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| Issue 2, 2009 |
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| Issue 1, 2009 |
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| Issue 3, 2008 |
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| Issue 2, 2008 |
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| Issue 4, 2007 |
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| Issue 3, 2007 |
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| Issue 2, 2007 |
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| Issue 1, 2007 |
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| Issue 4, 2006 |
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| Issue 3, 2006 |
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| Issue 2, 2006 |
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| Issue 1, 2006 |
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Issue 2, 2009
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Did You Know
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Can Do Bar & Cabbages And Condoms
Restaurant
The Can Do Bar run by the Empower Foundation in
Chiang Mai, Thailand is an ‘experimental dream-bar’
owned and operated by sex workers. It offers a space which
is fun, relaxed and non-judgmental with drinks, music,
dance and other performances. The bar has ample space
to sit and chat, and also a dance floor. The entire space is
used to give a new face to advocacy on sex workers’ rights
with slogans, messages, archives including posted letters,
t-shirts and so on. The sex workers at the bar have also
been involved in performing skits with messages such as
“check-point” which talked about safer sex through usage
of condoms. The bar offers a dynamic and activist space
disseminating information on sexuality.
In addition to all the entertainment, what is unique about
the bar is that it adheres to the Thai Labour Laws and the
recommended Occupational Health and Safety Standards.
Besides these the bar maintains high standards for physical
safety and well-being for its employees and visitors. Women
feel privileged to work here as the bar presents a fair and
safe working environment and offers social welfare as part
of employment, voluntary overtime which is fully paid, 10
paid holidays in addition to 13 public holidays in a year,
paid sick leave, no staff salary cuts, and staff are encouraged
to form a worker’s association or union. The staff have an 8
hour schedule with a 1 hour break for rest, as well as one
day off a week.
The best part about the bar is that it acknowledges sex
work as work, promotes rights of sex workers, encourages
an environment to talk freely about safer sex and sexuality
and is not guided by moralistic notions of sexuality and
sex work
The Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant was
established to support in part the activities of Population
& Community Development Association (PDA) a non-profit
organization founded in 1974 by Mechai Viravaidya,
the former Thai Minister of Health. The restaurants offer
a pleasant dining experience in several locations around
Thailand. They are currently in Bangkok, Pattaya and
Chiang Rai. Not only do these restaurants offer excellent
traditional Thai food and a selection of international
cuisines, but they also promote the health and safety
aspects of condom use in a fun and amusing manner. All
proceeds from the restaurants are used to fund the social
development programmes of PDA. PDA supports birth
control, environmental conservation, rural development
and AIDS awareness.
Cabbages and Condoms is the only restaurant in the
world dedicated to birth control. The restaurant was
conceptualised to promote better understanding and
acceptance of family planning. The idea was to make
condoms as common, easily available and accessible to all
as cabbages, in order to counter the population and health
related problems in Thailand.
The Cabbages and Condoms restaurant is uniquely
decorated with condoms from all over the world plus
messages and photos that support family planning. The
world’s largest collection of national brand condoms
is displayed on the walls. The restaurant has cartoons of
condoms for various trades and professions woven into
the fabric of the carpet which goes up the stairs in the
restaurant. Instead of after-dinner mints, there are bowls
of condoms located at the exits. The restaurant also has
a souvenir shop where rural Thai products as well as
souvenirs which promote information on family planning
are sold. The management proudly declares, “Our food
is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy”, a message that is
displayed on T-shirts and artefacts for sale. PDA uses the
money from sales for AIDS awareness, family planning,
preserving the environment, rural reconstruction, youth
development, and other laudable causes. So, next time you
are in Thailand, go to Cabbages and Condoms. It’s a fun
place to visit, eat some Condom Salad, and pick up gifts
for friends.
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