Thailand now ranks number four in the world in terms of most AIDS patients per head of population. The country is vulnerable to AIDS for a number of reasons. First, in rural areas, education levels are low. The majority of farmers complete only four to six years of primary school education. They lack any real knowledge of how to protect themselves against STDs or AIDS. For this reason, the highest risk group for AIDS in Thailand is heterosexual farmers.

Second, it has long been in the Thai culture for men to sleep with prostitutes. Going to a brothel in Thailand is invariably the last stop during an alcoholic night out among male friends. The majority of the temple's female patients are wives who contracted HIV from their husbands who visited prostitutes. This, in turn, leads to HIV-positive children, whose lives rarely extend past 5 years. This is the true tragedy of AIDS, that such innocent children must end their lives in such torture and pain.

Third, despite rigid social customs, Thailand is a society where conservative appearances are deceiving. Drug use is rampant and there is virtually no education towards the use of needles.

Finally, government support for AIDS patients is negligible. It is the government's policy to have families care for AIDS sufferers; but this is a Catch-22 situation, since families are afraid of ''catching AIDS'' simply by being around the patient.

With gracious donations from the Thai Royal Family, the Supreme Patriach of the Buddhist faith, businesses and everyday people, the temple soon started to grow in size. It now has 400 beds and a waiting list of 10,000. The hospice on the temple grounds, known as Bahn Walailak, has 35 beds for patients who have become too sick, and is a place for their final days.

The temple is in the shape of a big oval. Around the perimeter is housing for HIV and AIDS sufferers. In the middle is the new gas compressor crematorium. There is also a meeting hall, where you can hear Dr Alongkot speak or watch the HIV Band play. Bahn Walailak is situated towards the rear of the temple compound. Currently a new structure is being built which will include a care center for children with HIV.

Outside of this, there are sports fields. At 6 pm every night, there are aerobics. Many of the healthier patient take this time to run laps around the crematorium. Then at 7 pm, there is a meditation class.