Exclude Philip Morris from Meetings with Thai Officials!

Dear Mr. Ambassador and Mr. Feldman:

It has come to the attention of the global public health community that the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council is planning a business mission to Bangkok in June (postponed from March) that will involve senior executives from member companies, including Philip Morris International. The US-ASEAN Business Council has requested meetings with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and a wide range of Ministers, including Minister of Public Health Witthaya Kaewparadai.

Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) obligates Parties -- including Thailand -- to protect their tobacco control policies "from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry." The guidelines for Article 5.3 were completed and adopted at the 3rd Conference of Parties in November 2008 (see http://www.who.int/fctc/guidelines/article_5_3/en/index.html). These guidelines recognize that “[t]here is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industry’s interests and public health policy interests.” These guidelines also reinforce the preamble to the FCTC which states that Parties “need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts.” Government officials involved with tobacco control policies should not engage in dialogue with the tobacco industry and its affiliates.

Philip Morris International is using its association with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council and the 19 other international U.S. participating companies to hide its efforts to further gain access to Thailand and the other low and middle income countries of ASEAN.

I join my colleagues around the world in calling on the Thai government and U.S.-ASEAN Business Council to exclude Philip Morris International from meetings with Thai government officials, in accordance with Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC.