Voices from the Villages of Chiang Mai Province
(Women Living with AIDS)

Interviews by Akiko Otani

Edited by the Women and Development Online Information Project

"If you could say anything to the rest of the world, what would you like to say?"


I. Need for Greater Medical Help

1. Dr. Nopporn: I have some problem with the international agency who come to Thailand sometimes. They don't think about the ethics to make some project in Thailand...they don't think about the fact that the Thai people are human. They just use us as a subject for an experiment. This is not so good because I think in my country, we can have a schedule to give pre-counseling and post-counseling to every pregnant woman. All over the country we can [provide us services]. But I think they think that we are an underdeveloped country so we don't have programs like that but it's not true. It is not so good for my country. So I don't like many projects like that. Don't come to Thailand again.. No more. We don't like it. (May 21, 1997 at Mae On Hospital in Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province)


2. Loi: I wish there was medicine to cure this [AIDS].(May 22, 1997 Pongsanok Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


3. Khun Saikan and Khun Walla: I wish that there will be a medicine to cure AIDS. If we talk about this wish, perhaps it will come true. (May 21, 1997 Ongklang Village, Mae On District)


II.Need for Information Sharing

4. Seechan: If someone else has more information or knowledge about anything, please share the information. It is good to share information.(May 22, 1997 Patmai Pattana Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


5. Ton: It would be good to share information. It would be nice to have help for the children. Educational assistance for children is important. If anybody can help, that would be great.(May 22, 1997 Patmai Pattana Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


III.Need to Support Children's Education

6. Jin: If someone could help with education for children that would be great.(May 22, 1997 Patmai Pattana Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


7. Somboon I wish that my son will receive a good education.(May 22, 1997 Pongsanok Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


8. Lian: I wish to support my children through school. I don't make quite enough to support two children. (May 22, 1997 Pongsanok Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


IV. Need for Greater Financial Aid

9. Khun Ratchadaporn: I am concerned about the health of PWA. Since people who are sick cannot work very much, the financial burden is great. The government, if they can provide support, they should do something. I need the financial assistance most right now. (May 21,1997 Maelen Village, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province)


10. Khun Unchalee: If anyone has money to spare, please share some of your money with people with AIDS or others affected by the epidemic. Please do that, particularly for the elderly and the children. If you are able to help out financially, please give a hand to help AIDS, please give some money. (May 21, 1997 Mae On District Hospital, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province)


11. Sopin Palami: I am glad that the government still cares about us. In the past, the government created a negative image of us. Now they are helping us with our living expenses through the government's welfare office, although it is not a large sum of money. But, nevertheless, it does help. I have heard that in some countries such as Malaysia, they do not allow people with HIV/AIDS into their country at all. Luckily, Thailand helps us. (May 20, 1997, Staff of Women's Friendship Group, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province)


V. Need for More Awareness

12. La: I would like to tell everyone that before they get married, they should get their blood checked to see whether they are HIV positive or not. Because before I got married, I did not get my blood checked. After being married for 3,4 years, my husband passed away. He used to be a house painter. He was 21 years old when he died. He was sick for about a year before he died.(May 22, 1997 Pongsanok Village, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province)


13. Narumon Buayen: This is my personal opinion. I am a normal housewife. 7 to 8 years ago, I married a man and I had no knowledge about AIDS. I did not know what my husband would bring to me. However, I got HIV from him. Now up to this point, I think that if the government or any relevant party created awareness or knowledge about AIDS, we women would not be in this situation of having AIDS. To us, it is a bad fate to have HIV or AIDS. I couldn't really describe it but we understand each other very well. The best thing we can do now is to accept our fate and try to help ourselves as best as we can. I think that the concerned parties should seriously deal with our problems, our needs and our feelings, not just setting up the policies which are not practical. I would like them to be more responsible to us.(May 20, 1997, Coordinator for the Women's Friendship Group, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province)


