Siam-care

Siam-Care is a Non-Government Organisation, based in Bangkok, Thailand. The first cases of hiv in Thailand, in the early 1980s, were amongst drug users and represented the first of four waves in the development of HIV/AIDS. Following this, the problem of HIV/AIDS also started to invade the prison communities of Thailand as the drug users were arrested and imprisoned. As infected prisoners were released back into society, so brothels were infected. From there, family units throughout Thailand were infected; this final wave became apparent in the early 90’s. At that time a government report was produced on the impact of AIDS on families in Thailand and it was to this that the British charity, Christian Outreach, wanted to respond. With their initial support, Somsak Wiangyangkung, the former director of Siam-Care, with his wife, Adrienne Blomberg, started the project in 1991.

The vision of the project was to address the problems of HIV and AIDS in a practical way. Consequently, the first Home Based Care project in Bangkok was launched. The aim was to help HIV affected families and communities face the problems and take care of each other, rather than relying on outsiders.