Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - March 18, 2003
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
The group, represented by the Council of Work and Environment Related Patient's Network of Thailand (WEPT), urged the ministry to take measures to address health problems among victims of the chemical blaze in Klong Toey and lead poisoning in Klity Creek in Kanchanaburi. Lamtakhong residents in Nakhon Ratchasima affected by construction of water energy electricity generating power plant also needed help.
Voravidh Charoenloet of Chulalongkorn University's faculty of economics said though the government had plans for dealing with their problems, nothing had been done to implement them. "People are left to fend for themselves," he said.
In the absence of ongoing care from local hospitals, villagers had to travel from remote areas to Rajavithi hospital in Bangkok.
The ministry should send a team of environmental health experts to assess their health problems, he said.
Protesters, however, say they want to be treated by Orapun Methadilogkul of Rajavithi hospital, who is being investigated by the ministry for promoting controversial food supplement V-1 Immunitor as a cure for HIV/Aids.
Mr Voravidh said they trust Dr Orapun because she was the only doctor who had identified environmental pollution as the cause of their problems and had been providing continuous medication. Public Health permanent secretary Vallop Thainuea said the investigation into Dr Orapun's involvement in V-1 was a separate issue from her role in treating victims affected by environmental pollution.
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