Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - November 23, 2001
Anjira Assavanonda
The alliance discussed the issue yesterday at a workshop for alternatives to help the victims.
Supatra Nakhapiew, of the Centre for Aids Rights (CAR), said carriers of the disease were suffering from social stigma and discrimination in the workplace due to the prejudice among their colleagues and company executives.
Surachai Panakijsuwan, of the Thai Businessmen Coalition to Fight Against Aids (TBCA), cited the latest survey conducted by his group which found the discrimination problem had aggravated in comparison to the situation three years ago.
The survey covered workers and executives of 152 firms run by Thai and multi-national operators in Bangkok and the provinces.
Most of the interviewed executives were found to have a good understanding of the disease and problems of HIV-infected people, with 98.7% recognising HIV/Aids as a workplace issue, and 87.5% agreeing that the HIV-infected could continue working if they were in good health. However, when looking into company policies being practised, the reality is different.
It showed that 22.4% demand HIV-testing from job applicants, 21% persisted on a compulsory blood test among employees, and 36.2% dismissed HIV-positive workers.
Interviewed employees also showed mixed attitudes. Although most seemed to have a positive attitude towards the virus carriers, some did not hesitate to express their feelings they would prefer not to work with them if given the chance.
The results of the survey revealed that around 92% agreed with the continuing employment of HIV-positive workers. However, 52% wanted to know all who were infected, 60% wanted compulsory HIV-testing in their workplaces, 22% wanted the executives to disclose the names of the infected, 17.4% said they would rather stay away from the HIV-positive people, 35.5% did not want to sit and eat with them, 37% did not want to have anything to do with them, and 38% were against sharing toilets with the infected. Mr Surachai said the economic crisis had forced most firm operators to impose belt-tightening measures, and the move was certainly going to affect HIV/Aids carriers.
Companies were imposing HIV-screening measures against workers in a bid to protect the firm's reputation, maintain cleanliness and safety of their products, and cut medical costs.
The alliance therefore urged the drafting of a law to specifically prohibit HIV-testing in the workplaces.
The idea was supported by Dr Sanchai Chasombat of the Public Health Ministry's Aids Division who promised to work with the group in working out strategies to cope with the problem. But he wants the contents of the law to be `preventive' rather than `compulsive' to give more alternatives to both the workers and employers.
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