TRC Background

Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC)

Thailand has been nationally and internationally accepted as a country succeeding of the tobacco control with explicit policies, the best tobacco control laws and tobacco control operations in various target groups over ten years. However, there were still some flaws in its systems and work procedures, making it less successful and efficient. Namely, there was unclear and systematic organization in developing and intellectually supporting members. The social approach operations still lack of significant information, innovation, network and continuity to inform people, community and society about tobacco control. There was a deficiency of continuously and systematically follow-up on the results and conclusions which could have been worth lessons for staff, community and Thai society to learn and improve. Thus, the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC) was established to fulfill the purpose of effectively developing the tobacco control system.

TRC Structure

TRC is a non-profit organization affiliated of the Mahidol University and funded by Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). TRC performance is under its steering committees and has its own director acts as both a TRC committee and a secretary.

TRC Strategy Plan

management in order to support the tobacco control policy amendment. The Commission researches/plans are designed by TRC steering Committees and tobacco control experts consisted of 2 strategy plans:

  • Research and Evaluation Support Plan
  • Knowledge Management Support Plan

Objective

  1. Support commission researches on tobacco control to participants resulted of amendment national policies and also sustain report processes including exchange knowledge followed the ratifications of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
  2. Support as developing and adding the tobacco control issues to all levels of educational curriculums such as Primary school, Vocational and also any training courses.
  3. Offer services and support on knowledge management and academic conferences on tobacco control so that participants are prepared to new concepts, strategies and gain working experience on tobacco control both in macro and micro levels.
  4. Become an information tobacco control centre.
  5. Promote and cooperate of an academic tobacco control network among individual, groups, communities, organizations, public and private sectors and also both Thai and foreigners.

Vision

Develop and manage knowledge to foster an aptitude for tobacco control.
Responsibility : Being an information center, supporting policy researches, managing knowledge and developing staff abilities, organization and tobacco control network.

Work Concept of TRC : TRC has run its processes and approaches of tobacco consumption control under the theory called ?Triangle that Moves Mountains proposed by Professor Dr. Prawase Wasi. The ideas of this theory are as below:

The fight of tobacco control would gain continuous national success by applied the theory of a Triangle that Moves Mountains consisted of (1) Political Support, (2) Social Movements and (3) The application of relevant knowledge. And those would lead us to a concrete change. TRC will be responsible as an intelligence construction by researching and knowledge management in order to support civil society sector in moving the policy forward.

Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC)
Research and Evaluation Support Plan
The effects of the Tobacco control policy and measurement on smoking behavior:

  • Tax
  • Legislation (Act)
  • The Non-Smokers Health Protection Act B.E. 2535 (1992) and the Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2535 (1992)
  • Educational measurement and campaign
  • Cure measurement
    • Thailand Tobacco Atlas
    • GHPS
    • Evaluation according to FCTC

Knowledge Management Support Plan

  • Develop the curriculum contents on primary school, secondary school, vocational school and university
  • Annual national academic conference on Tobacco or Health
  • Knowledge management on Tobacco Policy Measurement
  • Information Expansion
    • Websites and electronic database
    • Libraries
    • Journals