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BANGKOK : Thailand's AIDS epidemic made HIV education a government priority.
But a decade on, infection rates among young people are rising, highlighting a need to educate teens on the dangers of unprotected sex.
Many young Thais feel shy about buying condoms, so the government created a public service announcement aimed at teenagers.
Its message to them is that purchasing condoms is not something to be ashamed of.
The government campaign is timely; a Health Ministry poll shows that 77 percent of Thai teens do not understand how HIV is transmitted and half of the country's 300,000 HIV-positive patients are between 25 and 34.
They were infected as teens, according to a report, and they used condoms less than 50 percent of the time they had sex.
While many think the campaign is a good idea, teens said they still feel sheepish about buying condoms since premarital sex is considered taboo in the Thai society.
"I'm constrained by our culture, so I don't want to buy condoms myself. However, I don't think it's a big deal if I see others buying them," said a Thai teen girl.
"I'm comfortable buying condoms if I'm accompanied by a friend. If I'm alone, I'm afraid to do so," said a teen boy.
Experts believe more needs to be done to erase misconceptions about HIV/AIDS among Thais.
Mechai Viravaidya, Chairman of Population and Development Association said: "The youth are saying that AIDS must be gone. (But) they are having sex earlier; the average for the male is 15 (years old), and for the female, it's 16. And they are not using any protection, so more become infected. Because the government is silent, that's why the purchase of condoms is down. You need to provide information."
"In Thailand, the rise in younger people being infected is alarming and there are more women than men being infected at this young age. The message is not getting through and something has to be done. We are now seeing HIV as a social issue," said Promboon Panitchpakdi, Executive Director, Raks Thai Foundation.
One unlikely company has joined the campaign against HIV/AIDS - Kasikorn Bank.
The bank offers free condoms at its more than 600 branches nationwide.
It said it plans to distribute half a million condoms this year. - CNA /ls
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