United Nations’ Resident Coordinator inThailand, Ms Gita Saphawal, has recently been in an official visit to Thai Health Promotion Foundation for a discussion with the organisation’s executives.. May 29, 2020 – A delegation of United Nationsin Thailand led by Ms Gita Saphawal has paid an official visit to ThaiHealth office. On hand to welcome the delegation were Dr Khamnuan Ungchusak, Board Committee Member; Dr Supreda Adulyanon, CEO; Dr Pairoj Saonuam, Assistant CEO; and Dr Nuttapun Supaka, Director of Partnership and International Affairs Section. The talks involved an exchange of information on the updates of coronavirus direction development, ThaiHealth’s roles in dealing with the pandemic in the current phase and the next phase, and ThaiHealth’s support towards social enterprises in an effort to alleviate economic and social problems caused by the coronavirus crisis. The two organisations also sought to tighten bilateral collaboration in order for Thailand to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in various agenda. Having learnt about ThaiHealth’s roles and its success in promoting health in Thailand, the United Nations also voiced an affirmation on its pursuit to propagate ThaiHealth’s best practices and successful models in developing countries across the globe in the form of South-South Cooperation.

    Nov 21-22, 2019 – ThaiHealth executives led by Dr Supreeda Adulyanont, ThaiHealth Manager; Dr Phairot Saonuam, Director of the Office of Healthy Lifestyle Promotion; and Dr Natthaphan Suphaka, Director of the International Affairs Division, participated in the 51th APACPH Conference on “SDGs in Reality” held at Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok.   The 51st APACPH was co-hosted by Public Health Faculty of Mahidol University, and ThaiHealth, and is supported by several international organisations, with more than 600 participants from 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.   ThaiHealth Manager attended the opening and lecture on the Plenary Forum titled “SDGs and Public Health: At Present” on health promotion as it is a linkage and a support factor of well-beingness and sustainable development agenda. He said the health promotion projects have been proven effective in resolving factors that determine social, economic, and environmental health.   Dr Patama Thianwisitsakun, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board, said that Thailand still has a significant gap in achieving SDGs in health dimensions, such as the challenge of quality, equality in the health service system, the problem of poverty in the elderly population that is increasing compared to other age ranges, including the problem of elderly with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).     Dr. Daniel Curtess, representative from the World Health Organisation’s...

    Oct 23-24, 2019 – Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, in collaboration with Chatham House, will organise the first Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2021 (PMAC 2021) Preparatory Meeting in London, United Kingdom, with an objective of discussing with the organising committee about the details of each sub-meeting, and finding a consistent agreement to reduce the risk of problems – all to find a conclusion on academic issues, time allocation, and key themes of the PMAC 2021 meeting to report directly to ThaiHealth executives.   Participating in the preparatory meeting were Dr Supreeda Adulyanont, ThaiHealth Manager, and Ms Milin Sakornsindhu, Senior International Affair Executive. Apart from discussing the preparation phase of the international meeting, they also presented before the gathering the model, mechanism, and methodology of health promotion in Thailand, ThaiHealth-style.   The ThaiHealth’s fashion of health promotion in Thailand is regarded as an internationally acclaimed model for health promotion. The Thai speakers also conveyed success stories of the ThaiHealth coalition in Thailand’s health promotion network, especially in the role of being a model for health promotion organisations all over the world that was set up in liaison with National Health Security Office, with holistic health care system, prevention, and treatment.   As a result, the proceeds of the meeting are:   ThaiHealth has been appointed co-leader for the organising of...

    The International Health Policy Development Agency (IHPP) and International Affairs Division, Office for the Development of Relations and International Relations of ThaiHealth, joined hands with several agencies within the framework of the World Health Strategy Partnership of Thailand, to organise a study visit for the executives and academics from the Kingdom of Cambodia’s National Social Protection Council and the National Institute of Public Health.   A total of 11 participants from Cambodia attended the field lecture on “Promoting Evidence-Based Policymaking for Universal Health Promotion” during November 20-22, 2019, at ThaiHealth headquarters, Bangkok Thailand.   The organiser, led by Mr Rangsan Munkong, International Relations Specialist of ThaiHealth, was among the speakers to give lectures and lead the information-sharing session with the visiting delegation on “Advocating Society: ThaiHealth”. The lecture commenced by a presentation of ThaiHealth’s financial model for health promotion for earmarked sin tax model. He also explained the concept and shared past work experience of promoting healthy lifestyle in Thailand, especially in stimulating and driving society through campaigns leading to changes in social policies and structures to facilitate sustainable well-being, such as tobacco, alcohol consumption control, sugar tax, and so on.   As a result, the visiting delegation was very interested in exchange their knowledge with ThaiHealth, and would like to apply the ideas of earmarked sin tax...

