May 4, 2007
About 30 AIDS activists rallied Thursday outside the US embassy in Bangkok to protest Washington's decision to place Thailand on a list of copyright violators. The US move came after Thailand took steps to issue compulsory licenses and break the patents of the American-made AIDS drugs Kaletra (Abbott Laboratories) and efavirenz (Merck & Co.) Some protestors carried signs declaring, "Evil USA, stop threatening access to treatment in Thailand." "Where is the concern for the dignity of human lives that the US always preaches about?" asked Nimit Tien-udom, director of AIDS Access Foundation. In addition, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont echoed earlier statements by his public health minister, Mongkol Na Songkhla, by saying the government will not back down. "We believe we will be able to explain the decision to the world community," Surayud said.