Community, Philanthropy, and Condoms with Mechai Varivaidya - Part One [Season 3, Episode 36]

In Thailand, there are plenty of household names, but not
many of them bring a smile and a twinkle to the eye the way that
"Mechai" does. If you're unfamiliar with Mechai Varivaidya,
you're missing out. Known as Mr. Condom, Mechai's career began in
the 1970s when he became famous for traveling around the country
giving out condoms - a truly unconventional (even controversial)
thing to do at the time. His tireless promotion of condoms,
family planning, and community health have made him a household
name in every corner of the Kingdom; indeed, if you ask for a
"Mechai" in 7-11, you will be given a box of condoms - a
distinction he's thoroughly proud of.


Khuh Mechai also founded the Population and
Community Development Association (PDA), one of
Thailand's largest NGOs, twice served as a senator, as Minister
of Tourism, and a number of other high profile private and
governmental roles too numerous to list here. In 2007 the PDA was
given the Gates Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in
recognition of its pioneering work in family planning and AIDS
prevention.


In part one of our interview with Khun Mechai -
delightfully feisty and sharp as a tack - we chat about his
condom nickname, how Thai culture's views on sex and family have
changed over the years, the best way to handle the ubiquity of
porn, and how he got help from the Buddhist clergy to support his
condom campaign.


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