Background
Mechai was born in Bangkok to a Scottish mother and a Thai father, both of whom were doctors and had met when studying in Edinburgh.
Mechai was born in Bangkok to a Scottish mother and a Thai father, both of whom were doctors and had met when studying in Edinburgh.
Mechai was educated in Australia at Geelong Grammar School and at Trinity College at the University of Melbourne, where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Since the 1970s, Mechai has been affectionately known as "Mr. Condom", and condoms are often referred as "mechais" in Thailand. From the time that he began his work, the average number of children in Thai families has decreased from 7 to 1.5.
He is one of four children.
In 1965, he returned to Thailand and started to work in family planning, emphasizing the use of condoms. In 1973, he left the civil service and founded a non-profit service organization, the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), to continue his efforts to improve the lives of the rural poor.
He used such events as holding condom blowing contests for school children, encouraging taxi drivers to hand out condoms to their customers, and founding a restaurant chain called Cabbages and Condoms, where condoms are given to customers with the bill. An interesting side note is the family planning clinic which openly operates next to the Cabbages and Condoms restaurant.
This is one of several places in Bangkok where poor women can receive pregnancy termination, a practice which is legal in the country per Section 305 of the Thailand penal code, but often perceived as illegal.
The clinic is permitted by the authorities due to the dangers of unsafe abortion by Thai women because of "economic difficulties". Mechai served as deputy minister of industry from 1985 to 1986 under prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda. He served as senator from 1987 until 1991.
During this time Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome appeared in Thailand, and he increased his efforts to promote sexual-safety awareness.
A military coup in 1991 installed prime minister Anand Panyarachun who then appointed Mechai minister for tourism, information and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. He was able to start a large and quite successful Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome education campaign and served until 1992. At that time he became the chairman of the Foundation for International Education, the non-profit organization that serves as the governing body of The National Institute of Standards and Technology International School.
Mechai continued to serve as the chair until stepping down in May, 2002. In 2004, Mechai again became a senator
As of 2007, he continues to oversee rural development and health initiatives as the Chairman of PDA, now the largest non-governmental organization in Thailand, with 600 employees and 12,000 volunteers.
This award came with funds of $1,000,000.