Friends, Wives and Extramarital Sex in Thailand: A Qualitative Study of Peer and Spousal Influence on Thai Male Extramarital Sexual Behavior and Attitudes

Commercial sex workers were among the first groups to be widely infected by the AIDS virus in Thailand, and the epidemic is now spreading rapidly among the men who visit them. The next wave of the epidemic will be the sexual partners of these clients of commercial sex workers, i.e., the clients' wives and girlfriends. To understand and reduce the spread of the AIDS virus in Thailand, it is essential to incorporate the social dynamics of the sexual networks underlying the epidemic.

The researchers use qualitative data (focus group and individual interview transcripts) to explore social influences on Thai male extramarital sexual behavior. They focus on the competing influences of close friends and spouses on extramarital liaisons between married Thai men and their extramarital partners. The authors explore how perceptions of male extramarital sex differ among men and women, and by type of extramarital partner. They also examine how norms and social influences on male extramarital sex vary across residential areas.

Data used: Qualitative data from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews.