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The 13th National Conference on Tobacco or Health : Raising Tobacco Taxes Reduces Smokers and Deaths
Date: 28 30 July 2014 Venue: The Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok
Background : The National Conference on Tobacco or Health is for knowledge exchange among participants of tobacco consumption control networks including academic staff, researchers, lecturers, public and private authorities, civil society, and the general public to participate and exchange information on tobacco control knowledge gained in the previous year to be used to foster better tobacco consumption control performance in the future.

In 2014, WHO issued the slogan, Raise Taxes on Tobacco to member countries and the international community.Thailand embraced this approach and provided similar direction, creating its own slogan, Raising Tobacco Taxes Reduces Smokers and Deaths. This slogan shows the intention of Thailand to encourage international countries to request their governments to raise tobacco taxes. According to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), raising tobacco taxes is one of the best tobacco control measures to reduce tobacco consumption. Research results show that if high income/developed countries increase their tobacco tax 10%, the rate of tobacco consumption will fall by up to 4%, while the rate of tobacco consumption in low or middle income countries would drop by up to 8%.

Therefore, raising tobacco taxes is an effective measure used to control tobacco in low income countries and also prevents adolescents from becoming initial smokers and accessing tobacco products. Besides, to increase the excise tax on cigarettes is one of the most important measure available, as the WHO indicated in 2010, noting that if the excise tax on cigarettes was increased by 50% in 22 low income countries, the revenue of the government would increase 1,4000 million US dollars or 42,00 million baht. If this revenue would be used for the public health budget in these low income countries, the health budget in these countries could be increased by up to 50%. Therefore, it is a challenge to work on tobacco control measures, and it calls for commitment from social institutions, the public and private sectors, and the general public including the mass media to collaborate together in establishing tobacco control roles and responsibilities in order to achieve the goal of the slogan of the National Conference on Tobacco or Health this year. This slogan also includes providing tobacco cessation services and smoke free environments. One of the missions of this academic conference is for all participants and relevant people to be mobilized to take active roles for tobacco control in Thailand.

Therefore, the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), Mahidol University, together with the Thai Health Professional Alliance Against Tobacco, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Action on Smoking and Health Foundation Thailand, Thailand Health Promotion Institute (THPI), Thailand National Quitline, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (Thai Health) support the 13th National Conference on Tobacco or Health, Raising Tobacco Taxes Reduces Smokers and Deaths aiming to exchange knowledge and encourage working together in order to drive public policies and to foster better tobacco consumption control performance in the future.
The Purpose of the conference is:

• To exchange academic knowledge and experience on tobacco control performance among various groups
• To provide direction to tobacco control work.
• To collaborate in working together among groups / organizations / the public, the private sector and the general public.

Target groups of the conference: There are approximately 800 – 1,000 people that will participate in this conference:

1. Groups of medical practitioners: dentists, nurses, physical therapists, medical technologists, public health specialists, psychologists, Thai traditional medicine doctors, and Chinese traditional medicine doctors; all groups of medical practitioners.
2. Groups of educators: teachers, lecturers, pupils, students, academic staff, and researchers from all educational levels.
3. Those from the public sector: the Department of Disease Control, Department of Health, The National Statistical Office Thailand, Excise Department, Customs Department, Fiscal Policy Office,
4. Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN), Department of Special Investigation, Royal Thai Armed Forces, Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Air Force, Royal Thai Police, NGOs.
5. Public interest organizations: Foundations, Associations, and Institutions working on tobacco control.
6. Local government officials: people who work in Provincial, District and Sub District administration.
   The general public: people who are interested in tobacco control such as monks, volunteers, local radio broadcast announcers and hosts, and other general public.

Network Conducting the Conference:
Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), Mahidol University, together with Thai Health Professional Alliance Against Tobacco, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Action on Smoking and Health Foundation Thailand, Thailand National Quitline, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), World Health Organization Country Office for Thailand, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (Thai Health).

Conference committees:

• Steering committee of the Conference: Dr. Hatai Chitanondh as President of the Conference, and the Director of the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC) as the Secretary of the Conference.
• Organizing Committees of the Conference: Dr. Siriwan Pitayarangsarit, TRC Director as the head of the Organizing Committee, and the academic staff from the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC) as secretariat for the Conference.

Date / Time / Avenue: 28 30 July 2014 Venue: The Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok
28 July 2014: Meeting to review research results and to consider tobacco control proposals (Pre-Conference) 29 30 July 2014: The 13th National Conference on Tobacco or Health

Budget:
Project plan for research development of the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC) with support from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth)

Expected results:
Participants of the conference will better understand the current situation of tobacco control in Thailand as well as benefit from knowledge exchange about successful experiences used in driving tobacco control through various sectors which can be used in the application of suitable measures for their organization(s) and in working together to strengthen tobacco control networks.

Project proposed by: Ms. Jintana Peesigh

• Academic Staff Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC)
• Project authorized by: Dr. Siriwan Pitayarangsarit, DDS TRC Director
• Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC)