Mechai Viravaidya is the owner of the popular restaurant chain Cabbage and Condoms and he is credited with being the person who single-handedly introduced safe sex to Thailand. Once one of the world's hotspots for AIDS, Thailand has more than successfully brought safe-sex campaigns into the bars and the red light districts. When the Aids epidemic struck, the hugely popular Cabbage and Condoms restaurants freely distributed millions of condoms and gained the support of bureaucrats and law enforcement officials. In 1974, this son of two doctors created the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), one of Asia’s largest and most successful not for profit corporations. Viravaidya has continued to freely distribute condoms and to promote safe sex education programs with everyone from Thai leaders to workers in Bangkok’s notorious red light district. I enjoyed a great dinner at a Cabbage and Condoms Restaurant located between Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. The theme restaurant was decorated with lighting made of condoms and posters about safe sex hung from the walls. When my bill was delivered, condoms took the place of breath mints. On the way out, there was a full size mannequin holding a golf club made out of condoms with a sign that read, “I hope Tiger used them.” Of course, Tiger Woods is one of the most famous Thai people of all time. When in Bangkok, put this place on your list for sure! It’s not only a cool, fun spot, but educational as well, and the food is reasonably priced and incredibly tasty!
Make sure you make it to Cabbage and Condoms when you are in Bangkok. Click on the following link to get directions and more information about Cabbage and Condoms ~ http://www.pda.or.th/restaurant/about.asp
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