Thailand will launch a nationwide campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS after the end of the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, local newspaper said Wednesday.

The campaign, which will kick off soon after the International AIDS Conference on July 11-16, will mainly focus on youth and employers, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying.

Teenagers' ignorance on condom use has become a prime concern of health authorities of the country.

A survey of the Public Health Ministry shows that about one-third of the youth were not using condoms during sexual encounterslargely due to their confidence in their partners.

Youths aged between 14-25 will be specially targeted in the campaign, which will invite pop idols and singers to alert them tothe dangers of HIV/AIDS.

Young people are at greatest risk of infection, especially female teenagers who appeared more likely to engage in premarital sexual relationships than earlier generations, the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS said in a report released Tuesday.

Director General of the Disease Control Department Charal Trinvuthipong said more condom vending machines will be installed across the country, especially near secondary schools.

At present, 7,000 machines have been installed in the country with 5,000 of them in Bangkok.

The campaign will also encourage factories to employ more AIDS-infected workers and raise their awareness that the AIDS virus could not be transmitted easily.

In Asia, an estimated 7.4 million people are living with HIV and around half a million are believed to have died of AIDS in 2003. Last year, Asia reported 1.1 million newly infection, compared with a global record of less than 5 million.

Source: Xinhua