News World Know the Condom King of Thailand, Mechai Viravaidya

Know the Condom King of Thailand, Mechai Viravaidya

Bangkok: Mechai Viravaidya is famous in Thailand, a national hero in the war against AIDS. He has led one of the world's most successful campaigns against HIV infections. Viravaidya was born in Thailand to a



He tried to break the taboo surrounding AIDS from the very start, by making his education campaign fun.



Among other things, he held condom blowing contests for school children, encouraged taxi cab drivers to hand out condoms to their customers, and founded a restaurant chain called Cabbages and Condoms where condoms, rather than mints or fortune cookies, are given to customers together with the bill.

This is one of several places in Bangkok where poor women can receive pregnancy termination, a practice which is legal in the country per Section 305 of the Thailand penal code, but often perceived as illegal.

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