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MUMBAI:
Mechai Viravaidya has led such a successful safe-sex campaign in
Thailand that condoms are now known as "Mechais". On this
weekend's TALK ASIA, CNN's Bangkok-based correspondent Dan Rivers
follows Mechai to Pattaya's red light district to hand out condoms
and finds out what inspires him to persist with his 30-year long
campaign.
Mechai
has never been afraid to challenge the status quo. He was a long
time Thai Senator and cabinet minister before losing patience with
committee meetings and deciding to carry out his own campaigning
outside the realm of government.
 With
a mission to both save lives and bring contraception into the open,
Mechai's organisation hands out up to 20,000 condoms every night.
He organises condom inflation contests and even runs a restaurant
"Cabbages and Condoms" serving Thai food alongside free
contraception. Mechai's message has been so successful that he's
credited with helping avert a possible HIV epidemic in Thailand
as infection rates fell from 141,000 cases per year in 1991 to 19,000
in 2003.
Mechai's
work draws international attention and his campaign was recently
awarded a million dollars from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Despite such recognition Mechai is far from satisfied and explains
his frustration with the Thai government for neglecting public education
and the promotion of safe sex, which has resulted in an upturn in
infection rates since 2003.
Given
his unprecedented track record of success, Indian officials also
recently announced a search for their own 'Condom King'. Mechai's
innovative ideas for India involve exploiting the huge fame of cricketer
Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood stars. He also reveals to Dan Rivers
why he thinks condoms could even be used as a weapon against global
warming.
Airtimes:
Indian Standard Times
Saturday,
21 July at 0500hrs, 2030hrs
Sunday,
22 July at 1830hrs
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