[Tlc] T-health policy talk at UCLA

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Current "Healthy Cities and Communities"
Movements in Thailand

Adisak Sattam
School of Health Science, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University

Monday, May 14, 2007
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
10367 Bunche Hall (10th floor)
UCLA Campus

“Muang Na Yoo”, the Thai version of “Healthy Cities,” was
initially introduced as a demonstration project in Thailand
based on the World Health Organization’s “Healthy Cities”
model with its financial support in 1994 in five cities
nationwide.  While the WHO’s “Healthy Cities” model was
underway under the leadership of the Thai Ministry of Public
Health, the Office of Policy and Plan for Natural Resources
and Environment and the Department of Environment Quality
Promotion with support from the Swedish development agency
SIDA, launched another cooperative project called “Local
Agenda 21” (LA 21). This pilot project, covering three cities,
was aimed at promoting and supporting local activities for
self-environment situation assessment, creating self-awareness
in natural resources and environment conservation, along with
providing support for civic participation.

The comprehensive drives towards becoming healthy cities and
communities have included such areas of development as
prioritizing a system of mass transit, reduction of garbage,
city beautification, provision of green spaces, promoting good
urban nutrition, preservation of a toxin-free environment,
provision of housing security, creation of  economic and
social defenses, strengthening land use regulations, and
ensuring good governance.  

This paper will examine these movements and attempt to tease
out lessons including issues regarding needs assessment,
resources, structure, management, as well as cooperation and
coalition-building (local, national, and international).

Adisak Sattam is Associate Professor of Public Health, School
of Health Science, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University,
Nonthaburi, Thailand.  He received his B.Sc. from Mahidol
University, his M.P.H. from the University of Hawaii, and his
Dr.P.H. from the University of South Carolina.

Free and open to the public. 

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu