Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Thu, 23 Jul 1992 18:57:07 EDT
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: 'Mr Condom' warns of AIDS spectre
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 92 00:40:56+0700
From: kamol@munnari.oz.au (Kamol Hengkietisak)

     Jomtien, Pattaya -- Prime Minister's Office Minister Mechai
Viravaidya said yesterday he would resign if the Government failed
to provide him an adequate budget to wage an effective campaign
against AIDS.
     "I am not threatening Prime Minister Anand (Panyarachun). I
like to work with him. He is a good leader, but it's a question of
personal commitment. I have made a proposal to the Government and
if it's rejected, we have to go separate ways," he said.
     Speaking on the last day of the Second National AIDS Seminar,
Mr Mechai said the 1,300 million baht proposed for the AIDS
awareness campaign by various government agencies was slashed by
47 per cent.
     "There is no cure. There is no vaccine for AIDS. The only
protection we have is education," he said.
     Mr Mechai complained that soon after the Anand I
administration ended its term the budget for key ministries
involved in the fight against the deadly disease was drastically
cut.
     The Education Ministry, which with its nationwide network
could contribute considerably to educate and promote AIDS
awareness among students, suffered a cut of 85 per cent. It sought
100 million baht but received only 14.53 million.
     Similarly the Local Administration Department proposal was
trimmed down from 120 million baht to 33.4 million baht, a cut of
72 per cent; the Community Development Department received 6.11
million against the proposed 18 million baht; the Police
Department's proposal was reduced 77 per cent from 11 million to
three million baht; and the Labour Welfare and Protection
Department, which sought five million baht received 3.13 million.
     Even universities were not spared. Chiang Mai University
sought 32.62 million but got only six million baht; Khon Kaen
University five million against the proposed 22.8 million baht;
Mahidol University received nine million baht, a 75 per cent cut
from the 35.9 million it had sought; while Chulalongkorn
University, which sought 83.3 million baht received only 15
million baht.
     Mr Mechai said Thailand has two years to stop the HIV virus
from infecting an estimated 2-4 million people by the year 2000.
"If we work on it now, we can stop the spread by 75 per cent."
     The minister said he plans to raise the issue with the
Premier and concerned officials, and within two months, if no more
budget is allocated, he would resign.
     "It is the duty of the Government and of all of us here to
stop AIDS. Who will take the responsibility for not doing enough
when AIDS has spread throughout the country?
     "I don't think people involved in the decision-making (to cut
the budget) have bad intentions, but they may not fully grasp the
gravity of the situation," he said.
     The minister stressed "the budget is worth the task at hand".
     Mr Mechai said, if allowed to spread at the current rate, the
immuno-deficiency virus will devastate the country.
     "We can build hospitals, but there will never be enough
beds," he said.
     He reiterated the need for private sector participation in
the fight against the deadly virus and asked the Government to
stop worrying about tourists not coming to Thailand because the
tourism trade exacts a heavy price on the country, especially the
dignity of Thai women.
     "We do not want tourist money. We don't need to be called
`Thailand: The sex capital'."
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