Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - June 16, 2009
Metta Utakaphan, CEO and president of Amarin Printing and Publishing, presenting the award to Dr Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn.
The recent announcement of the award by Amarin Printing has placed HIV awareness in the spotlight again. Dr Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn was recognised for his ongoing commitment to battling the spread of HIV in Thailand. He spearheaded the "100 Percent Condom Use Project" in 1996. The project encourages condom use in the sex industry, one of the greatest risk areas for HIV, and has successfully helped decrease the spread of HIV. Formerly, the percentage of condom users in the sex industry was only 14 percent, but the project emphasized the importance of condoms until the number rose to 95 percent.
Neighbouring countries have recognised the effectiveness of his project and he has been invited as a consultant in Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, China and Mongolia. The United Nations has also made use of his approach to deal with the spread of HIV in several countries. At present, he holds the position of WHO resident representative in Mongolia.
Dr Wiwat was one of the five most influential change-makers in the book Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, published by McGraw Hill.
The Chukiat Utakaphan Award was set up in 2004 to recognise creative and constructive books to encourage writers and publishers to realise the importance of books in our society. Last year, the criteria changed to giving the award to an individual or an organisation that contributes to positive change in society.
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