NationThailand-Sept 13
Young people aged 15-24 account for as many as one in three new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in Thailand each year, highlighting a major challenge as the country works towards its goal of ending acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a public health problem by 2030. While Thailand has made substantial progress in HIV prevention and treatment, social stigma, limited awareness of individual HIV status and gaps between knowledge of sexual-health risks and actual behavior remain significant obstacles. HIV attacks the immune system, while AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. Thailand’s response has increasingly expanded beyond treatment towards prevention, while HIV-related health services and innovation are also becoming linked with the wellness economy, ranging from pharmaceuticals and diagnostics to specialist clinics, digital health services and prevention-related businesses. Data from the Department of Disease Control for 2026 showed that, by the third quarter, Thailand had recorded more than 565,018 people with HIV and 15,578 new infections. The largest age group was 25-49.
People living with HIV require antiretroviral treatment, while prevention options include pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which is taken before potential exposure to HIV. Prevention is also shifting from daily tablets towards long-acting PrEP, reducing the burden of taking medication every day and broadening the choices available to users. In September 2026, the Department of Disease Control announced preparations to introduce injectable Lenacapavir PrEP through a pilot prog covering 2,400 people at nine service sites towards the end of the year. Although Thailand’s overall HIV response has improved markedly compared with the past, the remaining challenge is increasingly centered on whether people know their HIV status, recognize their level of risk and feel able to seek services without fear of stigma, particularly among young people.
Kritsiam Arayawongchai, country program director for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Thailand, told Thansettakij that Thailand had once recorded more than 100,000 new HIV infections a year, compared with tens of thousands annually today. The decline reflects improvements in the country’s prevention and treatment system. However, HIV infection rates among LGBTQ+ people remain higher than among the general population, while people aged 15-24 account for as many as one in three new infections each year.’ Read more at:
https://www.nationthailand.com/health-wellness/40070971
