Thai Health Promotion Foundation Defends Committee Appointment Process
The spokesperson for the Thai Health Promotion Foundation said the appointment of its plan‑management committee follows regulations and is not a self‑appointed process, noting that the Deputy Prime Minister, not the deputy board chair, signed the order. He added that the foundation evaluates its performance every five years and reviews its 10‑year strategy, having undergone two external evaluations that praised its innovative work. The governance structure places the Prime Minister as board chair, with day‑to‑day authority delegated to the Deputy Prime Minister.
On October 9, 2026, Dr. Prakaasit Kayasith, deputy manager and spokesperson of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), said the appointment of the plan management committee follows regulations and is not a self‑appointed process. He explained that the signatory of the appointment order for the selection committee is the Deputy Prime Minister acting as chair of ThaiHealth’s board, not the deputy chair of the board, so the deputy board chair did not sign the order.
He noted that ThaiHealth regulations require fund board members to serve on each of the eight plan‑management committees, with at least two members per committee overseeing the 15 plans for a three‑year term. Committee members also chair their respective plan committees, implementing policies set by the fund board. The selection committee merely screens nominees; the actual appointment authority rests with the fund board. All steps are lawful and comparable to ministerial regulations, overseen by the fund board. He likened the process to how parliament appoints committees and sub‑committees, with MPs often chairing sub‑committees alongside external experts.
Dr. Prakaasit added that ThaiHealth’s governance operates under the fund board, chaired by the Prime Minister, with authority delegated to the Deputy Prime Minister. The board’s first vice‑chair is the Minister of Public Health, the second vice‑chair is a qualified person, plus representatives from eight government agencies and nine expert fields such as education, public health, and environment. The fund manager serves only as secretary to the board.
Regarding performance evaluation, he said ThaiHealth assesses legislative outcomes every five years as required by the 2019 Legislative Assessment Act, and reviews its 10‑year strategy and direction, having done so twice already. The first external evaluation (2001‑2011) by Australian expert Dr. Ronda Gallally found ThaiHealth to be an innovative health‑promotion organization working across society. The second evaluation (2012‑2014) by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weerachit Sittitrai and colleagues recommended that ThaiHealth establish a monitoring and oversight framework.