  ThaiHealth’s International Affairs Office has been contacted by the Non-Communicable Disease Division, Department of Disease Control, Public Health Ministry, in brining in a study visit groups from the Republic of Maldives and the Kingdom of Bhutan.   A total of 19-strong delegation participated in the study tour at ThaiHealth on November 13, 2019 from 0900-1500 hrs. The study visit at ThaiHealth is a part of the workshop for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and clinical services at the primary level (The Project of Non-Communicable Diseases Management in Primary Health Care ). With the project receiving financial support from the World Health Organisation with the objective of developing and strengthening the potential, exchanging knowledge and experience in the suppression and prevention of non-communicable diseases in Thailand. Apart from the objectives envisaged, there were additional key issues that needed to be learnt from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, which are:   Organisation for health promotion, and health promotion effort to eradicate and prevent non-communicable diseases.   Tobacco control plan, alcohol control plan, healthy diet, and promotion of physical activities.   Fund management for health promotion.     In the commencement of the study visit, Mr Rangsan Munkong, an international relations expert, welcomed the visiting delegation, introduced ThaiHealth in brief, exchanged and listened to the objectives and expectations of the study visit participants, along...

  Nov 19, 2019 – ThaiHealth’s International Affairs Division, Office of International Affairs and Educational Communication Development welcomed a South Korean delegation who conducted a study visit at ThaiHealth with the objective of studying financial methodology for healthy lifestyle promotion, especially in the local levels and seamless collaboration between the government and the communities.   The study tour began with Mr Rangsan Munkong, international relations specialist, who delivered a welcome speech to the visiting delegation and listened to the objectives and expectations of the study participants. He also delivered a presentation on the overview of ThaiHealth’s working organisation, strategy, work plan, and the strategy of mountain-moving triangle to drive important works. The two counterparts exchanged ideas and discussed health promotion programmes of ThaiHealth that are beneficial to society, communities and the general population, including the development of a healthy city in Thailand and South Korea Which is the issue in which the study participants expressed interest.   Dr SHON Changwoo and Ms KIM Jungah, in return, conducted a presentation about the promotion of healthy lifestyle in South Korean major cities, notably in metropolitan Seoul, saying that the promotion effort was still inadequate. The state should promote more physical activities such as walking, which may be done by increasing pedestrian streets or pathways leading to public transport stations. In addition, there...

    Oct 8, 2019 – ThaiHealth, led by Dr Phairot Saonuam, Director of the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Office; Dr Kachirat Prak-Eko, Director of Health System Development Support Office; Mr Rangsan Munkong, International Relations Specialist; and a team of specialists, welcomed Dr Christopher Exeter, Advisor to the National Health Service of the United Kingdom (NHS-UK); Ms Vitoria O’Callaghan and Ms Ravipha Chuangweluwan, Commercial Advisors to the Prosperity Fund at British Embassy in Bangkok.   The British delegation visited and discussed with ThaiHealth on the cooperation of healthy lifestyle promotion especially in the areas of prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCD) under the Better Health Program, which is a part of the UK Government’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) policy, where Thailand is one of the 8 sponsored target countries.   The fruitful results of the discussion were:   1) an understanding between the two organisations in terms of objectives, missions, strategies of work (by discussing in the strategic framework of the mountain-moving triangle) as well as the scope and progress of the Better Health Program cooperation; 2) the NHS-UK created a linkage between ThaiHealth and responsible persons at the Better Health Program, which can support ThaiHealth in many aspects. The focal points are namely Dr Phairot Saonuam, MD, Director of the Office of Healthy Lifestyle Promotion who supervises the issues...