VI. Need for Mutual Aid and Support

14. Jansom Chayantoo: When I first found out that I had HIV, I had a baby. I needed friends who understood each other. I was discouraged from asking for baby food from the hospital. But when I looked around at the other people with HIV/AIDS, I found that they had to struggle more than myself. I would like all concerned parties and relevant offices to come and have a closer look at our problems and to be more serious about solving these problems. (May 20, 1997, Staff of Women's Friendship Group, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province)


15. Sukanya Wongseangin: I feel that people who have HIV/AIDS are able to help other people who have HIV/AIDS better than those who don't. I would like people to help campaign about AIDS. It is a serious problem. There is now no effective medicine but now the most important thing is the encouragement from people around us who care for us. Encouragement is very important for us. Please do not discriminate against us. (May 20, 1997, Representative for the Mae On Relationship Group, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province)


16. Tongpian: I have been invited to give talks on this subject [to give information and to educate people about AIDS]. Nowadays, I intend to devote the rest of my life to help society and wish that society would give us some encouragement and understanding and not discrimination. I personally need some money for my children. Whatever and however people feel like helping us is much appreciated. (May 20, 1997, First Widow to join the Women's Friendship Group, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province)


17. Lamai Kamtan: Before I had AIDS, I only thought about myself and did everything for myself. Now after I have AIDS, there has been many people helping me and giving me encouragement. I would like to do the same thing for others. I would like to give them opportunity. Having AIDS helped me to see further into life. I used to take, now I want to give. I do meditation and it helps me to feel better and to be more mentally healthy. After I help other people, I feel proud of myself. I feel good and that makes me happy. The happiness that I feel from helping other sick people helps improve my mental condition. When other people with HIV/AIDS feel better, I feel better also. I wish that people would care for people who have less opportunity in life. I would like Thai people to be more positive than in the past. (May 20, 1997, Member of the Clear Sky Project, Doi Saket District,Chiang Mai Province)


18. Somchai: I think it is the nature of human beings to make their lives better and to help themselves. For their babies, they need a center to take care of them because the "normal" nursery schools will not admit them. They are afraid that our children will bite their children. For the widows group, I see them as women helping other women to live better lives; to survive; to be mentally healthy. They want to support each other to be able to survive in the society better. They help society by taking care of each other. (May 20, 1997, Staff of the Clear Sky Project, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province)


VIII. Need for Non-discriminatory Institutions

19. Sriwai Kantamoon: My main problem is social acceptance of my chidren when they attend their school. I also encounter discrimination within the sewing group in my community. HIV negative people are afraid of me using their toilet or drinking their water. For my child, they are afraid that my child will bite the other children. They want me to take my child to have his blood checked but the doctor refused, giving the reason that my baby is not strong enough to get his blood checked. (May 20, 1997, Vice President of the Mae On Relationship Group, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province)


IX. Everyone is Involved

20. (Health Practitioner) Weaodow Buaprasertying: The problem of AIDS is not only a concern of people living with AIDS but also a problem for every individual in our community. Everyone should give a hand to help address the many problems related to HIV/AIDS: government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and all other sectors and individuals in our society. Moreover, PWAs are not disabled people. They are "normal" people with skills. Some of them are better at enriching the community for understanding of PWAs than any one else. We need everyone's cooperation. (May 23, 1997, head of the AIDS division at Doi Saket Hospital, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province).



From the Author
From May 19 through May 23, 1997, I had the opportunity to listen to the real life stories of people living with HIV/AIDS. I was impressed by their frankness and willingness to share their very personal experiences with a complete stranger. Each individual made a lasting impression on me. Their strength and motivation to live each day to its fullest and to contribute to their society was truly inspirational at the very least. I would not only like to share this valuable experience with others, but more importantly, I would like to do something for them in this very small way. With the permission of each, I am posting their statements in hopes that the audience will "listen" to their voices and incorporate them into any future policies which may be developed in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Akiko Otani

Back to the Women and Development Online Information Page

女性と開発オンライン情報プロジェクトへ戻る