Revised Retail Business Act to be Submitted to NLA
31 July 2007

If revisions for the Ministry of Commerce Retail Business Act take “too long” at the Council of State, another version of the Act is ready to be submitted to the NLA according to media sources. The new draft prepared by the NLA’s commerce committee differs from the Ministry of Commerce’s version in its definition of a retail outlet. Retail outlets are defined by size and whether or not they have chains. Law professors are reportedly considering the new draft Retail Business Act before it will be passed on to the National Legislative Assembly

ASEAN to Establish Human Rights Charter
31 July 2007

A charter being drafted for the 10 nation bloc ASEAN will include a human rights commission according to media reports. Although Burma was reportedly fiercely opposed to the provision, diplomats reported that a consensus of ministers had decided to include the provision. Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were also reportedly previously opposed to the petition. Details of the agreement are not yet available.

Thailand to Continue Compulsory Licensing
26 July 2007

Thailand will continue with its policy of compulsory licensing (CL) to allow more people access to lifesaving drugs. The CL policy currently allows members of the universal healthcare scheme (also known as the 30 baht healthcare scheme) access to generic version of three important drugs for AIDs and heart treatment. The plan will be extended to allow more persons better access to generic lifesaving drugs. Persons excluded from the universal healthcare scheme (such as office workers and laborers who are under the healthcare program of the Social Security Office) will be given access to the drugs. A committee will also be established to consider to which drugs compulsory licensing should be further applied. Committee members will include academics, officials from health care state agencies and government ministries and health care experts The committee is reportedly consider using compulsory licensing to bypass the patent of two cancer drugs.

ASEAN Drafts Charter
26 July 2007

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a trade and political bloc in which Thailand is a member, is drafting a charter which will promote human rights and discourage coups. It is hoped that Southeast Asian heads of state will sign the charter when they meet for their annual summit in November in Singapore. The charter includes provision which would make non-interference in other ASEAN state’s domestic policies a rule. The charter would also include a clause for “the respect of fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the promotion of social justice.” The charter calls for the continued observance of a 10 year treaty banning nuclear weapons in Southeast Asia. Diplomats drafting the charter are also considering including a provision which would establish a human rights commission, however, some ASEAN members are concerned that such a provision could possibly violate the non-interference policy.