  Oct 11, 2019 – ThaiHealth’s International Affairs Department organised a training session on the topic of “Do’s and Don’ts for future organising of international conferences between 1330 to 1530 hrs at room 414, ThaiHealth Bangkok Headquarters. The training was honoured by academics from the proactive and supportive offices of ThaiHealth, with staff counting to 21 participants. The training touched 4 important issues as follow:   rn To create understanding among the staff in the office of the agency about the guidelines and the process of organising international conferences, including additional recommendations about what should and should not be done in order to be able to fulfil relevant work. rn To enable the organising staff to understand the overall ideas of international conference so that they are able to professionally administer both academic and managerial operations together with a system that is transparent and auditable. rn To improve potential, skills, and the ability of organising committee in order to organise meetings of various levels, including sub-meetings, mid-level and conferences of international stages. rn To enable organising staff to be aware of current situations and trends in the world that are constantly changing so that the actualities can be applied by the organising committee to support the work of the organisation. rn   The activity began with a welcome speech, and...

  Sep 25, 2019 – ThaiHealth’s 5th Division and International Relations Department welcomed a delegation from Japan Sport Council in a study visit to ThaiHealth, with an objective to better understand about the work of promoting physical activities in the local level.   The Japan Sport Council, who first conducted study visit to ThaiHealth in 2016, visited ThaiHealth again this time to improve the two counterpart’s cooperation on the promotion of physical exercises. ThaiHealth, in this round, has proposed an improved definition and complete framework of physical activity promotion, which concerns boarder framework and involves more people.   In this visit, ThaiHealth also shared its success stories in its effort of promoting physical activities and the bigger framework of healthy lifestyle promotion. It has been confirmed that Japan would put stronger emphasis on physical activities in local level after 2020 Olympics.   In this regard, Dr. Phairot Saonuam, Director of the 5th Division of ThaiHealth, welcomed the visiting delegation and delivered a speech on the work to promote physical activities among its network partners. The Japanese delegation was very pleased and expressed interest in adopting the idea and upgrade it into policy in Japan accordingly.  

  Oct 10, 2019 – ThaiHealth delegation led by Dr Supreeda Adulyanont, ThaiHealth Manager; Dr Phairot Saonuam, Director of the Office of Healthy Lifestyle; and Mr Rangsan Munkong, International Relations Specialist of the Office of International Relations, participated in the 2nd round of United Nations Thematic Working Group on Non-Communicable Diseases at United Nations Office in Bangkok, Thailand.   NCDs or non-communicable diseases are the number one health problem in Thailand and the world. Recently, it has been raised as an important agenda in the global economic and social development. The United Nations General Assembly convened on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases for as many as three rounds, constituting global targets and being a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, the assembly also appointed a special an interagency task force on NCDs or UNIATF to monitor and support the implementation of works to prevent and control the spread of NCDs. For Thailand, the follow-up visit on 28-30 August 2018 issued a report and recommendation to the Royal Thai Government.   To support the implementation of the said recommendations, the United Nations and the Royal Thai Government have jointly appointed a United Nations Thematic Working Group on Non-Communicable Diseases – consisting of UN executives in Thailand. representatives from the ministries and relevant government agencies (including ThaiHealth)...

  The International Health Policy Development (IHPP) and International Affairs Division of the Office of the Development of Relations and International Relations on October 8th, 2019, organised a 10-strong visiting delegation comprising the executive committee and senior officials from the parliament, Ministry of Public Health, Customs Department, Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, from the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.     ThaiHealth as the host organised in honour of the visiting delegation an informative session on financial and fiscal model for health promotion of ThaiHealth and its partners; an information-sharing session of work experience the promotion of health in Thailand, with regard on efforts of constituting alcohol consumption policies, including working mechanisms and models of health promotion in Timor-Leste.   Timor-Leste Ministry of Public Health is in the process of pushing itself to constitute alcohol control measures in the country. This new ASEAN observing country is therefore interested in learning from Thailand’s success stories and problems envisaged in the past on pushing for alcohol consumption control policies and prevention of road accidents whose main cause if the alcoholic beverages, cultures of working with government agencies, community participations in solving emerging problems, and so on.     The study tour commenced with international relations expert, Mr Rangsan Munkong, who delivered a welcome speech to the visiting delegation. Then, the visiting counterpart...

