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Well-being by Design Inside the Model City: Nurturing Thai Children’s Development Safeguarding children and youth must begin in early childhood. Today’s children are growing up amid constant change, and numerous health risks. In a world of fast-paced technology, screen time has become a normal part of children’s lives, reducing physical activity and contributing to developmental delays. Diets high in sugar, fat, and salt contribute to early onset of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while the prevalence of e-cigarettes poses a daunting challenge. Nurturing Thai children’s well-being is not simple, but it calls for urgent action. Recently, members of ThaiHealth’s 8th Plan Executive Committee took part in a field visit to the “United in Spirit, Building Well-being Together” (Huam Jai Huam Kor Suk) model area in Lampang Province. This showcased how ThaiHealth’s network partners united all sectors to build healthy spaces for children efficiently, delivering notable results in nurturing Thai children’s development and building resilience against various risk factors. Early Childhood: Fostering Spiritual Health Enhancing Communication Skills for Healthy Development The Ban Tha Pong Child Development Center, managed by Soem Sai Subdistrict Municipality, is recognized as a model for promoting reading for children’s well-being. A supportive environment has been established, and both parents and local leaders recognize the benefits of reading. This has empowered them to read to children four times...
VOICE OF THE VOICELESS #3 Count Us In Synergize Efforts, Spark Innovations, Spread Well-being Uniting Health Partnerships: Together in Equality “Health Partnerships” Understanding, Access, Equality The Voice of the Voiceless: A Voice All Must Hearwith Compassion Our society comprises different kinds of people, yet, regardless of status, everyone should enjoy the opportunity and the right to a good quality of life, with equitable access to basic necessities. Over the past 14 years, ThaiHealth has joined hands with network partners to support nine vulnerable groups in reducing health inequalities among those populations: “older persons, persons with disabilities, the homeless, informal workers, migrant populations, LGBTIQN+ individuals, prisoners, and Muslim communities.” These populations are often neglected or overlooked, and their voices seek nothing more than equal opportunity, thereby contributing to policy change and eliminating marginalization that strips them of dignity and recognition in society. The 3rd Academic and Knowledge-Sharing Conference, “Voice of the Voiceless: The Vulnerable Populations,” was held under the theme “Uniting Health Partnerships: Together in Equality.” ThaiHealth acted as a vital bridge to unite 4,000 participants from nine vulnerable population network partners in sharing insights and practical experiences. “Health partnership” means joining efforts to drive change, enabling vulnerable populations to access rights and welfare, thereby achieving equity systematically. This calls for collaboration among all sectors. The event featured a...
ThaiHealth Kicks Off “the Global Health Training Program” Aiming to Enhance Organization Capability to Drive Global Health Agenda On February 4, 2025, The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has kicked off its Global Health Training Program 2025 (GHTP2025) jointly developed by the Partnership and International Relations Section and the Human Resources Unit. The program aims to enhance staff capacity and organization capabilities in global health, with a focus on equipping ThaiHealth to effectively engage with and contribute to the global health arena in a systematic and practical manner. The GHTP2025 program incorporates the INNE model for capacity development (comprising of building capacity at Individual, Node, Network, and Supportive Environment levels). It is specifically designed to build individual competencies through learning and hands-on experience in international affairs (Individual); empower their affiliated departments to engage effectively at the international level (Node); foster networks within and outside ThaiHealth (Network); and create an environment conducive to advancing global health learning (Environment). This program could also serve as a model for other agencies to integrate health knowledge with international engagement effectively through learning, hands-on practice, and expert networking. In initiating this policy, Dr. Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, M.D., CEO of ThaiHealth, reaffirms his commitment to building the international competencies of ThaiHealth personnel to advance and contribute to health promotion in line with the organization’s strategic goals while...
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From the Heart of the CEO Greetings to Our Partners in Health Promotion If inequality, disability, homelessness, or poverty did not exist, it would be an ideal world for many to live in. Yet, in reality, under capitalism, inequality stems from various factors, such as gender, age, socio-economic background, occupation, health, and place of residence. Such differences contribute to the persistence of “inequality.” Most disabilities are not a matter of choice but may be present at birth or caused by accidents or unforeseen illnesses, leading to differences and inequality. As is often said, you will never truly understand persons with disabilities unless you are one. The same applies to prisoners—whether through deliberate action or misstep—who have no choice in their birth. Similarly, the ethnic groups experience disadvantages simply as they are the minority; had they been the majority, their culture and identity might have shaped the nation. The same is true for migrant populations who often have no choice but to leave their homeland in pursuit of a better life. Members of LGBTIQN+, once heavily stigmatized, were unable to express their true selves, resulting in mental imprisonment. Meanwhile, informal workers, regardless of being Thai nationals, may be denied certain rights. This is also true for Muslim communities with distinct health risks...
