RIP - Sone

[francois]

Sadly, my dear friend Sone, a Laos lad, passed away last evening, August 16, at Pattaya City Hospital. I met Sone when he worked as a waiter at Diamond Bar in Sunee Plaza about 5 years ago. He was full of life and ambitious with many dreams for the future but in recent months was feeling ill with multiple ailments.
It was only about 10 days ago that he was diagnosed with HIV and was hospitalized. Sone fought so hard to live; such a short life for such a good person! His many Laos friends came to visit him in his last days and will arrange for his cremation at a local Wat.
Good bye Sone, you will be missed by so many. :cray_mini:

For information about HIV you can contact the Swing Foundation on South Pattaya Road, Pattaya who provide free testing and inexpensive medicines.

[Oliver2]

I am sorry to hear this.

[Patanawet]

SO, so sorry.
It shouldn't happen these days.
RIP Sone.

[Chuai-Duai]

Heart breaking. So very sad. Farewell Sone you will be missed.

[Dodger]

It's always heartbreaking to see someone as young as Sone pass away, and I wish him a safe journey to his next life.

I've seen as many young people in their 20's and 30's die in Thailand as I have the senior expats in the 80's and beyond. Why is this? Something just isn't right about this.

RIP Sone.

[Oliver2]

A tragic reminder that hiv+ remains a threat. Sone was infected by someone; that someone was infected by someone else, and so on. I made it a routine that my encounters with Thais always ended with a plea for them to use condoms and insist on their customers doing so. ...and to leave the room if they refused. And yes, I recognised that that would be difficult but it's the correct advice.
There is still work to do, despite the benefits of better medication.

[christianpfc]

...in recent months was feeling ill with multiple ailments.
It was only about 10 days ago that he was diagnosed with HIV and was hospitalized.
As far as I know, HIV can go unnoticed for months/years/decades, but then end in multiple opportunistic infections, ultimately deadly. It seems this is what happened here.

Whoever works in this trade, or participates as a customer, should have regular health checks to detect everything early on. Not just HIV, many other STD can be without symptoms, but easily detected and treated, or passed on.

Rest in peace!

[francois]

Sone's cremation took place today, August 19, 2023 at 1 PM at Wat Nong Oo, located off of Third Road, Pattaya, in the vicinity of Big C Extra. About 40 participants mostly Laos and some Thais plus one farang, Francois.
A live video was broadcast to Sone's family in Laos so they also could share in the ceremony.

Arrangements were made by the SWING Foundation located on South Pattaya Road. SWING is very helpful to those with HIV providing free testing and assistance in getting medications via Banglamung Hospital plus free PrEP and PEP.

Thanks so much to all those who liked or posted on this thread; your understanding is most appreciated. Francois

[Oliver2]

These guys from Laos and Cambodia come to Thailand with such high hopes, often escaping a distressing levels of poverty. For some, the lucky few, that one meeting with a suitable falang changes their lives for the better; for others, this.
I'm so pleased that Francois was at the funeral. In a sense, he represented all of us who love Thailand and the beautiful people we meet. And sometimes love.

[latintopxxx]

I think its really touching that so many showed up for his send off. Would anyone know if Prep is available and if its low cost in Thailand? Am (maybe wrongly) assuming that aids was the cause.

[francois]

I think its really touching that so many showed up for his send off. Would anyone know if Prep is available and if its low cost in Thailand? Am (maybe wrongly) assuming that aids was the cause.

Sone died from complications of HIV however it was too late to provide help to him. The SWING Foundation in Pattaya can provide help to those from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. PrEP and PEP can be provided free to those in need and meds can be provided via Banglamung Hospital at a one time cost of about 3000 Baht. But best to contact SWING for the details.
SWING is located on South Pattaya Road close to the Vespa Service Center. Best to go in person for free testing and help since they sometimes are busy and don't always answer the phone.
SWING also has offices in Bangkok.

[maump]

I think its really touching that so many showed up for his send off. Would anyone know if Prep is available and if its low cost in Thailand? Am (maybe wrongly) assuming that aids was the cause.

PrEP is readily available and is/was free for sex workers. The rentboys I asked all knew about it and most said they use it. but I think many lied.

HIV treatment is readily available and is free, but the bureaucracy can be difficult. I understand many face ostracization from their family and job loss if they reveal their status. I helped one of my longterm boys deal with infection, severe illness and family ostracization. He recovered was doing ok then went downhill into drug use...... I finally broke contact.

[Oliver2]

There is still a great deal of shame and embarrassment experienced by victims, not just in home villages but even in Pattaya. Someone with hiv+ may prefer to keep it a secret. Furthermore, a guy experiencing symptoms may not go to the doctor out of fear of what a blood test may reveal. Treatment can come too late to save him.

I recall the turn-over in bars in the late 90s seemed very high to a newcomer like me. Many times was I informed that a guy whom I'd offed and liked on a previous visit was no longer there.... he's gone home, I'd be told. Having learnt more about the ravages the virus, I now ask myself how many of them went home to die.

[francois]

There is still a great deal of shame and embarrassment experienced by victims, not just in home villages but even in Pattaya. Someone with hiv+ may prefer to keep it a secret. Furthermore, a guy experiencing symptoms may not go to the doctor out of fear of what a blood test may reveal. Treatment can come too late to save him.



So true and so sad.

[Chuai-Duai]

HIV is still a threat even with the modern antivirals. As I write this a close Thai friend is entering an isolation ward in Bangkok. He’s been HIV+ for years and taking antivirals and although his CD4 count was never as high as it should have been he’d been clear of infections. Now he’s picked up a resistant bacteria and is entering isolation for a week’s treatment, hopefully, they’ll be able to clear the infection.