????????????????

does this mean tourists dont give sex workers HIV but are more likely to catch it. sadly that is what you would expect!!!!!!!!!!

[catweazle]

catweazle got it right ! i was positive twice, once after a flu and once after an infection. refused AZT therapy. alive and kicking - negative !

WOW!!! Life proof - thank you so much. I had so many endless discussions about this and know that I for A) should be dead myself by now and B ) "hell yeah!" would absolutely positively reject any medication offered by those <Snip> white coats and simply do more sports and drop alcohol and fast food. Hopefully the full extend of the AIDS scam is exposed on a worldwide basis soon. Btw. I also don't know any of the hookers I ever have known dying of AIDS, but dying other ways like getting electricuted in the shower, run over by a truck, bike accident, one got shot, etc. but none died of AIDS. One girlfriend of a girl I knew was said to be dying of aids some 12 years ago. When I asked for the medication, it was AZT. She died of a lung infection, because the AZT <snip> up her metabolism and her immune system, not AIDS!

Music recommendation: White Coats - from New Model Army - let the lyrics open your eyes!

Edited November 29, 2012 by metisdead

[simple1]

Perhaps a more relevant testing program for Thais is for army conscripts who are tested for HIV. In the early 1990s the number was about 8% of Thai army conscripts from the North of Thailand who tested positive, those from other areas was about 3%. I cannot locate recent figures, but another report states that condom usage within the younger army personnel increased to 80% in 2001 due to education programs. Refer reports at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8527079 and

http://ipsnews2.wpengine.com/2004/07/health-thailand-combating-aids-the-military-way/

[Whidbeyboy]

Was a medic with spec ops from Okinawa and was assigned to do survey/research on the epidemic there. It was bad back then (1987) I thought and considered epidemic compared to other countries. The statistics that have are just statistics and not useful to me, and a little bizarre in thier catagories since they may overlap and are vague.

You can say what you want, but when you see it up close and personal it becomes something much more. During my time there most was from drug use in prisons, but with the amount of boy on boy going on it's a wonder it hasn't wiped out the katoys and thier ilk as it has done in many US cities in the past.

I also would think intuitively that AIDS is declining as it is everywhere else due to education and protection, but maybe not.

[techboy]

If you consider how many men are having sex with prostitutes every hour, how many druggies are shooting up every hour, etc, then just one new infection is extremely low. Of course, even one more is too much, but more people die from smoking, drink and eating junk food. Of course you should protect yourselves from HIV, but let's not blow this out of proportion. At 1 per hour it would take almost 100 years before 1% of the population became infected. And most would die in that time, so it would never get to 1%. Just look at the graph. HIV infection is at an all-time low. No time to get complacent, but this is just scaremongering. The graph would be better used to show how we are winning the battle against HIV.

A lot of personal speculation on your part. Also your grasp of the statistics is absurd. An increasing rate of one percent implies the potential for exponential growth and you also do not know that most would die in that time unless your assume that medications that prolong longevity have come to a halt in its effectiveness. I think that your all time low statistic must have been worked up with some very carefully hand picked data. Smoking, drink and eating junk food are highly subjective and much more difficult to verify than a fatal disease with no cure. Especially junk food. Yesterday's junk food is frequently today's health food depending on successful marketing and new research. To call this article scaremongering is extraordinarily irresponsible. Over the years I have noted time and again that people in high risk groups tend to do this.

[Whidbeyboy]

The above makes no sense. One every hour but only 533 new cases so far this year?

"In 2011, studies showed that 44 per cent of every 100,000 Thais were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, compared to 29 per cent in 2007" What the heck is this supposed to mean?

It means in 2011 44% of thais have stds. In 2007 it was 29%

Half of thais have STDs, I really doubt that unless every adult does. Even ten percent would be absurd. Need to crunch those numbers again.

[TechnikaIII]

Wasn't it recently stated that 70% of all deaths in Thailand are due to chronic diseases?

Perhaps someone's got his buggers and burgers mixed up. It's all in the pronunciation, you know.

On all accounts, the safest thing to do with either a burger, or a bugger, is to stretch a condom over it and only pretend to eat it, ... if you must

Edited November 29, 2012 by TechnikaIII

[DiamondKing]

Makes you wonder what percentage of sex tourists take home a little extra after spending time with bargirls. One very good reason I won't be seen dead in the same room as a bargirl so to speak. I value my quality of life far to much.

If you read the report the Majority of infections are from the gays and they are at the highest risk because of there lifestyle next comes those guys that like Ladyboys since they are still having anal sex with men and then comes the druggies and sharing of needles and then comes the sex workers but the reality is its still a predominatly spread by gays and druggies who share needles

DK

Edited November 29, 2012 by DiamondKing

[Dr Robert]

Perhaps the only thing more concerning than the trash journalism and statistics misuse of the appended article, is the sheer ignorance of several respondents in this forum. It is the dangerous lack of basic understanding of HIV which is truly alarming.

[johnlandy]

'They wont even allow us to install a condom vending machine out of embarrassment '. Says it all really; Face, Mai pen rai, heads stuck firmly and deeply in the sand, worry about it after it's happened etc, etc, etc.

"not wanting to face realty" well that is a fact of life in Thailand