Campaigning for affordable medicines

Thailand is home to around 800,000 people living with HIV and AIDS.

Drugs to help treat those with the virus can cost as much as double the average Thai monthly salary.

  The new drugs are expensive. People on my income can't afford to buy them. I get depressed and stressed when I think about it. I have no choice, I want to survive. I need these drugs.

Irsa (not his real name)

How Oxfam is helping

We support the Thai government’s national HIV and AIDS treatment programme to provide cheap, generic drugs to those in need. We also provide training on how to prevent and treat the disease, as well as counselling to those diagnosed as HIV-positive.

We continue to campaign globally for a change to world trade rules on drug patents which put essential medicines beyond the reach of poor people.

Learn more

Read more examples of our work in Thailand:

• Development
• Emergencies

Focus on sustainability

Half of Thailand's population of 30 million people relies on farming and fishing for their livelihood. Many are trapped in cycles of debt and are vulnerable to natural disasters and changes in supply and demand.

How Oxfam is helping

We provide training and tools to farmers to help them have the means and skills to make a decent living. We also give Thai farmers advice on marketing their goods so that they can sell them for a fair price.

  What we would like to achieve is sustainability. Our next step is to encourage farmers to diversify their crops so that they do not risk their investment on only a single crop.

Chumchuan, Director of Oxfam partner ISAC (Institute for Sustainable Agriculture Community)

Other development work

• Campaigning for better labour rights for workers

Oxfam's work in Thailand in depth

Tsunami Crisis

The tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 caused widespread devastation across parts of coastal Thailand.

• 8,500 people lost their lives
• Massive destruction of property across southern provinces

How Oxfam is helping

Our four-year tsunami response will last until 2008, helping the worst affected rebuild their lives.

  "We had nothing left to make a living. No boat, no fishing gear. [Oxfam's] revolving fund helped us to get our occupation back.

Saowanee, tsunami survivor, Pakbara

Find out more about the situation and our tsunami response

Learn more

Oxfam's work in Thailand in depth