Compiled by the UN Children’s Fund （UNICEF）， the new study -- Situational Analysis of Young People at High Risk of HIV Exposure in Thailand -- collected data from some 2，000 young people， including men who have sex with men， transgender persons， females who exchange sex for money， migrant workers and people who inject drugs in four provinces.

The highest number of sexually transmitted infections （STIs） and unwanted pregnancies in Thailand are among 15-24 years old， suggesting that safe sex messages are not reaching this age group.

The study showed a new rise in HIV and sexually transmitted infections （STI） cases， especially among young people， with 70 per cent of all STI cases occurring in this age group and that around 41 per cent of new HIV infections in Thailand are among men who have sex with men.

In contrast， among venue-based female sex workers in Thailand， HIV prevalence decreased from 2.8 per cent in 2008 to 1.8 per cent in 2011. However， the study pointed out that sex workers are more likely to use condoms with clients than with their regular partners.

UNICEF says it believes that Thailand urgently needs more effective protection measures and appropriate testing and treatment programmes for young people in order to curb rising infection rates for HIV and STI. These programs， however， will need to be designed at the community level， with the involvement of young people themselves， so that they meet their specific needs.