Launching Adams Love the first official on-line health campaign in ASEAN for gay men

Bangkok September 6, 2011 The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre takes a proactive stance by being the first in ASEAN to launch Adams Love, an on-line communication campaign via www.adamslove.org. The edutainment website aims to encourage MSM [Men who have Sex with Men] in Thailand to adopt safer sexual practices and get HIV tested every 3 months. Nearly 3 in 10 MSM in Bangkok (29.1%) are HIV-infected due to ignorance regarding the importance of health checks. The first on-line campaign in ASEAN aims to use social media channels to reach out to MSM and encourage them to adopt preventive health practices. The Thai Red Cross also unveiled Chaiwat Tob Thongsang, a Thai actor starring in the world-renowned film Bangkok Love Story, as its first campaign ambassador. Prof. Emeritus Dr. Praphan Phanuphak, the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centres director, revealed that there are approximately 20,000 new HIV-infected people each year in Thailand. Two thirds of them are gay men, due mainly to the fact that they do not take proper care of their health, which leads to an increased chance of spreading the virus to others. We have been putting effort into finding a way to reduce the HIV infection rate in Thailand, especially among gay men who are prime candidates. The Adams Love campaign was initiated in the hope that it will encourage MSM to take better care of themselves. The www.adamslove.org website was designed to be an online community for gay men where we can communicate interesting and relevant contents within an edutainment format, said Dr. Praphan. We sincerely hope that the Adams Love campaign will become part of their life and help them overcome ignorance, fear and prejudice. Further, we hope that they will eventually adopt safer sexual practices and come to receive medical services from the Thai Red Cross Societys Anonymous Clinic. HIV/AIDS is an international problem which we need to address. All of us involved in the campaign would like to see significant positive changes in the society regarding this important issue.

The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre: Three tenths of Gay Thai Men are HIV-Infected

The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre: Three tenths of Gay Thai Men are HIV-Infected Launching Adams Love the first official on-line health campaign in ASEAN for gay men Page 2

Adamslove.org offers useful information in an entertaining way. It features attractive fashion photography designed to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and testing, a preventive approach regarding safer sex practices, getting tested every 3 months, love and relationship articles, positive living attitudes for HIV-infected MSM, interviews with celebrities, over 60 expert advice videos, and a real-time chat room on health advice.

Adams Love has also been supported by Thai entertainment media and star icons to help campaign to reduce prejudice in Thai society. The campaign launch features a 30-second TV commercial by the eminent Thai director Marut Sarovart. It also works with Attitude, a gay lifestyle magazine, for a fashion shooting with the Adams Love first ambassador. To kick-off the Adams Love campaign, the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre is implementing a privileged membership program to inspire MSM to get tested. The first 200 Thai MSM (Adams) who get tested at the Anonymous Clinic will receive a free Adam Club Card membership to get a 20% discount for all medical services and other privileges. More details can be found at www.adamslove.org. ###
Campaign Organizer: Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre - the first organization in Thailand to set up an Anonymous Clinic offering free HIV testing for Thai citizens, medications, research, prevention, treatment, support and care for HIV/AIDS infected. The Thai Red Cross Society, amfAR the Foundation for AIDS Research and TREAT Asia (Therapeutics Research, Education, and AIDS Training in Asia) Aziam Burson-Marsteller Co., Ltd. Attitude Magazine Thailand and G Space TV ARTAIDS, AIDS TB and STIs Control Division Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, The Government Pharmaceutical Organization, Department of Disease Control The Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, UNAIDS, The HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT), South East Asia Research Collaboration with Hawaii (SEARCH), Wednesday Friends Club, and Thai Australian Collaboration in HIV Nutrition Supported by S&P Syndicate Public Company Limited

Official Sponsors: Official PR Supplier: Official Media Partners: Affiliates and Collaborators:

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Aziam Burson-Marsteller Co., Ltd. Nuanpan Kitirath 08 1110 3552 Ampika Jarusonbut 08 1837 5869 Adams Love Manager Chattiya Nitpolprasert 08 9908 9908