Fridae

Phra Alongkot Tikhapanyo is abbot of Wat Phra Baat Nam Phu in Lopburi, considered to be Thailand's largest hospice for people with AIDS. Having his support, then, would be of great help to the beleaguered producers of V-1 Immunitor, the so-called miracle cure for AIDS that has been making headlines for over a month. The Abbot, however, appears to be luke-warm on the product, according to a report in the Bangkok Post.

The Abbot said that he believed in the good intentions of the inventor and distributor of the concoction, but that's a far cry from hailing it as a cure. As long as it is given away for free, though, and does no harm to those who take it, he said it was "worth trying." That said, he was willing to allow it to be distributed at his temple.

Police General Salang Bunnag, who runs the foundation that produces V-1 Immunitor, was at the temple a few days ago with his crew, handing out 3-week supplies to 1,000 HIV-positive recipients.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the substance registered with the government have been plagued by setbacks. Equipment didn't meet government standards, and the recipe called for more dye to color the pills than the Food and Drug Administration allows. The Foundation continues to try to pass the tests, however, and register its invention.