ThaiHealth was solicited by the International Health Policy Program (IHPP) to honour the 40-strong Indian delegation from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to speak about “Thai Health Promotion Foundation” on September 13, 2019, at Sanjai Meeting Room, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand.     The study visit has enabled the visiting delegation to learn and exchange ideas with the Thai counterpart on experience in health systems with specialists from various health-related agencies in Thailand. Topics covered were various – the Thai universal health coverage system, the utilisation of sin tax to promote healthy lifestyle in the country (ThaiHealth Act), fiscal management, collective working culture among Thailand’s health agencies – notably the employment of mountain-moving triangle strategy. The participants were found to be interested in what ThaiHealth has been doing and engaged in posing questions about ThaiHealth’s several projects, including its alcohol abuse prevention work, illegal smuggling of cigarettes, civil work such as clean water in communities which is still a problematic health issue in India. The Indian delegation was very satisfied with the experience about Thai health system from the seminar, saying they would apply some of the knowledge acquired to upgrade health policies and operations in their areas.    

  The National Health Security Office (NHSO), Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), the International Health Policy Program (IHPP), Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), and the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, jointly organised an international workshop on Universal Health Coverage (UHC).   The Universal Health Coverage workshop, held during August 19-30, 2019, was participated by 45 participants who gathered to learn, discuss, and engaged in activities on Thailand’s healthcare system, Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme, health promotion taxation, and network building. The organiser (NHSO) gracefully invited Ms Milin Sakornsin, ThaiHealth Senior International Affairs Executive; and Mr Theera Vajarapranee, Manager of StopDrink Network, as special guest speakers during part of the workshop on August 29, 2019. At the workshop, ThaiHealth was shown on stage as an organisation whose task is to push forward several missions in many aspects, and its work with its partners on the issue of alcohol abuse. As a result, the gathering voiced interest in what ThaiHealth is pursuing and promised that it would support the special taxation policy to help strengthening the Universal Health Coverage system in the future.  

  ThaiHealth’s partner the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) through Ms Bang-orn Ritthiphakdi and Dr Ulysses Dorotheo, Director; and ThaiHealth International Affairs Office, welcomed a 8-strong delegation of executives and working groups from Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Interior and Local Administration, from the Republic of the Philippines. The objective of the visit was to exchange ideas about fiscal culture in its health promotion projects, learning mechanisms, and working culture of both counterparts.     Philippine Ministry of Public Health has its own version of strong health promotion policies which is in line with the Universal Health Care Act recently enforced in the country in February 2019. This act urges health-related agencies in the government to act as Health Promotion Bureau with multi-sectoral working culture. Its budget shall come from 1% from the total Public Health Ministry’s budget. Therefore, the SEATCA and Philippine Health Justice decided invite representatives from other agencies in the Philippines to join this study tour to ThaiHealth Centre in Thailand whose model is well received by the international community. The Philippine counterparts had the opportunity to learn about ThaiHealth model, along with ThaiHealth fiscal policy for health promotion for them to adjust for their legal convenience in the Philippines.    

  September 3-5, 2019 – The office of Partnership and International Affairs welcomed 6-strong delegations from the Singapore Health Promotion Board (SHPB) in a study visit organised as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded between ThaiHealth and Singapore Health Promotion Board in 2019, with the objectives to exchange knowledge and best practices of the two organisation’s past missions in order to strengthen partnership and cooperation in pushing policies to eradicate NCD risks in both Thailand and Singapore. During the study visit, the two counterparts engaged in two main activities:                  Study visit by SHPB to ThaiHealth in Thailand under topic of mobilising social power through social marketing, public health community volunteers, and knowledge exchange. (September 3-5, 2019)   Study visit by ThaiHealth to SHPB in Singapore under topic of promoting healthy lifestyle in communities, containing the risks of NCDs through information technology and knowledge exchange. (to be organised in March 2020, date to be announced)       On September 3, 2019, ThaiHealth’s international affairs team led by Mr Rangsan Mankhong and Ms Thanyaphat Chumkamolthanat led the Singaporean delegation to a study visit of public health volunteer system under administration of the Bangkok Metropolican Administration and the National Health Security Office at 67th Public Health Service Centre in Thaweewatthana district. The...

