A referendum of sorts was held in Lang Nern community in tambon Nong Preu of Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district last Friday. The issue at stake is not about politics but one which is emotional and sensitive. It concerns a local charity organisation, the Glory Hut Foundation, which is sheltering 48 HIV patients in the community.
The residents cast 131 votes to demand the foundation remove the shelter and its 48 HIV patients from the community within six months, against 30 votes cast in favour of allowing the patients to stay on.
For the time being, it appears the Glory Hut Foundation has little choice but to accept the decision of the majority, despite the fact the charity organisation has made contributions to the community such as teaching English to local children and making donations, according to the foundation's spokeswoman.
She said the foundation cannot afford the rental fees if the shelter is to be moved elsewhere.
Residents of the community who want the HIV patients to move out claim they do not hate the patients but cannot allow them to stay on because their presence has affected local business, especially local rents.
They claim to have received many cancellations, as people do not want to stay there.
Relocating the Aids shelter may help solve the problem in the Lang Nern community. But there is no guarantee the shelter will not face the same opposition from residents in other communities as long as the public still harbours prejudice against the disease.
A lack of communication between charity organisations and the communities is another problem. In this particular case, Lang Nern residents claimed the charity foundation was not transparent and brought the patients into their community without seeking their consent.
One community leader claimed the foundation promised to introduce music lessons for the children but instead brought in the HIV patients.
Although HIV/Aids has been spreading in this country for more than 30 years and has taken tens of thousands of lives, it appears many people still do not understand the disease and believe they can be easily infected through casual contact, which is untrue.
The lack of understanding may stem from poor education campaigns.
Campaign posters against HIV/Aids which dotted almost every major street corner many years ago have since disappeared, probably due a shortage of money or officials' complacency.
The virus is still spreading and killing indiscriminately as many Thai youth indulge in unprotected sex.
Although patients can now live a longer and normal life given the state's provision of the necessary drug regimen, a renewed education campaign would help slow the spread of the disease, prevent our youth from being infected, and help tackle prejudice against people with HIV/Aids.
The Lang Nern community's HIV patients may be desperate for a new home but the situation is not completely hopeless.
The Thai Network of People Living with Aids and the Disease Control Department have stepped in to solve the conflict between the foundation and the community residents.
Hopefully, a compromise solution can be worked out so the two can co-exist peacefully and with mutual understanding.