Southern Thai Health Groups Oppose Anutin's Health Fund Bill
Southern Thai health organizations have delivered a petition to Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong opposing a draft amendment to the Health Promotion Fund that would eliminate the 2% alcohol and tobacco tax financing the agency. They warn shifting the fund to the regular budget could enable corruption and undermine transparency, citing public hearings where over 90% rejected the proposal. Lawmakers from the People's Party pledged to raise the issue in parliament to protect community health programs.
At Narathiwat Airport, Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong, along with MPs Kamolsek Leeva and Khueng Yao, received a sealed letter from representatives of 29 health and social risk prevention organizations in the deep south. Tawee emphasized that health is a lifelong concern, pointed out that drug offenses and drunk‑driving accidents dominate prison statistics, and warned that shifting the fund to the regular budget risks corruption and loss of oversight. He recalled his past battles with multinational tobacco firms and praised the Health Promotion Fund’s independent annual reporting to parliament. Youth representatives from Ban Thai Suk in Lae Lo, Rusae district, Narathiwat, said the fund had helped school dropouts return to education and supported anti‑smoking and anti‑vaping programs, warning that losing it would cut opportunities for small community groups.
