THE STUDY DESCRIBED HERE WAS DESIGNED TO PILOT TEST PROMISING METHODS OF COLLECTING MORE VALID BEHAVIORAL SURVEILLANCE DATA IN THE GENERAL POPULATION IN THAILAND.SPECIFICALLY, AN INEXPENSIVE, RELATIVELY PRIVATE METHOD OF QUESTIONNAIRE SELF-ADMINISTRATION WAS INITIATED AND TWO-STAGE SAMPLING WAS USED TO OBTAIN REPRESENTATIVE POPULATIONS. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN NAKHONSAWAN PROVINCE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE LOWER NORTH OF THAILAND. NAKHONSAWAN IS NOT A PROVINCE CHARACTERIZED
BY HIGH HIV PREVALENCE [1]. HOWEVER, ITS PREDOMINANTLY RURAL POPULATION REFLECTS THE DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION OUTSIDE OF THAILAND’S MAJOR URBAN AREAS WHILE ITS PROVINCIAL CAPITAL REFLECTS THE KINDS OF ACTIVITY COMMON TO UPCOUNTRY CITIES IN THAILAND, SERVING AS A CENTER FOR EDUCATION, LOCAL LABOR MIGRATION AND ENTERTAINMENT, INCLUDING VENUES SUCH AS MASSAGE PARLORS AND KARAOKE BARS. THIS STUDY HELPS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR HIV PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND PROVIDES DATA ABOUT
SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIORS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE UPPER NORTH EPICENTER.