A community in Chon Buri has voted to expel a charity that is housing 48 HIV-positive patients in a care facility there, NGO officials said yesterday.
Officials at The Glory Hut Foundation, which helps care for HIV patients, said community heads told the charity to leave because its presence is affecting land values and business.
Residents of Lang Nern community, Moo 3 of tambon Nong Prue in Bang Lamung district, voted 131 to 30 to expel the HIV patients and foundation staff from the neighbourhood yesterday, according to the foundation's Facebook page.
The page posting said the foundation had been told to move out within six months.
"They are asking us to leave despite the fact that we donate them our excess goods and teach their children English," said Chanchanok Khamtong, a spokeswoman for the charity.
She said the charity has run out of money, so is unable to move out of the rented building immediately.
"We simply don't have the funds to move anywhere else," said Ms Chanchanok.
"We're not disturbing the residents. We just want to help care for our patients."
Officials from Chon Buri municipality said they would find better accommodation for the foundation.
Community chairman Wichien Weruwan told local media the locals do not hate the HIV patients.