Doctors, academics and the National Alliance for Tobacco Control (NATC) have joined forces to lobby for larger health warning images on cigarette packaging.
NATC representative Somsri Pausawasdi, president of the Physicians and Public Health Personnel Network for a Non-Smoking Society, said the formation of the alliance was prompted by a lawsuit launched by tobacco producers against the Public Health Ministry recently.
The lawsuit opposed a regulation requiring cigarette firms to increase the size of health warning labels on cigarette packaging, from 55% to 85% of the surface.
The regulation was scheduled to take effect Wednesday, but the Central Administrative Court ordered the ministry to suspend its enforcement while it considers the lawsuit.
Wanchai Supachaturat, a member of the Medical Association of Thailand, said the tobacco companies oppose the label change as they feared it could lead to a drop in the number of smokers, and thus cut into their profits, the Bangkok Post reported.
