Thais with HIV+

hello

a thaifriend of mine informed me, that he is hiv+. he takes medicine and has no signs of aids. because I have already lost a very good friend one year ago, i realised that hiv+ is in thailand more a socialproblem than a medicanl one.

He has very few people he can talk about this and is worried his family will refuse him when they now what he has. I just want to ask if someone has friends in the same situation, and maybe it would be possible to get them in contact. So they could share they experinces with other thai people in the same situation. this can not be replaced by an undestanding farang, they need people with the same problem, same cultur and langauge. What i have seen is this the main problem many people in thailand with hiv+ face, even in bangkok.

balu

[jvt22222]

If in Pattaya, I suggest starting out with Dr. Phillipe of Heartt 2000 ...... he could surely put you in touch wwith folks who could share with your friend ........ if in BKK, I suggest contacting the folks at SWING ....... have an office on the second floor of a building on Patpong.

hello

a thaifriend of mine informed me, that he is hiv+. he takes medicine and has no signs of aids. because I have already lost a very good friend one year ago, i realised that hiv+ is in thailand more a socialproblem than a medicanl one.

balu

Not sure that I follow your reasoning, balu. I assume, from the context of your statement, that the friend you lost a year ago died from AIDS. Since death generally results from medical problems rather than social problems, how is it that you conclude, from the example you've given, that HIV+ in Thailand is more of a social problem?

[krobbie]

My thought also hot4thais.

As SF farang says balu, it is first and foremost a medical condition. The social stigma comes from other peoples uneducated notion of the disease itself.

A shame that folk still cannot acquaint themselves of the reality and distinction between HIV and AIDS. No-one should be dying from this disease these days. It would seem that the lack of diagnostic centres and drop in med labs for almost instant HIV blood analysis has a large part to play in this.

People say Thailand is not third world country (the new term any way is emerging country), But to my way of thinking the whole notion of diseases whether they be HIV, Cancer or some other possibly fatal disease, all surround themselves with stigma. Obviously there is little money or notion of education surrounding this subject in Thailand. Just one more of the archaic things thatnever crosses the minds of those in power.

Just one more of the archaic things thatnever crosses the minds of those in power.

such as G.W.Bush's abstinence approach?

@SF farang:

from a mediacal point of views HIV and aids today are to handle, atleast in the western world and in thailand as long as the standard medicin you get will work and you do not have any other health problems.

But for most of the thais, this is not the first point, the main problem is, that they still very likely fall out of any social network they had if they familys and friends know about. it is a matter of fact that many of them are very concerned about this and do not trust to talk with anybody about this. No you can stay this is a stupid way of thinking, and maybe you are right, but this will not help the people in this situation. and for many of them this is the reason, they do not get the correct threatment early enough too survie in the long run, and I mean not only stay a life but also survie in they daily life.

this is the reason, why the biggest problem with hiv in thailand is a social one.

balu

Have you thought about asking GEORGE?


Who is GEORGE?