BANGKOK, Thailand (EPN) -- Birth control and anti-AIDS researchers are trying to confirm if females who insert a slice of lemon into themselves before sex can kill sperm and the virus which causes AIDS.

Alarmed over the possibility that people might experiment with sliced lemons and unprotected sex before research is completed, some Thai officials expressed outrage over publicity given to the project by Thailand's leading family planning official.

Known as Thailand's "Condom King," Senator Mechai Viravaidya stunned his countrymen by suggesting his Population and Community Development Association support a trial to test lemons in Thai women.

In Thai slang, a condom is called a "mechai" to honor Mr. Mechai's many years of promoting condoms throughout the country. He has often ventured into brothels and business meetings to personally them out.

"It would be lovely to think that the Thai people would tell us whether this could be used as a contraceptive and whether we could find some acceptable way of seeing whether it could stop women from being infected with HIV," said Roger Short, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Australia's Melbourne University.

Dubbed "Dr. Lemon" by the Thai media, Mr. Short said the idea of conducting trials occurred last year while talking with Mr. Mechai in Bangkok.

"It seems that now is a good time to test the water to see whether the women would find the idea acceptable," Mr. Short told Thailand's Nation newspaper.

Several years ago, when Mr. Short told an audience about similar lemon use among British women in the 1920s, some listeners came up to him and revealed they too used the sour fruit.

"After the lecture, about 10 of these women came up...and whispered, 'In those days, I used half a lemon. It was alright for me.'"

Researchers speculated that a slice of lemon inserted in a female's vagina, or any other method of putting lemon juice inside herself, would create a highly acidic, low-ph environment deadly to sperm and the virus which causes AIDS.

"We need more time to study whether lemon juice can kill sperm and the HIV-AIDS virus in the human body without any side effect," Mr. Short said.

"With funding support from VicHealth, an Australian government agency, he [Mr. Short] would begin experiments using lemon juice on macaque monkeys on Bogor Island, Indonesia, next month," the Bangkok Post reported.

Some Thais expressed worry that lemon juice might sting, but Mr. Short said the fluid did not cause any sensation.

Others wondered about the difficulty of removing a lemon slice after sex.

"I would stick with our old buddy the condom," said Thailand's Health Department Director-General, Dr. Pakdi Posiri.

"What worries me is that a lot of people may try the method and end up getting pregnant or venereal disease. Women should not jump to it too quickly," Dr. Pakdi said.