Thailand has set the global standard for how a country can effectively respond to AIDS and as a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has initiated policies, which have changed the region’s approach to HIV. From the very first time I visited, I was impressed by the country’s dynamic response to the AIDS epidemic. In the early 1990s, when many countries were still in denial, Thailand made HIV prevention a priority. The leadership, backed by a grass-roots movement, sparked a large-scale HIV information campaign, popularized the use of condoms and showed the world what can be achieved when political commitment meets bold action. New HIV infections have fallen dramatically, from more than 140 000 in 1990 to 8200 in 2013. As the epidemic evolves, Thailand continues to break new frontiers.