The number of Thais with venereal diseases is rising alarmingly
The number of Thais with an STD is increasing sharply. For example, the number of patients with Syphilis doubled between 2005 and 2014 to 30.000, according to the Department of Disease Control.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacteria. Worldwide, 10 to 12 million people contract the disease every year. Congenital syphilis is a major cause of perinatal mortality in underdeveloped countries.
The number of cases of gonorrhea has also increased. Gonorrhea is especially common in men who have sex with men. This STD is very easy to transmit and is caused by a bacteria.
People between the ages of 15 and 24 in particular contract an STD. Thailand has 426.999 HIV/AIDS patients, of whom 6.304 were infected this year.
Thursday 1 December is World AIDS Day. The health services in Thailand are working on a 5-year plan. The aim is to reduce the number of Syphilis patients to a maximum of 3,5 per 100.000 and to bring gonorrhea to a maximum of 8 per 100.000 Thai.
Source: Bangkok Post
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
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If they want to reduce the number of patients to 3,5 and 8 per 100.000 Thai, they still have a big job ahead of them.
From the last 2 months I already know from 4 boys from the neighborhood that they have been allowed to visit the doctor. (gossip moves quickly in the village, especially gossip about someone else's bad luck)
Those 4 boys also include 1 or more girls who should go to the doctor.
Whether they do is another matter.
So at least 5 people from a small village.
I have tried to explain to the boys the risk of infection by telling them that any girl she lets go without a condom will do the same to other boys.
With a high risk of contamination.
In itself they agree with me, but that argument apparently has no value anymore, the moment they have a girl, but no condom.
Then you take the risk.
By the way, I wonder if they also want to know the partner with whom you had sex in Thailand, just like in the Netherlands.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that it isn't.
The problem is that many diseases such as Chlamydia are hardly visible in women and so they do not notice that they have it.
Plus medicines for Chlamydyia, for example, are freely available in every pharmacy. Just do a google search and you'll know what you need.
So what happened, the boy notices that he has Chlamydia, for example, goes to Boots for a cure, dumps the girl or just avoids contact and then she is none the wiser. The next young man comes along and then he can also go to the doctor.
I completely agree with Ruud's statement.
Indeed, Thais do not (usually) tell about who the previous partner was or with whom their partner has already had relationships. They (usually) don't want to know either. I have personally experienced that.
A Thai who tells (to his partner) that he / she is infected, immediately suffers a (major) loss of face and is immediately fodder for the infamous gossip mill.
I have the impression that preserving personal face takes precedence over the public interest.
So to avoid that loss of face and the gossip, they live with all the trimmings as if nothing was wrong.
This is further reinforced by the lack of awareness of the seriousness and possible consequences. They only live 'today' (only 'today' counts, tomorrow does not exist (yet)…).
Buddhism also plays a role here, because they believe in their karma.
It would be a miracle if they could limit the number of infections…
Referring to Buddhism or 'Thai culture' (the culture doesn't exist) is more of a lame excuse. The primary reasons seem obvious to me:
– No or inadequate information. People should receive good sex education from the age of 12 through school, the doctor and campaigns. So risks of STDs and the nasty consequences especially if you get HIV (AIDS). How to have fun with minimal risks. Piece of information about self-gratification so that the hormone bombs can also enjoy themselves.
– Have heard about the importance of a condom, the pill and other measures, but if the opportunity arises no condom at hand and then just take the risk… Easier access to condoms would help. But even as the generation of shopkeepers who shamelessly sell condoms at the checkout, it can still be quite a barrier for the customer to ask. So also consider condom vending machines or perhaps there are good opportunities to buy anonymously via the internet?
I don't think Thailand differs much from the Netherlands before there was proper education in schools and access to contraceptives. Even now there are parents in the Netherlands who have difficulty with information at school (“my child is still too young”, “we will do it ourselves in our own words”, …). Of course it remains a giggle subject, but it would of course help a lot if it is no longer a taboo subject at school.
Do you really think that something like this is different in the Netherlands? I once had a patient with syphilis. There was a possibility that his wife was also infected. However, he flatly refused to inform her ("we haven't had sex in a long time" was the excuse). At present, a doctor has professional secrecy, but may break it if serious consequences are at stake. I approached her outside of her husband. Fortunately, the test was negative.
And I don't believe the Dutch are so open about their former or current other lovers.
The Far East has always been a gonorea area. In the 50s and 60s, I sailed with the Rotterdam Lloyd and on the Far East voyages we had a real male nurse on board. This was lent by a Dutch hospital and remained on board for the entire journey. Dispensed penicillin syringes in case of contracted gonorea, he had a day job on. A cargo ship was then in a port for at least 2 weeks, sometimes as long as a month. Later on came the anti-biotic pills and then a nurse was no longer needed. The 1st mate issued these when necessary, which was often the case.