]/
as possible. Without the dryer, the children’s
clothes, and eventually the children, would be
exposed to germs present in the humid atmo
sphere. Although the dryer was an expensive
addition to the orphanage, the organization
believed that the children’s health could not be
compromised.
Dr. Vicham then showed us the four
bedrooms and another bathroom located on the
second floor. One of the rooms was reserved for
the nurse and nannies, and the other three were
for the children.
Each room was painted in a different color
while maintaining the same motif as downstairs.
Only two children were assigned to each room.
Although this arrangement, like the dryer,
seemed extravagant, it was critical in preventing
the children from infecting each other with
communicable diseases.
When I left the orphanage, I felt a little better
knowing that there were efforts being made to
help these HIV-infected children.
Later that week. Ohm and I accompanied
two social workers of the Support the Children
Foundation to an isolated village located an
hour away from Chiang Mai. The road that we
took was so bumpy and poorly constructed that
it reminded me why this was an underdeveloped
country.
O ur first stop was at a preschool where
we distributed food and supplies. The
one-room schoolhouse was sparsely
furnished with a few tables and chairs, and the
Wooden floor was barely distinguishable from
the dirt that covered it. The school was so
destitute that I was half expecting Sally
Struthers to come in with a camera crew at
^ytime.
The room didn’t seem like it could contain
twenty kids, but there were at least that many
funning around. The school had only one
teacher.
Several of the people
that we approached
shunned us once we
mentioned the word
"AIDS." They were
absolutely terrified of
the subject.
To keep the children busy while she was
stocking the supplies, the teacher distributed
small pieces of Play-Doh to the children. This
made the kids go completely wild. They began
pounding the Play-Doh on the floor and
stomping on it with their bare feet.
1 never knew that Play-Doh could have such
an effect. In a way it was pitiful to see them
have so much fun with so little when in
America kids play with much more elaborate
toys that these children will never get a chance
to see.
Our second stop was at the home of one of
the preschooler’s mother. Apparently, she had
contracted HIV from her husband. The social
workers had to interview her and take some
pictures of her home for the organization’s
records so that the family could receive
assistance.
Unfortunately, her case was not unique. I
learned that women in Thailand were becoming
innocent victims of AIDS.
Thai society accepts a man’s privilege to
indulge in sexual desires outside of marriage.
This leaves Thai women with little control over
their husbands’ or boyfriends’ sexual activities..
So although Thai women may practice
monogamy, it is the promiscuous men who get
infected with HIV and transmit the virus to their
wives and girlfriends. By the end of the day, 1
had gained a new perspective on AIDS, women
and Thailand.
After all these experiences, my brother and I
decided to conduct a research study to evaluate
the extent of AIDS education in the Chiang Mai
area. We hoped that the results of our study
could help AIDS educators see weaknesses in
their existing program and better inform the
public about AIDs prevention.
One of the population groups that we
studied was the people in the marketplace. This
particular group gave us the most trouble.
C rowded,” “chaotic” and “dirty” are three
words that best describe the open-air
markets of Thailand. Other than
swatting at the mosquitoes and flies and
dodging all the stray dogs in the marketplace,
our main problem was getting the people to
cooperate and fill out our surveys.
Several of the people that we approached
shunned us once we mentioned the word
“AIDS.” They were absolutely terrified of the
subject. It was so difficult for us to collect a
sufficient survey sample that I even considered
excluding them from the study. It was all very
discouraging, not to mention frustrating.
But that was when I noticed an emaciated
child sitting miserably along one of the
walkways. Although there were many other
beggars around, and some were in physically
worse shape, this boy had a small empty bowl
and a sign placed in front of him.
The sign read, “Please give money. My mom
has AIDS.” Passersby were clearly avoiding
him. Some would not even dare to go down the
same walkway.
The sight of this child moved me. I knew
that our research could prevent situations like
this from happening. So I continued distribut
ing surveys to individuals who cared to help and
tried my hardest not to lose my temper when so
many others refused.
By the end of our research, I easily under
stood why heterosexual behavior is the most
dominant mode of transmission of the AIDS
virus in Thailand. The spread of AIDS has been
effectively propagated by Thailand’s sex
industry.
While prostitution is officially illegal in
Thailand, I didn’t have to search long or hard to
find evidence of this age-old trade. I discovered
that commercial sex workers could be found in
certain coffee houses, cafes, massage parlors,
beauty salons, karoake bars and night clubs that
were disguised whorehouses.
During my last weeks in Thailand, I had a
chance to visit one of these “cafes” in Bangkok
page 15
at 3 a.m. Various female singers dressed in
brightly colored sequined gowns performed on a
small stage in a dimly lit, smoky room as the
audience, consisting mostly of Thai business
men, ordered and ate their very late dinner.
The cafe served delicious food, but I later
realized that the food was not the cafe’s main
attraction. Apparently, a customer could select
his favorite singer after she had finished her
performance.
To my surprise, not only did the cafe cater to
a customer’s palate, but also to one's sexual
orientation. During my meal a woman accosted
me and attempted to make some conversation.
But realizing that I had no interest in her, she
quickly left my table.
Soon afterw'ards, a waiter sat down next to
me, and his approach was more direct. He
bluntly offered me his services. I won’t mention
how much he said he charged. Even though I
didn't take him up on his offer, that was
definitely one meal that I will never forget.
Not only did the "cafe"
cater to a customer's
palate, but also to one's
sexual orientation.
During my meal a
woman accosted me
and attempted to make
some conversation. But
she quickly left after I
showed no interest.
Soon a waiter sat down
next to me and bluntly
offered me his services.
I had come to Thailand expecting to see
AIDS patients and overcrowded hospital
wards. But while learning about the AIDS
situation in this country, I saw much more than
that.
A scarcely furnished school house in a
village in northern Thailand. Filthy open
markets crowded with haggling people, stray
dogs and crippled beggars. A Bangkok cafe that
wasn’t really a cafe. These were some of the
scenes that had made up my summer.
I have to admit that I was somewhat relieved
as I left Thailand.
Returning to the United States meant that I
wouldn’t have to see the agonizing faces that
had haunted me during the rounds I had made in
the hospital. It would be the end of the sight of
AIDS babies suffering in the pediatric ward. I
would never have to see another dirty and
crippled child begging for money on a sidewalk.
But these images were already engraved in
my mind. How could I easily forget them? And
yet at the same time, I felt that I should
remember them. My memories are only a
glimpse of reality in the disheartening world of
AIDS. For the images that I saw in a summer,
some have seen all their lives.*
G. Julia Supattanasiri is a junior interdisciplinary
studies major from Caruthersville, Mo. Her focus
is medical geography.