Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - December 2, 2008
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
The policy, which requires state civil servants and employees of private companies to have their blood tested for HIV/Aids, violated human rights principles, Thai NGO Coalition on Aids chairwoman Supatra Nakaphew said .
The Office of Attorney-General, the Royal Thai Police Office and Twin Towers Hotel Group were among organisations facing complaints about HIV test requirements for new staff, she said.
One of the main reasons cited by the organisations for applicants to be tested was to ensure their employees would not engage in sexual behaviour which could harm other employees and cause a burden to the firm.
"Such a mindset has to be changed," Ms Supatra said.
"They should realise that the anti-Aids campaign has made it clear that HIV-positive people are no longer a burden to anyone."
Thai people living with HIV/Aids, regardless of age and occupation, could receive free treatment from three national health-care schemes run by the Budget Bureau, the Social Security Office and the National Health Security Office.
As well as providing assistance on treatment, these agencies help to promote safe sex and Aids awareness to reduce the number of infected cases in the country, Ms Supatra said.
The number of new Aids cases in Thailand increased from 14,000 last year to 20,000 this year.
Health activists blamed the rising number of infections on a weak prevention policy as the government had focused on treatment programmes which involved providing locally made generic drugs efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir for people living with HIV/Aids.
The programme followed the announcement of compulsory licensing to bypass patents of Aids drugs last year.
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