Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - Tuesday, July 6, 2004
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
The minister made the comment after Bangkok was forced to cancel the summit as well as a lunch between the invited leaders and people with HIV/Aids. The summit was part of an International Aids Conference to be held here from July 10-16.
Leaders from Botswana, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Uganda and the European Commission, as well as United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan were invited to the first meeting of world leaders on Aids, but most of them declined citing busy schedules.
However, the UN chief, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former South African president Nelson Mandela are expected to join some closed-door events during which leaders from HIV/Aids-affected and donor countries will meet to map out anti-Aids strategies.
Mrs Sudarat believed the summit cancellation would not cause any problems to co-host Thailand, but she added that it could result in international bodies, such as UNAids, having to work harder in order to push for closer global cooperation and political commitment in the fight against Aids.
Aids activist Sureerat Treemanka said the summit cancellation underscored the fact the Aids problem was being ignored by a number of countries although it could have serious impacts on social and economic policies.
In a related development, Disease Control Department chief Charal Trinvuthipong yesterday denied having ordered a Bangkok hotel to provide segregated services for those guests infected with the HIV/Aids virus.
He insisted the authorities had never sent a letter to instruct the hotel in Lan Luang district to do so. Giving hotels such orders would only ruin the country's reputation, especially when Thailand was playing host to the International Aids Conference, he added.
Dr Charal said he would immediately check if any such letter was sent under his name to the hotel.
Aids advocacy groups recently complained about discriminatory practices at the hotel where a seminar of Aids patients took place last month.
Prakit Shinamornpong, secretary of the Thai Hotels Association, said the hotel told him that the Disease Control Department had instructed it to separate people with HIV/Aids from other guests.
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