A Community Advisory Board (CAB) was established in September 2004 in order to promote the active involvement of the community and the population targeted for clinical research studies. It is composed of 12 volunteers from the Chiang Mai community, including people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA), caregivers and families of PLWA, members of non governmental and community based organizations working in the field of HIV, and religious and community leaders. All members have previous experience in HIV and AIDS, but receive ongoing capacity building on issues surrounding the medical management of HIV/AIDS, clinical research methods, ethical research methods, the protection of human subjects in research, good clinical practice in research, and developing research protocols. The CAB meets once a month to discuss new and existing research studies and treatment programs conducted by PHPT. Present activities of the CAB include reviewing and providing recommendations on new study protocols,reviewing consent forms to ensure clarity for prospective patients and developing plans for community outreach.

Today there are 14 CABS disseminated throughout Thailand who meet reguarly at the PHPT major hospital sites and provide the medical teams with feedback and serve as a resource for outreach information and training for patients, parents and caretakers and other members of the community affected by the epidemic.