contemporary medicine

     Health impact assessment (HIA)  is a tool for empowering people to ensure their health,it was initiated in Thai soceity in 2000,under the  conceptual framework of National health system reform.One of the strategies of  the 10 th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2001-2007) focusing on the protection of  biodiversity of  natural  resources and environment, this led to the formation of HIA indicators into social impact assessment(SIA) and environmental impact assessment(EIA).Regarding to the definition of health;which is the dynamic of 4 well-being equilibrium:physical,mental,social and  spiritual aspect ,thus, HIA should  also concern in every aspects of health.

      Fortunately, the National Health Act B.E.2550(2007) contained people’s rights in section 11 and so did the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand  B.E.2550 which contained people’s rights in section  67,in the major concept that people or community have the right to ask for a health impact assessment from public policy and can participate in the process of  health impact assessment, moreover; the data, explanation  and reason for policy/project implementation should be revealed  to public hearings before permission and community have the rights to sue government agency,state or state enterprise agency,local government agency or other juristic state agency in case of failure to carry out duty.Therefore,  HIA under the National Health Act encouraged learning process in people to become citizen which is essential to establish public health policies.

        Since this act was enforced,2 groups suffered from adverse effects of government project and  private agency’s project have applied to used their rights under section11:The Eastern Region People’s Network Group whose members were victims of Map Ta Phut  industrial estate in Rayong Province,The Group for Mae Rampueng conservation whose members against  for the Iron Smelter in the forest of  Pa Phru, Prachuab Khiri Khan Province.Consequently,there were many grass roots groups movement by  HIA applying. Examples of such work include:HIA on the potash mining in Udorn Thani Province,

HIA on orange plantation in Chiang Mai Province, HIA on water management in Pachin Buri Province, HIA on the hydro-electricity plant using water from Pak Moon dam.

        Therefore every sectors of society,especially the grass roots,can also apply HIA as part of  knowledge exchange that will lead to public policy then conducive to good health.

Reference

   HIA 2008:Asia and Pacific Regional Conference on Health Impact Assessment,Thailand's HIA Development Report 2007-2008