Drug Use and HIV/AIDS in Thailand in the Year 2000

In Thailand, estimates indicate that 984,000 persons have been infected since 1988 with HIV and that approximately 289,000 people have died of AIDS. Over 695,000 persons are now living with HIV. At the end of 1999, national HIV sentinel surveillance showed that prevalence had declined among Army conscripts, female direct/indirect sex workers, and pregnant women, but had increased among injecting drug users, from 39% in 1989 to 54.1% by June 1999.

Harm reduction for drug users has been a notable gap in AIDS initiatives. To date there is only one program located among Akha villages in Chiang Rai province. In addition, although a link between use of methamphetamine (or ATS) and HIV risk has yet to be clarified, ATS use has increased dramatically and has the potential to create serious health consequences.