World Aids Day was celebrated by the gay community in Patong Beach

The Phuket Loves You club joined together with the bars and gay businesses in the Paradise complex to mark World AIDS day on Saturday 1st December. They adopted the world Health organisation’s world theme of “Getting to Zero” which they identified 3 main areas to focus on over the coming years:

• Zero New infections from HIV
• Zero Deaths from HIV
• Zero Discrimination of people with HIV

The day started with a screening of the Thai film ‘Living with the tiger’ an intimate and moving story about a group of HIV infected orphans in Thailand that have been abandoned by society.

In the evening there was a street party in Soi Paradise, which included a street parade by My Way bar carrying giant red Worlds AIDS day ribbons throughout the street and street shows by some of the bars. At 11.30pm there was a candle light vigil, with over 200 people holding candles in the street, all the bars turned off their music and main lights to allow everyone to remember those that have died from HIV and to think about those who live with HIV. This was followed by a helium balloon release with 200 red balls being released into the sky.

All the businesses in Soi Paradise were decorated with red cloths and balloons and everyone was wearing the World AIDS Day ribbons from which donations made for these, plus the other events on the evening, raised over 30,000 Baht for HIV Charities.

During the evening a large group of volunteers from Andaman Power were in the Soi giving out free condoms and leaflets on Safe sex and HIV. Along with some street games there was also a ‘red balloon pop’ game, held at James Dean & friends bar, which for a small donation people popped a balloon and won prizes from free bottles of beer to hotel stays, one hour massages, and meals for 2, all of these top prizes were donated by local businesses, including Aquarius Guest House & Sauna, Adonis Guest House, Fong Kaew Mansions, Blue Dolphin Massage, My Way bar, Rendezvous Hotel, Sundowners Group and Bistro restaurant.

The whole day’s events costs were sponsored by cash donations from Boat Bar, Absolute Vodka and the Tangmo group

Ian Philips the Chairman said “I am delighted that so many people attended and took part during the day, the coming together of all the Gay businesses in Patong, clearly demonstrated the commitment we all have to getting Phuket to Zero”

For pictures of the event see our gallery: World AIDs Day 2012. You can download a copy of the press release here