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Published on November 7, 2007

Sutti Rajitrangson, AIA senior vice-president for administration, said he could not name the famous gay policyholders for reasons of confidentiality.

AIA came under the spotlight this week when gay rights activist Natee Teerarojja-napongs claimed the company had refused to let him apply for a life assurance policy because he is a gay.

"I insist that AIA considers every application. We don't exclude any groups of people. We consider each person's application individually," said Sutti.

"The company never received Natee's application. Therefore, it is impossible that the company has denied him without considering his application. If anybody wants to buy insurance, they have to send us their application for consideration.

"AIA has several renowned gays as its customers. We never had a policy not to allow gays to buy our insurance."

Sutti claimed that a company official who liaises with the company's agents told Natee on Monday to send his application for consideration. Earlier, sales agent Pachara Pipatwong consulted the official because he was not sure if Natee was eligible for insurance. In the end, Natee refused to send in his application.

Natee, president of the Sexual Diversity Group and the Gay Political Group of Thailand, insisted that the official told him AIA has not sold life assurance to gays or transvestites for years. He said during a television interview that he heard Sutti's explanation via telephone and that there must have been a misunderstanding between the executive and the official.

Wannapa Phetdee

 The Nation