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The 10th National Conference on Tobacco or Health : FCTC for Smoke Free Thai Society
Date: 25-26 August, 2010 Venue: Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok

Background : The National Conference on Tobacco or Health was 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. Over 700 attendees listened, participated,and exchanged ideas with academic presenters to foster better tobacco consumption control performance in the future.

In 2011, WHO issued the slogan, The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to member countries and the international community which emphasized every country giving importance to work performance for and compliance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Thailand embraced this approach as well, and provided similar direction, creating its own slogan, To protect rights by the law targeted to building smoke free Thai communities,” which showed its intention to work on tobacco control in Thailand. Thailand has set a strategic plan and measures on tobacco control following the WHO (FCTC) with collaboration of all allies. Therefore, the Department of Disease Control issued Order 218/2009 (B.E. 218/2552) on 10th March, 2009, to appoint a subcommittee and working groups for the development of a national tobacco consumption control plan. The National Strategic Plan for Tobacco Control 2010-2014 (B.E. 2553-2557) was developed and approved by the National Committee for Tobacco Consumption Control on 22nd April, 2010 (B.E.2553). It includes goals categorized into 8 strategic areas: (1) Prevention of smoking initiation of new tobacco consumers (2) Promotion of cessation and reduction of tobacco use among tobacco consumers (3) Harm reduction of tobacco products (4) Development of smoke-free environments (5) Strengthening and developing national capacity in tobacco control operations (6) Controlling the trade of illicit tobacco products (7) Applying tax measures for tobacco control (8) Surveillance and control of interference by the tobacco industry. This was a major topic of discussion among the Conference participants.
The purpose of the Conference:

• To encourage the exchange of knowledge through work experiences in tobacco control among network allies.
• To work together to find tobacco control direction for the future.
• To collaborate and cooperate among tobacco control groups/organizations/public and private institutions and all people.

The Conference Network
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 Health Promotion Institute (THPI), Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) supported the 10th National Conference on Tobacco or Health.