               August 19-22, 2019 – Acting Director of Partnership and International Affairs office of ThaiHealth, Dr Nathaphan Suphaka, participated in the 2nd International Health Promotion Conference: Moving towards Healthy Universities in Asia in the Philippine capital of Manila.     The international conference was a part of the Memorandum of Understanding between ThaiHealth and AUN-HPN and was jointly held by AUN-HPN members – International Health Promotion University and the University of Philippines. It was organised under a mission to urge universities and health promotion agencies in Southeast Asia to exchange information, strengthen the health promotion network, and discuss the role of universities in promoting good health in their respected communities. The conference also saw a demonstration of health promotion researches from participants. Around 348 participants from 12 countries gathered together in this international conference to discuss the following issues:   rn Health promotion in ASEAN universities. rn Teaching and learning of health promotion subjects. rn Health promotion – from researches to policies. rn Health promotion support projects in universities. rn   In addition, a total of 48 students’ poster presentations, 57 research oral presentations, and 10 topics in plenary session were shown at the international conference.                  Dr Nathaphan Suphaka was also honoured as a guest speaker...

    ThaiHealth representatives on July 31 – August 2, 2019 participated as speakers along with experts from the International Health Policy Program (IHPP) at the Global Health Diplomacy Workshop in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu. The ThaiHealth presentation included its introduction to the organisation’s work, mountain-moving triangular strategy in order to create progress in tough projects, its missions and roles in health promotion in many aspects. They have also exchanged knowledge among the international delegates about their experiences in attending in the 72th World Health Assembly (WHA72).                  The Workshop on Global Health Diplomacy and Health Diplomacy for Governing Bodies of WHO was jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Health, the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, and the World Health Organisation, with approximately 40 participants who in their countries sit as policymakers and movers and shakers in the public health circle – ministries, public health executives, hospital representatives, university representatives, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With a main objective of showing the big picture of Global Health and its landscape to the Bhutanese counterparts, roles of persons and agencies from government and people sectors, the working culture of the WHO, conducting of health promotion work through World Health Assembly, pushing of health promotion policies on both national and international...

              ThaiHealth (by the Social Risk Factors Control Support Bureau and International Affairs Office) joined hands with the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Public Health, and Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom in organising the Southeast Asia Regional Meeting on Drowning Prevention during July 29-31, 2019. Present at the conference were representatives from the WHO member countries in Southeast Asia (WHO-SEARO), and Western Pacific Region (WHO-WPRO), experts from international organisations, as well as Thai observers. A total of more than 100 people from 16 countries gathted at the AETAS Lumpini Hotel and the ThaiHealth Learning Centre, Bangkok     Drowning is a leading cause of youngsters’ death especially among children under 15 years of age. In 2016, there were 322,000 deaths by drowning worldwide. Deaths often occur to children who are the future of society. Of these, 60 percent occur in the Asia-Pacific region. It is considered a public health problem that affects the quality of life in countries around the world. Thailand, by the Ministry of Public Health, has used this forum to present the success of integration of preventive measures of the relevant ministries and related sectors. Under the MERIT MAKER strategy, over the past 10 years, the number of children’s death by drowning has reduced from 1,500 in...

  Nov 19-20, 2019 – The plan for the development of international trade and health potential (International Trade and Health Programme – ITH) of the International Health Policy Programme (IHPP), in collaboration with the Committee to Support Education and Monitor International Trade Negotiations Affecting Health and Health Policies, and supporters of ITH (Public Health Ministry, World Health Organisation, ThaiHealth, National Health Commission Office, National Health Security Office,  and Health Systems Research Institute) jointly organised the International Trade and Health [ITH] Conference 2019 under the theme of “International Trade and Health of ASEAN: Seeking the common ground for sustainable development goals” at Chamchuri Ballroom, Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort, Bangkok.   More than 150 participants gathered to attend the grand event, with Ms Milin Sakornsindhu, Senior International Affairs Executive, as the event’s moderator. The issues touched in the conference was a discussion on “Building ASEAN Community: Political Economy of Trade and Health” to better understand the scenario of trade and health in the ASEAN region, including the free trade agreements and its impact on the ASEAN people’s health against economic competition. The meeting also served as a common ground for information sharing on the context of ASEAN in terms of trade and health, in order to seek a common footing in trade and health policies within the region.   rn