my_count.

def setup():
      my_count = "thailand"
      i = 0
      count = 0
      check = True
      while (i < len(my_count)):
         if ("a" == my_count[i]):
            check = True
            count += 1
         else:
            check = False
         i += 1
      print(count)
      assert (count == 2)
setup()