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Date: 12 February 2015 Release date: For Immediate Release

Dr. Hatai Chitanondh revealed that an international tobacco company established an organization to oppose the new Tobacco Product Control Act and is supported by giant tobacco retailers. Academicians point out that it is necessary to adopt the new Tobacco Product Control Act in order to ensure the protection of public health due to changes from the time of previous legislation.

On 9 February 2015, a press conference was conducted entitled, “Answering why the new tobacco product control act gets stuck” hosted by the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), Mahidol University, supported by Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). Dr. Hatai Chitanondh, president of the Thailand Health Promotion Institute (THPI), and the president of state parties of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) 2007 – 2008, said that the company behind the attack on the new tobacco control product act which the Ministry of Public Health proposed to the Cabinet is Philip Morris. The evidence indicates that: (1) The Philip Morris’s affiliated company (Infotab) established a front organization (International Tobacco Growers Association: ITGA) whose members are tobacco famer associations from various countries including Thailand (The Thai Tobacco Growers, Curers ad Dealers Association). The ITGA and its members from various regions have opposed all matters supporting tobacco control such as regulations of the global cigarette Parties of the FCTC, regulations of each country, and tobacco tax increases, (2) Philip Morris is a member of the United States ASEAN Business Council (USABC). Although the USABC is a trade council of all businesses, Philip Morris also has considerable power in the USABC. On 24 February 2010, the USABC submitted a letter to oppose releasing legislation on plain packaging. The public hearing in Australia considered this matter and indicated that this action “crossed the line” as an action to influence actions in the ASEAN region, and (3) the Thai Tobacco Trade Association was established in January 2012 t. This association has good relations with the Thai Retailers Association, in which 7-Eleven Inc. is a major member. The 7-Eleven Inc. and Philip Morris have had close relations for a long time. By product placement to sell cigarettes in 7-Eleven retail shops, Philip Morris has been helped to quickly increase its market share.

To request additional information, please contact:
Khun Pornphun Pookritsana
Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC)
Tel.: 2354-5346, 087-347-2727
E-mail: pornphan@trc.or.th