AEGiS-Bangkok Post: Health Minister: Letter to impeach submitted

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Health Minister: Letter to impeach submitted

Bangkok Post - March 29, 2008

Health activists and an alliance of cancer and Aids patients have submitted a statement of intent to the Senate to proceed with the impeachment of Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab over his compulsory licensing (CL) policy. In their letter given to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondech, the activists said they would gather 20,000 signatures of eligible voters to kickstart the impeachment process against Mr Chaiya.

The speaker acknowledged the statement of intent by representatives from the Network of Cancer Patients, the Thai Network of People Living with HIV/Aids, Friends of the Kidney Patients Group, the Aids Access Foundation, the Foundation for Consumers, the Rural Doctors Society and Rural Pharmacists Society.

The charter stipulates that 20,000 eligible voters can seek impeachment proceedings against political office holders.

Saree Ongsomwang, Foundation for Consumers manager, said 10,000 signatures have been collected so far.

Mr Chaiya yesterday said he was not afraid of losing his job at the ministry. He asked them to carefully check the signatures were real.

Mr Chaiya had decided to freeze CL on four cancer drugs due to concerns the policy would affect trade relations. But he later gave up the plan and resumed the CL policy after mounting pressure

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