' Mr Condom' Spearheads Fight Against Thailand's New A I D S Crisis

[webfact]

'Mr Condom' spearheads fight against Thailand's new AIDS crisis

Unsafe sex is being blamed for the alarming rise in HIV infections among young people, writes Lindsay Murdoch in Bangkok.

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's ''Mr Condom'', Mechai Viravaidya, who has saved millions of lives by raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, says his country is facing a new crisis from the infection.

"I innocently thought I had done the job … but the government has fallen asleep at the wheel. There is a total indifference to a war we have to fight," says the Australian-educated former politician whose 20-year campaign popularised condoms and led to a revolution in family planning and AIDS awareness in many developing countries.

"With a new campaign we can prevent a lot of early deaths," he says at his Birds and Bees Resort on a secluded beach near Pattaya, where restaurant diners are given free condoms.

Three hours' drive away in central Thailand, the celebrated monk Alongkot Dikkapanyo, who has seen 30,000 AIDS victims die at his hillside temple, warns that a new wave of mainly young Thais face infection. ''A big problem facing our country now is that young boys and young girls - 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 - are having sex and not protecting themselves,'' says Alongkot, who was also educated in Australia.

At least one person becomes HIV-positive every hour in Thailand, joining more than a million Thais who have been infected since the first case was reported here in 1984.

The United Nations says Mechai's campaign caused a decline of 90 per cent in new HIV infections over 12 years from 1991, which the World Bank estimates saved 7.7 million lives. [more…]

Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/world/mr-condom-spearheads-fight-against-thailands-new-aids-crisis-20121220-2bpc4.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2012-12-21

[theajarn]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

Edited December 21, 2012 by theajarn

[BrianCR]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

What are you proposing to do, offer them condoms?

[chainarong]

"Mr Condom" has been to the foreskin in the fight against aids for decades, long before the Government decided to make any moves, , although there are a couple of eminent Thai gentlemen who are leaders in this field, Mr C should be congratulated for the good work he is doing in the community.

[ratcatcher]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

What are you proposing to do, offer them condoms?

Maybe offer lessons?

[Arkady]

"Mr Condom" has been to the foreskin in the fight against aids for decades, long before the Government decided to make any moves, , although there are a couple of eminent Thai gentlemen who are leaders in this field, Mr C should be congratulated for the good work he is doing in the community.

It is true. In the late 80s and 90s when Meechai switched his focus from birth control to disease prevention he was pillaried by politicians and businessmen who wanted to keep quiet about Thailand's AIDS epidemic to avoid putting off tourists. Plus ça change.

[TechnikaIII]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

Re your "One can only wonder where they're going." No. "you" can only wonder etc etc ... You are a teacher? Stick to your timetable and mind your own business,... really.

[Artisi]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

What are you proposing to do, offer them condoms?

It would be a start in the right direction - better than doing SFA.

[Artisi]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

Re your "One can only wonder where they're going." No. "you" can only wonder etc etc ... You are a teacher? Stick to your timetable and mind your own business,... really.

Doesn't seem like you minding yours.

However more to the point, would you say mind your own business if one of the kids was threating to kill another student - more than likely from the tone of your previous response.

[Artisi]

Interestingly, I was only asking the SO the other day what ever happened to Mr Condom, pleased to see he is still around and active.

[cup-O-coffee]

Well, I am going to sit back and let them one day soon proclaim that every man woman and child in Thailand is infected with HIV/AIDS.

At the rate that they are heightening awareness by deceiving statistics, they will eventually put their backs in a corner when this contagious disease doesn't measure up to the exponential outcome that their current statistics imply, and therefore must happen.

Or maybe they will cover up their lies, and one day say that the numbers are down because of someone or something doing some amazing thing and it really isn't as bad as they thought.

I wonder which will happen first; everyone will die from the climate being too warm, or from HIV/AIDS.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

'Mr Condom'', Mechai Viravaidya has many programs to help the community at the expense of his workers. He funds schools and self help programs all over but requires his employees to work up to 20 hours a day 29 or 30 days a week. When workers complain he fires them and exploits others

I suggest start your work closer to home. Take care of your family, and workers who help you help others. When your own house is in order, Pick a single program, such as AIDS awareness and do it well instead of trying to be all things to all people

The very high turnover and low moral of your workers says more than your actions

[Toscano]

Theajarn ,

As my Thai wife says , " Thai people do what they like " , whether it's making a deafening noise that affects the whole neighbourhood , lighting a bonfire that fills your home with acrid smoke , or truant adolescents/teenagers slinking off to have illicit sex . One simply has to mind one's own business . I live in Isaan , traditionally the poorest region of Thailand . I watch people preparing food and cooking , ingredients that I would discard , scarcely cooked , or finely chopped beef mixed with offal , chillis and shit . I say to my wife , her family and friends , " It is what you eat that kills you ".

