U.S. embassy official visits Pattaya’s SWING Foundation

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SWING Director Surang Janyam welcomes the U.S. embassy’s Acting Deputy Chief of Mission James Wayman, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn and guests to the Service Workers in Group Foundation office.

The U.S. embassy’s No. 2 official paid a visit to the Pattaya-based transgender support organization to review works supported by previous American donations and to congratulate the health center’s community health workers now newly certified to provide HIV services for key populations.



Acting Deputy Chief of Mission James Wayman was joined by Pattaya Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn for a tour of the Service Workers in Group Foundation office on Soi 14. SWING Director Surang Janyam welcomed them.

SWING’s main mission is to facilitate access to healthcare services for the LGBT community, with a primary focus on HIV and AIDS treatment.


Certified by the Division of AIDS and STIs, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, the seven community health workers can now provide quality HIV services for key populations, including men who have sex with men, transgender women, and sex workers in Pattaya.

The organization does a lot more, however, including assisting transgender entertainment workers during the coronavirus pandemic, providing occupational training and more.

The charity derives nearly all of its income from donations and fundraisers and has been supported in the past by the U.S. embassy.

Through projects funded by USAID – US Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government supports partners such as Service Workers In Group (SWING) and the Royal Thai Government in their efforts to end AIDS in Thailand.



Wayman (left) receives a briefing on the work done at the SWING foundation.



The Pattaya-based transgender support organization Service Workers in Group Foundation (SWING) is located on Soi 14.