It was a normal day in the office for the staff at Siam-Care Bangkok. However, today was a little different as, without knowing, a taxi adorning bright pink livery pulled up to our office.
None of the staff could recognise the driver when he walked through our doors, and if he had been driving on the road, you would think he is a normal person just like anyone else – but this man was special. It took Paew, our Prison Work Coordinator, a minute to recognise him. For his protection, we will call him Samarn.
A sudden turn
Samarn was a prisoner who is infected with HIV in the Bangkok Prison Hospital when he was introduced to Siam-Care many years ago. The reason our Prison Work Coordinator could not recognise him was because Samarn was in such a bad shape at the time they first met. “I was in a bad shape, I was almost dead,” recalled Samarn to our staff, “but because you came in to help, I got better.”
Samarn went on to recall how he regained hope and the motivation to live on after Siam-Care’s awareness and prison counselling program. He now has his own taxi to make a living on, and has come to offer his services to the staff of Siam-Care.
Siam-Care Prison Awareness and Counselling Program
The awareness and counselling provided by Siam-Care to the HIV infected prisoners in Bangkok not only provides the hope and a fighting chance at life for people, but it also proves how someone like Samarn can turn his life around to become a vibrant and productive member of the society.
