Research & Knowledge Management of Tobacco Control, Office of Health Promotion Fund and Foundation for Campaigning against Tobacco Consumption, have opened their website www.counteringtabinfo.org for more information.

Professor Dr. Prakit Vathesatogkit, secretary for campaign against tobacco consumption, stated that website has been an important channel for round-the-clock information dissemination to the public. The public must be informed of important events and the Tobacco Exposition – Tabinfo Asia 2009, as a way of making tobacco consumers aware of tobacco companies’ marketing strategies. Especially teenagers, once they have understood these marketing strategies, they should understand that smoking is not being “sophisticated”. These marketing strategies have caused about 200,000-300,000 teenagers each year to become nicotine-addicts. The exposition organized by tobacco companies in Thailand is regarded as challenge to Thailand ability to control tobacco smoking, despite Thailand being one of the countries with harsh legislative control of smoking. Thus, website is a mean of building awareness in Thai society and collectively opposing the exposition, as Thai people do not support products that destroy thousands and thousands of life every year.

Mr. Stephen Hamann, an international consultant of Thai Health Promotion Foundation, stated that www.counteringtabinfo.org has been set up to monitor the event and movement of Tabinfo Asia 2009 project. This website will record any significant event concerning tobacco smoking in Thailand. Tobacco companies have invaded Thailand with their exposition, and their challenge saying, ”If you win Thailand, you win the world”! This website, www.counteringtabinfo.org will be a source of information for Thailand to keep up with their marketing strategies. This website has collected information, such as VDO scripts, numbers of victims of their marketing ploys, etc. He invites every one of you to join force in petitioning against the exposition at www.counteringtabinfo.org, under the heading “sign the petition Tabinfo”, or sign your names as expressions of your opposition via website www.ashthailand.or.th for campaigning for “non-smoking”.

Source: Action on Smoking and Health Foundation