Guest fountainhall Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Once admired for its education programmes informing the public about HIV AIDS, it is well known that successive Thai governments have wound down these programmes over the last 15 years. Now, it seems clear that a new campaign is not only urgently required, it is vital. A study has apparently shown that some Mathayom 1 students in the Northeast have been using plastic bags to prevent pregnancies and STDs. That anyone in this country should consider plastic bags as a substitute for condoms is . . . well, I suppose this is Thailand! http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01/05/national/Plastic-bags-not-a-wise-substitute-for-condoms-min-30145699.html Quote
kokopelli Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 It gives new meaning to the phrase "bag it". Quote
TotallyOz Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 That is hard to believe even for Thailand. It is hard to imagine that someone would actually do that. It must be uncomfortable to say the least. Another good reason that Cabbages and Condoms and other groups that give out free condoms are important. My favorite condom scene. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Love that scene, too - like so many Leslie Nielsen ones. The odd thing about the plastic bag issue is that condoms in Thailand were once so common. Meechai Viravaidya was a family planning activist in the 1970s who pioneered the programme to teach the entire country about condom use as a means of family planning. It was so successful that the average family of 7 children dropped to an average of 1.2. He made condoms popular through doing fun things with them. Yes, we know sex is fun , but to popularise them amongst the whole community he would organise water filling condom competitions, introduced brightly coloured condoms, held fashion shows with them, etc. - he even opened his famous Cabbages and Condoms Restaurants. When HIV AIDS appeared, he then redoubled his efforts, doing everything he could to break down the taboos surrounding the illness and handing out condoms in highly publicised events. To fight AIDS, he said, all you need is a simple formula: "Public education, prevention, and the condom. There's nothing better … Let the people understand, and if people want to take risks, and most people do, protect yourself. Use a helmet when you drive a motorbike, use a seat belt when you drive a car, use a condom when you have sex." http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130234&page=1 Although he became a politician and a member of the Senate for many years, he is known universally as Thailand's "Condom King". Condoms are popularly referred to here as "meechais". This is another excerpt from that ABC interview (unfortunately it is undated but I believe it was about 2 or 3 years ago). Meechai can understand why Thailand has been slipping in its efforts to combat AIDS, but that doesn't mean he's willing to accept it. "People basically get bored, public information has almost died off. So, I have to return, have to come back and fight it again, another round of it," he said, turning on his heel and walking down the street lined with sex shops and bordellos, a basket of condoms in his hand. He is a remarkable man. Quote
