Thai village evicts 48 HIV patients

[webfact]

Chonburi village evicts 48 HIV patients
By Coconuts Bangkok


131 ballots vote to evict HIV patients. Photo: The Glory Hut Foundation

CHONBURI: -- Lang Nern villagers of Chonburi's Banglamung district have voted to remove 48 HIV patients at a local charity because they were thought to be hurting land values and business.

Residents cast 131 of 161 ballots Friday to demand the Glory Hut Foundation relocate its patients, according to the foundation. They were given six months to clear out.

"They are asking us to leave despite the fact that we donate them our excess goods and teach their children English," foundation spokeswoman Chanchanok Khamtong said.

She also said the charity cannot afford the fund to move out of its rented building at this time and never intended to affect the community.

"We're not disturbing the villagers. We just want to help care for our patients," she said.

Wichien Weluwan, president of Lang Nern community, said the villagers “do not hate” the HIV patients but cannot live with them because of the feelings in the community.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/12/16/chonburi-village-evicts-48-hiv-patients


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-12-16

[mrjohndub]

Heartless, ignorant hypocrites.

[BigBadGeordie]

Thai tollerance at its best. "We do not hate them" it's all about land values and money. So if it is having an effect on land values, that the HIV patients are living there, clearly the villagers are not alone in their "values". Its a Thai thing perhaps.

[lildragon]

This is truly the altruism Buddha taught in his teachings.

[Pomthai]

Shameless, selfish, bigoted and greedy beyond belief. Just when I thought this place couldn't go any lower....

Can't wait for the apologists response to this one...

Edited December 16, 2014 by Pomthai

[rasmus5150]

How about all the foreigners that marry isaan girls, and build giant houses. Are they entitled to ask the rest of the farming community to move out, because they don't live up to the standards. Or they can start small and ask the in-laws to move out of their house, because they lower the house value.

[Water Buffalo]

Out of order.

[Just1Voice]

Just when you think they can't get any lower.....they do.

[laolover88]

Must be more to this than meets the eye? Na?. Looking forward to the 'true' story!!

[ginjag]

Shameless, selfish, bigoted and greedy beyond belief. Just when I thought this place couldn't go any lower....

Can't wait for the apologists response to this one...

First sentence spot on.--------------- the second really ridiculous ------and nothing to do with apologists. it's about local admn--who were more than likely got their jobs under the PTP regime................

[Banzai99]

Thai tollerance at its best. "We do not hate them" it's all about land values and money. So if it is having an effect on land values, that the HIV patients are living there, clearly the villagers are not alone in their "values". Its a Thai thing perhaps.

So they can all come to stay at your house ?

[Banzai99]

Just when you think they can't get any lower.....they do.

And to think, you journied Thousands of Km's at your own expense to live here by choice, amazing.

[Jingthing]

Thai tollerance at its best. "We do not hate them" it's all about land values and money. So if it is having an effect on land values, that the HIV patients are living there, clearly the villagers are not alone in their "values". Its a Thai thing perhaps.

So they can all come to stay at your house ?

They are not asking to live rent free in private people's houses so your question is ridiculous.

[BernieOnTour]

Not really astonished.

I know a similar story in the west, when they planned to build a hospital for mentally challenged people.

It's more than often a similar attitude in the west:

"Holy St. Florian, spare my house, lit other houses. .."

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Assuming most of these patients were druggies or prostitutes, I can see the villagers point.

Maybe they don't like living near criminal types.

48 criminals added in a community of 161 villagers isn't all that nice.

Edited December 16, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Banzai99]

Thai tollerance at its best. "We do not hate them" it's all about land values and money. So if it is having an effect on land values, that the HIV patients are living there, clearly the villagers are not alone in their "values". Its a Thai thing perhaps.

So they can all come to stay at your house ?

They are not asking to live rent free in private people's houses so your question is ridiculous.

It was meant to be, jeez, no sense of humour, let me guess where you're from......

[Jingthing]

Assuming most of these patients were druggies or prostitutes, I can see the villagers point.

Maybe they don't like living near criminal types.

Feel the compassion.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Assuming most of these patients were druggies or prostitutes, I can see the villagers point.

Maybe they don't like living near criminal types.

Feel the compassion.

How would you like a halfway house for the criminally insane set up next to your home?

Or an Aryan biker gang club house ........

Same sort of thing.

Edited December 16, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[lildragon]

Assuming most of these patients were druggies or prostitutes, I can see the villagers point.

Maybe they don't like living near criminal types.

Feel the compassion.

Assumption, mother of all, <deleted> ups.

[wow64]

Land of Smiles

Maybe this Village is not Buddhist.

[gemini81]

So the villagers 'don't hate them' but they do hate them enough to need them to be evicted and get the heck out in 6 months. So nice of them, and to remember that if their child is ever infected.

[Morakot]

Good Lord. That discussion completely derailed.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Morakot

[Jingthing]

Good Lord. That discussion completely derailed.

I agree.

I'm an atheist actually but I think you don't need any religion to know some basic ethics about treating other human beings decently and with compassion.

I do know most expats posting here probably identify as Christian and most Thais identify as Buddhist and you would think people from both of those religious traditions would understand that too.

[MonkeySeeMonkeyDo]

Objecting to having AIDS sufferers living nearby in Pattaya lol!

[metisdead]

Some off topic derailment posts and replies have been removed.

[Jim walker]

thought to be hurting land values and business, well get shot of them with HIV thats the best way forward for all concerned someone has to take a stand and think of the villages future very Thai logical thinking at its best.

[Jingthing]

So what's it like there now?

Tense?

Imagine if you're in the HIV house knowing what your "neighbors" just did.

[BigBadGeordie]

Thai tollerance at its best. "We do not hate them" it's all about land values and money. So if it is having an effect on land values, that the HIV patients are living there, clearly the villagers are not alone in their "values". Its a Thai thing perhaps.

So they can all come to stay at your house ?

In the small village I live in, some 300+ people, there aee at least 20+ people who have HIV. Most of them are coping well, thanks to the availability of retroviral medication, unfortunately some of the meet an early death each year. Regretably, due to lack of education regarding HIV, there are still more people being infected, especially teens.

So I dont have an issue with people suffering from HIV, DO YOU?

[jacky54]

why would it affect the price of land, can a field catch HIV?

[scubascuba3]

Sad story, at least they've given them 6 months, should be enough time to find money and a new place to stay