Under the CODE Component 2 project, supported by the Elton John AIDS Foundation, testBKK continued to strengthen HIV awareness, testing uptake, and PrEP demand among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people through creative digital outreach and sustained community engagement.
So far, the testBKK campaign has achieved impressive reach and tangible impact:
- 27,654 LGBTQ+ individuals were referred for or received HIV testing following direct enquiries generated from testBKK campaigns.
- 3,257 community members were referred to or initiated PrEP services, demonstrating growing trust and awareness of prevention options.
- 4,691 enquiries were received on HIV testing information, while 2,183 individuals sought guidance on PrEP, showing strong engagement with online resources and peer channels.
- 8 Regular City Task Force meetings were organised to coordinate response efforts among community partners, healthcare providers, and local authorities, ensuring services remain accessible and youth-friendly.
By combining relatable storytelling, digital platforms, and on-ground coordination, testBKK continues to lead by example—bridging online curiosity with real-world prevention services and building healthier, informed LGBTQ+ communities across Thailand.
From Online Curiosity to Real-World Action
In a region where digital spaces have become lifelines for information, community connection, and health access, testBKK continues to prove the power of online engagement in driving meaningful public health impact. Under CODE Component 2, the campaign has deepened its reach among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people, translating digital interaction into real-world HIV prevention outcomes.
Between January and September 2025, testBKK successfully referred or connected 27,654 LGBTQ+ individuals to HIV testing services following enquiries made through the campaign’s platforms. These results reflect not just numbers, but a growing culture of health-seeking behaviour among young LGBTQ+ people who are increasingly turning to digital spaces for trusted, non-judgmental guidance.
The campaign also recorded 3,257 people referred to or initiated on PrEP services, underscoring its growing influence as a digital bridge between awareness and access. Meanwhile, testBKK received 4,691 enquiries about HIV testing and 2,183 enquiries on PrEP, marking a steady rise in engagement across its website, chatbots, and social media channels. These touchpoints have become critical avenues for connecting individuals with friendly service providers and accurate, up-to-date health information.
Beyond digital outreach, testBKK continued to strengthen collaboration through regular City Task Force meetings held in Bangkok. These meetings brought together representatives from community-based organisations, health facilities, and local stakeholders to address service gaps, coordinate outreach efforts, and ensure testing and PrEP services remain accessible and inclusive.
Through relatable storytelling, creative visuals, and data-driven content strategies, testBKK’s online campaigns continue to break stigma and normalise conversations about HIV prevention and sexual health. By bridging digital engagement with on-ground service access, testBKK exemplifies the heart of APCOM’s Community-Led Digital Advocacy model, where technology amplifies community voices, empowers informed choices and turns awareness into action.As part of its ongoing effort to keep the community informed about emerging prevention options, testBKK also launched educational content on Lenacapavir, the new long-acting PrEP injection that represents the next evolution of HIV prevention. The article — “Lenacapavir: The New Era of PrEP” — helps readers understand how this innovation could reshape the future of HIV prevention and access.
As the campaign prepares to scale up its next phase, the lessons from CODE Component 2 reaffirm a simple but powerful truth: when communities lead with empathy, creativity, and data, digital advocacy can transform lives, one message, one click, and one connection at a time.
TestBKK is part of the larger TestXXX initiative. TestXXX is designed to empower the existing community-based clinics to reach wider young gay men audience and to generate more promising behaviour change by harnessing the power of cutting-edge communications and creativity that resonates with today’s culture of young people, such as the popular use of mobile sexual networking apps and other online platforms to regularly find new sexual partners . TestXXX tailors strong and provocative messaging to dissociate HIV testing with fear, stigma and/or discrimination. TestXXX employs and integrates online and offline outreach strategies to ensure that young gay men sustainably access HIV prevention and treatment cascade. This community-led model, with technical support from APCOM has been adapted by our community partners in the region including in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The CODE Strategies Project strengthens HIV responses and human rights advocacy for LGBTQI+ communities across Asia-Pacific through online and digital innovations. Implemented by APCOM Foundation and partners across six countries, the project mobilises community-led digital demand-generation and rights-monitoring platforms to advance health equity, safety, and inclusion.
