Also yesterday, the national HIV/Aids committee endorsed a new four-year plan aimed primarily at curbing the rising infection rate in certain groups of the population.

The Kingdom's UN appointment recognises the country's success in fighting the virus, said Public Health permanent secretary Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot.

The UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board is a 22-country decision- and policy-making group.

Sweden steps down as board chair in June next year, and Thailand's leadership will be for three years. "This is the first time an Asian country has headed a world-level HIV/Aids policy body," Prat said.

The majority of member countries are from Europe and the Americas.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla is today attending the 12th special Asean summit on HIV/Aids cooperation in the Philippines.

It is expected to declare a new HIV/Aids action plan.

The main focus will be the promotion of joint participation between people living with HIV/Aids and society to better fight the epidemic.

In addition, Thailand's national HIV/Aids committee yesterday endorsed a new four-year plan, Mongkol said.

The plan includes the role local administrations play in providing HIV/Aids treatment, care and prevention.

New prevention campaigns will target specific groups showing rising infection rates such as teenagers and homosexuals.

The 2006 HIV/Aids assessment showed rising infection rates in these groups and in women contracting the virus from their husbands.

This year, the cumulative number of HIV/Aids-infected people in the country will reach 1.1 million - half of whom are living.

New infections this year are expected to number 14,000.

However, Mongkol said new infections were expected to rise in the future, especially among sex workers, where infection rates had risen to 35 per 1,000 from 23 per 1,000.

Arthit Khwankhom

The Nation