I am not really joking , many people in this region die young from liver disease , or liver fluke from small fish caught in the paddyfields .

Ratcatcher says

" Maybe Offer Lessons " I am guessing a joke , as many teaches do , offer lessons in sex . Thais are happy to spend BT300 for sex with a schoolgirl or recharge her cellphone .

Thai governments can pretend all they like that Thailand isn't sex orientated , it is , or money driven ; young girls and women will do anything for money .

It is a tragedy that so many young girls , and boys , risk catching HIV , through naivety , ignorance or weakness of will to use a condom for protected sex .

[Whidbeyboy]

'Mr Condom'', Mechai Viravaidya has many programs to help the community at the expense of his workers. He funds schools and self help programs all over but requires his employees to work up to 20 hours a day 29 or 30 days a week. When workers complain he fires them and exploits others

I suggest start your work closer to home. Take care of your family, and workers who help you help others. When your own house is in order, Pick a single program, such as AIDS awareness and do it well instead of trying to be all things to all people

The very high turnover and low moral of your workers says more than your actions

I am thinking you meant 29-30 days a month, but have a hardtime believing anyone can sleep on 2-3 hours a day for that long. I went to ranger school and I have seen sleep deprivation, and within a short time they would be walking into the ocean thinking it was tub time. or talking to a lamp post asking for directions.

[RPCVguy]

I've been a fan of Mr. Mechai for the few years I've known of him. The teachers and parents in our rural community think well of him, and he has greatly helped Thailand avoid population and disease issues that are now rearing again as his lessons and approach has faded from consciousness.

In case others here are unfamiliar with him, here is a 7:30 minute video that introduces him and his humor that allowed him to win over so many people.

[sirchai]

"'Mr Condom' spearheads fight against Thailand's old AIDS crisis."

"With a new campaign we can prevent a lot of early deaths," he says at his Birds and Bees Resort on a secluded beach near Pattaya, where restaurant diners are given free condoms.

How many "birds" are flying for him?--.

[hellodolly]

On my way to school I'm starting to see more and more pairs of student "couples" from the school's normal program heading in the opposite direction of the school -- when they should be on their way TO school. One can only wonder where they're going.

The school doesn't "educate" us farangs in dealing with this. So what am I to do? Is it my business to butt in and ask (without knowing how to speak Thai anyways)??

Thai teachers, I'm pretty sure, ARE debriefed about this... But they do f--all when they encounter these situations, even though they are in a better position to respond.

I could be saving lives too. Or just putting my nose in things.

What are you proposing to do, offer them condoms?

Maybe offer lessons?

Have you a school in mind that the average Thai can afford?

[hellodolly]

Well, I am going to sit back and let them one day soon proclaim that every man woman and child in Thailand is infected with HIV/AIDS.

At the rate that they are heightening awareness by deceiving statistics, they will eventually put their backs in a corner when this contagious disease doesn't measure up to the exponential outcome that their current statistics imply, and therefore must happen.

Or maybe they will cover up their lies, and one day say that the numbers are down because of someone or something doing some amazing thing and it really isn't as bad as they thought.

I wonder which will happen first; everyone will die from the climate being too warm, or from HIV/AIDS.

You are over looking continues progress in the treating of AIDS.

Defiantly better to use a condom but no longer the fatal bullet it was. People living for years with it now. The future will continue to improve the treatment and maybe some day the cure.

[chainarong]

"Mr Condom" has been to the foreskin in the fight against aids for decades, long before the Government decided to make any moves, , although there are a couple of eminent Thai gentlemen who are leaders in this field, Mr C should be congratulated for the good work he is doing in the community.

It is true. In the late 80s and 90s when Meechai switched his focus from birth control to disease prevention he was pillaried by politicians and businessmen who wanted to keep quiet about Thailand's AIDS epidemic to avoid putting off tourists. Plus ça change.

I liked that story , when he named he's restaurant in Thai , in English it came out Cabbages and Condoms and so the rest is history, lucky man

[mistitikimikis]

I remember very well a Thai woman interviewed a year or so ago at the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 7 by a reporter of the Bangkok Post.

She tried to get a decent job, got invited to have an interview as a civil servant or so, and after a medical test she was rejected because of she was HIV-positive.

She continued or started this "job" and a part of the interview was very clear: "when a "customer" don't want to use a condome, OK, "up to him"......................

The interview was published full page in the Bangkok Post complete with a, more or less, unrecognizable photo................

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

Condoms are part of the solution, but there's always going to be situations when a condom is not going to be used for whatever reasons (haven't got one, drunk, long-term relationship, etc.).

