Public officials, educators and health professionals in Pattaya will again mark World AIDS Day Dec. 1 with a parade to cap four days of disease-awareness activities.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome kicked off the Nov. 26-30 AIDS awareness campaign Nov. 25, highlighting awareness activities and distribution of condoms to schools, hotels and community organizations.
Every year the World Health Organization designates Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day with this year’s theme again being “Getting to Zero.” Organizers promoted a message of reducing the number of new HIV infections, AIDS deaths and stigmas associated with carrying the disease.
The Dec. 1 march will begin at 3 p.m. at Central and Beach roads and finish at Pattaya School No. 8 where community groups, singers and students will put on various performances.
“We hope that the yearly walk campaign will help reduce HIV-infected individuals in the area and follow World Health Organization policies on World AIDS Day,” Itthiphol said.
The mayor said 1.2 million of Thailand’s 67 million people are infected with the HIV virus, although many cases have not developed into full-blown AIDS.
