ThaiHealth Clarifies Reserve Fund Management, Says Not for Profit
ThaiHealth clarified that its reserve fund management is lawful and not profit‑driven, explaining that reserves support multi‑year health projects. The agency receives about 4 billion baht annually and keeps roughly 1.5–1.7 billion baht in reserves to ensure continuity. Funding is spread across government bodies, NGOs, and communities, with continued support to same partners justified by long‑term health initiatives.
ThaiHealth’s deputy manager, Dr. Prachaisit Kayasith, clarified how the agency manages its reserve funds, stressing that the money is handled in accordance with the Health Promotion Fund Act, the Revolving Fund Act, and the Financial Discipline Act. He said the fund’s governing board has approved an investment framework that allows the reserves to be invested, but only to preserve value, not to generate profit.
He added that the board is currently reviewing the legal basis of these investments and has submitted the matter to the Office of the Attorney General. This review coincides with the end of the current reserve‑management contract, during which most of the funds are kept in bank accounts or invested in government securities. Only about 10–12 percent of the reserves are placed in stocks, and for now the entire reserve has been deposited with the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) on the bank’s recommendation.
Regarding budget allocation, Dr. Prachaisit said roughly 40–50 percent of ThaiHealth’s spending goes to government mechanisms, about 30 percent to NGOs, and the remainder is distributed to communities, small groups, and other sectors. He stressed that working with the state still leaves gaps that civil society must help fill.
On the issue of repeated funding to the same partners, he explained that many health‑promotion initiatives—such as smoke‑free zones, alcohol‑free Buddhist lent, and anti‑drinking campaigns—require more than one year to show results. Continued support for partners who have demonstrated success should not be seen as wrongdoing; criticisms should specify which groups are concerned so the agency can respond accurately. He concluded that ThaiHealth’s role is to support academic work, drive policy, and shift social norms, not to deliver services directly, and that the impact of tobacco and alcohol reduction efforts often takes two decades to appear in lower patient numbers and reduced public health costs.
