San Francisco Chronicle - Wednesday, July 26, 1989
Gwen Robinson, Chronicle Foreign Service

"The Public Health Ministry urges Thai men to stop going to prostitutes because there has been an alarming increase in the number of prostitutes infected with the AIDS virus," Deputy Public Health Minister Suthas Ngern-muen said. The health ministry is campaigning not only against prostitution but against the promotion of Thailand as a "sex tour" destination. The campaign is the strongest acknowledgement to date that sexually transmitted diseases could become a major problem for the country's booming tourist economy.

A new health ministry survey on AIDS in the female prostitute population, conducted randomly in 14 key tourist provinces of Thailand, found rapidly increasing numbers of prostitutes carrying the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

In some of the most popular tourist destinations, such as the northern city of Chiang Mai and its neighboring provinces, the number of female carriers has increased dramatically compared with previous surveys. Of 200 women tested in Chiang Mai, 49 were found to be HIV positive. Another major resort area, the popular beachside town of Pattaya, also showed a significant increase.

Although results have so far only been released for nine of the 14 provinces surveyed, projections indicate an overall increase in the incidence of HIV-positive prostitutes.

Health minister Ngern-muen estimated that about 3,000 prostitutes in Thailand carry HIV. He estimated there are about 100,000 female prostitutes in the country, but some social workers and researchers claim the numbers of both prostitutes and positive test results are much higher.

1ST CASE WAS IN 1984

Most of those infected have not yet developed symptoms and continue to engage in prostitution, unwittingly infecting their customers.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome was first detected in Thailand in 1984. As of June 30, according to government figures, Thailand had 7,978 HIV-positive cases, - most of them drug addicts - while 76 people had developed AIDS-Related Complex (ARC). There are currently seven known cases of AIDS and 15 AIDS victims have died.

However, it is thought that hospitals and doctors in many areas of Thailand are not adequately equipped nor educated to recognize AIDS symptoms. "The number could be triple - even quadruple - what we know of . . . not to mention the tourists who come, then go," another health ministry official said.

Male prostitutes, homosexuals and intravenous drug users are other high-risk groups for AIDS, but Dr. Somsak Vorakamin, a senior health ministry official, said the female prostitution community is of greatest concern. This is partly due to its size and diversity, making it the most difficult area to track. DIRE WARNING

In releasing the survey findings, Suthas warned that the virus will spread rapidly unless urgent steps are taken. "Prostitution is not only a form of sexual abuse, it is also a source of AIDS," he said. In urging Thai men to refrain from visiting prostitutes, Suthas said: "You have the choice between sexual pleasure at home, or death."

Thailand's profitable tourist industry has been an inhibiting factor in promoting AIDS awareness, Suthas said. Previously, medical officials avoided publicizing AIDS statistics for fear of damaging the tourist economy.

Suthas said it is now time for the government to "change Thailand's image as a sexual paradise. We should promote tourism in more appropriate ways and campaign more against AIDS."

Thai society has long been tolerant of prostitution, although it is illegal. More than 4 million foreign tourists visit Thailand each year and a large portion are believed to be attracted by the plethora of gay and girlie bars, massage parlors and brothels in international resort areas.

But even small provincial towns have long-established houses of prostitution frequented by local men. ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN

The public health ministry has trained 150,000 officials to work in an AIDS education campaign, Suthas said. As part of that effort, 30 mobile AIDS clinics have been created that will educate the public and test for the virus.

There are also plans to coordinate several other government ministries in the campaign. Suthas proposed publicly that security-oriented departments such as the police and interior ministry should be encouraged to assist in the "rehabilitation process" for prostitutes who test HIV-positive. Infected prostitutes should be sought out and prevented from working and turned over for "proper treatment," Suthas said. That may involve arrest, he added.

Suthas said the various legal aspects of the AIDS problem are "currently being studied," and that a new law relating to AIDS will be passed within a month.

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