In recent years, cheap and simple do-it-yourself field test kits have become available, but have been held back by the medical fraternity in Western countries as they fuss over how people would deal with finding out they are positive.

This may be slowly changing but it is time these test kits get mass produced in developing countries (not imported expensively from the West), and get distributed everywhere. With a culture created that makes testing before a shag the normal thing to do that everyone does.

In the end, condoms are a compromise. Having cheap and ubiquitous test kits available everywhere where condoms are sold is the way to go in the long term, I say. Some links:

http://engineering.columbia.edu/prof-sia-develops-innovative-lab-chip

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/06/health/another-use-for-home-hiv-test-screening-partners.html?pagewanted=all

[jerrysteve]

IN the HEAT of that moment as we all know almost always takes priority in getting your wick wet. That is the reality o f the situation, condoms are almost always discarded whether you have them or not, especially in those hungry teen years when all those hormones in both sexes are raging out of control.

Thank back in your teenage years all the precautions about getting the clap, syphils, gonorrhea...that was long before the genital warts area which came out of Vietnam etc and all the other nasty infections called V.D.

And those were the days when Condoms were behind the Pharmacy County, bu wt not it is true we do live in far move dangerous world concerning HIV etc, and even though in that heat of the moment, teenagers being teenagers throw caution to the wind.

Edited December 21, 2012 by jerrysteve

[MILT]

Controversy

Assignment of responsibility for the discovery of HIV has been controversial and was a subplot in the 1993 American television film docudrama (and earlier book about the early history of AIDS) And the Band Played On.

Montagnier's group, in France isolated HIV, almost one and a half years before Gallo,^[19] while Gallo's group demonstrated that the virus causes AIDS and generated much of the science that made the discovery possible, including a technique previously developed by Gallo's lab for growing T cells in the laboratory.^[3] When Montagnier's group first published their discovery, they said HIV's role in causing AIDS "remains to be determined."^[17]

Investigative journalist John Crewdson^[20] suggested that Gallo's lab may have misappropriated a sample of HIV isolated at the Pasteur Institute by Montagnier's group.^[21] Investigations by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the HHS ultimately cleared Gallo's group of any wrongdoing.^[17] As part of these investigations, the United States Office of Research Integrity at the National Institutes of Health commissioned Hoffmann–La Roche scientists to analyze archival samples established at the Pasteur Institute and the Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology (LTCB) of the National Cancer Institute between 1983 and 1985. The conclusion was that virus used in Gallo's lab had come from Montagnier's lab, a patient virus that had contaminated a virus from another patient. On request, Montagnier's group had sent a sample of this culture to Gallo, not knowing it contained two viruses. It then contaminated the pooled culture on which Gallo was working.^[22]

Because of the discovery uncertainties, the French and US governments disputed a patent for an HIV test that had been filed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).^[11] In 1987, the two governments agreed to split equally the proceeds from the patent,^[11] naming Montagnier and Gallo co-discoverers.^[17][23] Montagnier and Gallo resumed collaborating with each other again for a chronology that appeared in Nature in 1987.^[17]

In the November 29, 2002 issue of Science, Gallo and Montagnier published a series of articles, one of which was co-written by both scientists, in which they acknowledged the pivotal roles that each had played in the discovery of HIV.^[24][25][26]

In awarding the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2008, the Nobel Committee decided not to grant Gallo the award. The rules limit the number of winners to three people, and the Committee chose to split the award to include both the discovery of HIV and the discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer. The award was given to Montagnier (HIV), Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (HIV), and Harald zur Hausen (papilloma virus). Montagnier expressed his surprise that Gallo was passed over by the Nobel Committee.^[17]

[NCFC]

Condoms are part of the solution, but there's always going to be situations when a condom is not going to be used for whatever reasons (haven't got one, drunk, long-term relationship, etc.).

In recent years, cheap and simple do-it-yourself field test kits have become available, but have been held back by the medical fraternity in Western countries as they fuss over how people would deal with finding out they are positive.

This may be slowly changing but it is time these test kits get mass produced in developing countries (not imported expensively from the West), and get distributed everywhere. With a culture created that makes testing before a shag the normal thing to do that everyone does.

In the end, condoms are a compromise. Having cheap and ubiquitous test kits available everywhere where condoms are sold is the way to go in the long term, I say. Some links:

http://engineering.c...vative-lab-chip

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

The problem is that test kits may well tell you that you have HIV but do nothing to prevent you from catching the disease in the first place, so not really a solution to the problem

[Dazzletoad]

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's ''Mr Condom'', Mechai Viravaidya, who has saved millions of lives by raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, says his country is facing a new crisis from the infection.

