Activists urge police to end HIV ban on recruits

2026-03-26 - 13:10

BANGKOK — HIV advocacy groups gathered outside the Royal Thai Police headquarters on Wednesday to demand the removal of a regulation that bars people living with HIV from joining the police force. Representatives from the Thailand Network of People Living with HIV and the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice submitted a petition addressed to national police chief Kitrat Phanphet, calling for the repeal of a 2023 Police Civil Service Commission rule that lists HIV/AIDS as a disqualifying condition. The groups said the regulation is discriminatory and outdated, arguing it denies qualified individuals opportunities based solely on their health status. They noted that advances in medical treatment allow people living with HIV to lead normal lives and work effectively. Citing the scientific principle of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), the groups said individuals undergoing continuous treatment with undetectable viral loads cannot transmit the virus to others through daily activities or workplace contact. They also argued the rule contradicts Section 27 of Thailand’s Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on health grounds, as well as national goals to end AIDS and international standards set by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. The groups called for the immediate removal of HIV from the list of prohibited conditions, revisions to recruitment criteria in line with human rights and modern science, and efforts to reduce stigma within the police force. The protest featured performances, including a live art display symbolising the exposure of hidden prejudice, before demonstrators moved to the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road to file a complaint with the Ombudsman seeking a review of the regulation.