Half Of Thailand May Unknowingly Carry H. Pylori Bacteria

Dr. Jetsada Bunyavongvirooj, Deputy Director of Maha Racha Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, issued a warning about H. pylori, a bacterial infection of the stomach, via his Facebook page on July 2, 2026.

Nearly half of Thailand's population may carry H. pylori in their stomachs, including himself. The doctor revealed he had tested positive for the bacterium and noted that the most frightening aspect isn't the infection itself, but the fact that he cannot determine where it came from.

Helicobacter pylori infection is reported to affect approximately 40-50% of the world's population, with rates potentially higher across many Asian countries. Simply put, one in every two people around you may have been infected, but many don't realize it.

Many people show no symptoms—no fever, no clear stomach pain, no apparent abnormality—yet the bacterium can gradually cause: - Chronic gastric inflammation - Stomach ulcers - Gastrointestinal bleeding - Increased risk of stomach cancer

When the doctor discovered his infection, his first question was: "Where did it come from?" Was it from papaya salad, undercooked meat, fermented seafood, shared glasses, or communal spoons? Or did he contract it in childhood? The answer was simply: "I don't know."

Often, we never discover when the infection entered our lives—it could have been a single meal, repeated daily habits, or an infection from childhood only recently detected. What the doctor learned is that while we cannot control the past, we can reduce future risk by following simple practices: - Don't share spoons - Don't share drinking glasses - Wash hands before eating - Choose clean restaurants - Avoid raw foods

These seem ordinary, yet these everyday practices are often the ones we overlook most. The doctor concludes with a question: If you tested positive for H. pylori today, would you know where it came from? For him, to this day, he still cannot answer.