JOINT STATEMENT Unmasking Tobacco Industries: Protecting Children to Secure Their Future On this World No Tobacco Day (31 May 2025), the International Network of Health Promotion Foundations (INHPF) reaffirms our commitment to protect children and young people from the escalating harms of tobacco and nicotine products. We join the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners in calling for urgent actions to “Unmask the Appeal” of tobacco and nicotine products. The use of nicotine products like vapes and nicotine pouches is skyrocketing. Vaping among school-aged children in some countries is alarmingly prevalent, even two to three times higher than cigarette smoking prevalence. The INHPF is particularly concerned by the aggressive tactics employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries using appealing product designs, alluring flavors, and youth-friendly marketing to create a false sense of safety that attracts adolescents to this lifelong harmful addiction. As the global landscape of tobacco and vape marketing evolves, so must our collective response. We call on governments, public institutions, and communities to take bold and coordinated actions to: Prioritize prevention across systems—align policies in health, education, digital safety, and trade to stop the tobacco and nicotine industries from targeting children and young people. Strengthen regulation and enforcement—pursue a complete ban of vapes, or ban sales to minors, ban flavours, and close regulatory loopholes. Comprehensive bans of...
The “Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024” was jointly organized by the MOPH, ThaiHealth, the NHSO, the NHCO, and health partners, taking place under the theme: “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path towards Sustainable Health and Well-being” between November 4-8, 2024, at the ThaiHealth Center, Bangkok. Dr. Pairoj Saonuam, Deputy CEO of ThaiHealth, joined a discussion on the topic “Highlighting Health Promotion Movements in Thailand: Key Examples and Lessons.” “Thailand has a population of around 69 million. The leading causes of mortality among Thais are non- communicable diseases (NCDs) — such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases — accounting for 77% of total deaths, approximately 400,000 fatalities per year. Given this alarming figure, the country bears a significant socio-economic burden, with annual loss due to NCDs reaching $6 billion USD, equivalent to 2.2% of its GDP.” The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) jointly prioritized NCDs prevention and control among their most pressing global health agenda. This model encompasses five major NCDs – cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and mental health conditions; four biological changes, such as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised lipids, and obesity; and five major risk factors, including tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. This framework serves as a powerful tool...
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ThaiHealth Advances the “Alcohol-Free Buddhist Lent 2025” Campaign: Empowering Mindfulness, Healthy Living, Reducing Alcohol Risks and moving towards Sustainable Well-being The annual Buddhist Lent has marked a meaningful period where many Thais take the opportunity to “abstain from alcohol” to revitalize their physical and mental health as well as strengthen family relationships. In 2025, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has launched the “Season of Mindfulness: Alcohol-Free Buddhist Lent 2025” campaign guided by the concept “Mindful and Joyful on Every Occasion.” The initiative draws on cultural values and social campaign strategies to bring about a sustained decline in alcohol consumption among Thais. Campaign: “Mindful and Joyful on Every Occasion” Dr. Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, M.D., CEO of ThaiHealth, explained that this year’s Alcohol-Free Buddhist Lent is designed not only to promote short-term alcohol abstinence among people but also to achieve “long-term change” in their drinking behaviors. Therefore, ThaiHealth has broadened its campaign to promote continuous alcohol abstinence during all festivals, inviting people of all religions to join for their own health, their families, and their loved ones. Notably, this campaign is comparable to the international campaigns such as “Dry January” in the United Kingdom or “Dry July” in Australia. However, the uniqueness of the Thai campaign lies in its use of the Buddhist Lent period, which lasts three months and is deeply...
Somsak Directs ThaiHealth to Raise Awareness on E-Cigarettes to Protect Children and Youth Reaffirming the government’s stance against e-cigarettes, Somsak has assigned ThaiHealth to coordinate efforts with relevant agencies to address existing gaps. He expresses concerns over the deadly risks of “pod k” and approves the Centre for Alcohol Studies’ plan to advance knowledge, reshape societal values, and promote alcohol-free events. On February 27, 2025, at the ThaiHealth Center, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), Mr. Somsak Thepsutin, Minister of Public Health and First Deputy Chairman of ThaiHealth, stated at the second board meeting of the year that the board approved the Centre for Alcohol Studies’ plan, focusing on enhancing capacity among personnel and expert networks and developing knowledge to advance various policies. Key policies include developing and enforcing the laws controlling the alcohol production and distribution by small-scale manufacturers, assessing the policy impact of major alcohol producers, promoting responsible behavior among youth and women, implementing alcohol-free policies for government events, improving access to alcohol cessation services, and supporting research and knowledge creation to push for practical and effective solutions to alcohol-related issues. “Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government prioritizes the issue of e-cigarettes, which have been prevalent among children and youth. The Prime Minister has ordered relevant agencies to implement stringent measures within 30 days. The directive enforces a ban...
ThaiHealth and the Low Salt Thailand Network back the “salt tax” in 2025, urging sodium reduction in food products and advocating for the Excise Department’s sodium tax to cut salt intake, improve public health, and ease the healthcare burden. Food manufacturers are called on to reformulate lower-sodium products as Thais are found to consume twice the WHO’s recommended sodium level, with children at risk of early kidney disease. On March 3, 2025, Dr. Pairoj Saonuam, M.D., Deputy CEO of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), stated that daily sodium intake recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is no more than 2,000 mg. Nevertheless, Thais consume twice the recommended amount, approximately 3,636 mg per day, while Thai children consume 3,200 mg per day. Reducing sodium intake can help lessen the risk of serious health conditions. Currently, people tend to develop non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at younger ages. In fact, 10% of students in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) schools have been found to have high blood pressure, while 14% are overweight or obese, which may contribute to increasing the risk of NCDs, particularly kidney disease. This calls for urgent action to curb sodium consumption, increase daily fruit and vegetable intake to 400 grams, and promote 150 minutes of weekly physical activity. ThaiHealth, together with the Low Salt Thailand Network, the Ministry of...