Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - July 13, 2004
Anjira Assavanonda
With the slogan Positive Life, Positive Friends, the PHA Lounge welcomes all HIV/Aids people to its comfortable and welcoming atmosphere.
Salobol Teeranukul, events and logistics coordinator, said the lounge is specially reserved for PHAs as a place where they can enjoy various services.
The area features a massage room where 20 masseuses offer foot and body massage to the clients, a quiet room for medical consulting, a cushion room for PHAs to lie down and rest for a while, a private room for those who need a deep sleep or emergency care, and a food and drinks corner. All the services are provided free of charge.
Ms Salobol said the lounge is staffed by 80 Thai volunteers, many of whom are PHAs themselves. To prepare them for this international event, they underwent a six-month training process.
Biew, 46, a PHA from the southern province of Yala, said he came to the lounge to get some rest before the conference started in the morning.
Mr Biew said he could speak Chinese and wanted to talk to those from Taiwan and Hong Kong to learn about their situations.
He said he could not disclose his HIV status in his home province, but was happy that at the conference he could talk openly with other PHAs.
Avinaf Frumer, an Israeli who has been infected with HIV for 16 years, said the atmosphere was very pleasant. However, he said the number of visitors was fewer than he had expected.
"I thought there would be more people coming in. Actually I came here because I wanted to meet people," said Mr Frumer. "What is said in the conference is so general. I'm looking to hear from PHAs who are dealing with the same problems across the world."
Talking about the HIV/Aids situation in his country, he said that the treatment that PHAs receive really depends on the context of where they are.
"At medical sites, people are getting free ARVs and cocktail treatments, but in social sites there is a major stigma against PHAs. Many people are getting fired from their jobs, for example," he said. Pui, 32, an HIV-positive masseuse at the lounge, said that she had volunteered for the job because she had really wanted to be a part of this international conference.
"Most of the clients have been asking for a body massage today. It seemed as if they were a bit tired from the conference," she said.
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