Mechai Viravaidya
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Mechai Viravaidya (born 1941) is a politician and activist in Thailand who has popularized condoms in that country.
Mechai was born and educated in Australia. His mother is Scottish and is father is Thai. In the mid 1960s he came to Thailand and started to work in population control, emphasizing condoms. In 1973 he left government and founded a private organization ("Population and Community Development Association") to continue the work. Among other things, he founded a restaurant chain called "Cabbage and Condoms". He doubled his efforts when AIDS appeared in Thailand, in the mid 1980s. Initially his message fell on deaf ears, but after a military coup in 1991, he was made minister for tourism, information and AIDS. He was able to start a large and quite successful education campaign.
Since the 1970s, Mechai has been affectionately known as "Mr. Condom", and condoms are often referred to as "mechais" in Thailand.
Mechai has served as senator from 1987 until 1991; as of 2004 he is again senator. He was deputy minister of industry from 1985 to 1986.
External links
- Curriculum Vitae of Mechai Viravaidya (http://www.sli.unimelb.edu.au/pda/drmechai.htm)