I find that offensive.

All he has done is helped raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases. If anyone has used a condom and prevented 'possible' infection, then these sensible individuals have used their own awareness, common sense, and advice from this chap to 'possibly' save their own lives, or at least their own sexual health from compromise from diseased partners.

So, all in all this clown hasn't 'saved' lives.

I hate it when the media twists or sort of blows up words and manages to sly in unproven comments like these to treat the reader like a bloody idiot. I like what he is doing, he is serving the public through a duty of dignified, moral and ethical cleanness, but saving lives? Really?

Give over.

[cup-O-coffee]

Well, I am going to sit back and let them one day soon proclaim that every man woman and child in Thailand is infected with HIV/AIDS.

At the rate that they are heightening awareness by deceiving statistics, they will eventually put their backs in a corner when this contagious disease doesn't measure up to the exponential outcome that their current statistics imply, and therefore must happen.

Or maybe they will cover up their lies, and one day say that the numbers are down because of someone or something doing some amazing thing and it really isn't as bad as they thought.

I wonder which will happen first; everyone will die from the climate being too warm, or from HIV/AIDS.

You are over looking continues progress(???) in the treating of AIDS.

Defiantly better(???) to use a condom but no longer the fatal bullet it was. People living for years with it now. The future will continue to improve the treatment and maybe some day the cure.

Isn't it odd that animals, insects and reptiles engage in the sex under the most filthy of conditions and nothing has hit their species in the history of man's memory?

Thanks for the thoughts, but I simply do not buy in to the concept that this is brought on by natural causes, strictly limited to the human species. I could give you the same long list of scientists who disagree with your scientists, yet never seem to get the chance to publicly substantiate their findings, and instead get censored or stigmatized. Oh well, go on ahead and stay involved in something.

It's easy to be a terrorist and push your agenda when you ignore the truth or a truth, or fail to give credence to any inroads to the truth or a truth and forbid others from discussing these truths with the same commitment and dedication used to discuss the doctored half-truths and lies.

And don't forget one thing. This article is based upon what Thais are saying. I know how that adds up. Thank you for your thoughts though. I understand them but simply do not agree.

[Dazzletoad]

I would like to add to the above, though I am unaware of the persons position, in backing at least the claim that this viral infection isn't limited to humans.

There is evidence enough backing up the original HIV, known as SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) that originates in wild chimpanzees, and was thought, through a bite or other means of attack, to have transmitted to, and mutated to infect human beings.

Lest we forget that children born of HIV infected parentage would have a high rate of transmission between mother and child. For the infected children that is a lifetime of infection that could, can, would, or will be passed on to another, through premeditated or accidental means (such as rape or condom splitting etc).

Edited December 22, 2012 by Dazzletoad

[Ripple]

I wonder who created the title of this article..."Mr. Condom 'Spearheads' fight against Thailand's new AID crisis?" Was that to be a pun? Is Thailand now the hub of "spearheading?"

[jingjoke]

Re 'theajarn' I could be saving lives too.

Possibly convince the Headmaster to invite Mechai to speak collectively to the students of your school and those within the district at a city sportsfield.

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

Condoms are part of the solution, but there's always going to be situations when a condom is not going to be used for whatever reasons (haven't got one, drunk, long-term relationship, etc.).

In recent years, cheap and simple do-it-yourself field test kits have become available, but have been held back by the medical fraternity in Western countries as they fuss over how people would deal with finding out they are positive.

This may be slowly changing but it is time these test kits get mass produced in developing countries (not imported expensively from the West), and get distributed everywhere. With a culture created that makes testing before a shag the normal thing to do that everyone does.

In the end, condoms are a compromise. Having cheap and ubiquitous test kits available everywhere where condoms are sold is the way to go in the long term, I say. Some links:

http://engineering.c...vative-lab-chip

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

The problem is that test kits may well tell you that you have HIV but do nothing to prevent you from catching the disease in the first place, so not really a solution to the problem

Yes true that applies to using the test to tell yourself whether or not you have it.

However if tests were used routinely by both partners prior to a session (which would be feasible if the tests were cheap and available everywhere like condoms are today) it would stop the immediate risk there and then (preventing non-infected people from catching the disease), and give the option of having more fun (without the condom) - or still use the condom but have an added layer of defense. Of course purists will say "you can still get disease x and disease y" if you don't use a condom and a test proves you and your partner don't have HIV, but HIV is the one that's the killer, the others - for the most part - are mainly inconvenient.

And truth is too many people live like ostriches and never test. These people are part of the problem/reservoir. Creating a "test culture" would expose realities and reduce risks. Plus condoms are not risk free. I've had several break over the years, so every layer of defense is an added one, is what I'm trying to say I guess...