The newly appointed Public Health Minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, has many difficult issues to address including the legal limit for possessing methamphetamine, the sale of alcohol, and marijuana legalization.
Like his predecessor Cholnan Srikaew, Somsak is also from the ruling Pheu Thai Party. However, experts believe that his approach and position as a minister will be quite different.
Olarn Thinbangtieo, deputy dean of Burapha University’s Faculty of Political Science and Law, stated that while Cholnan worked as a subordinate of the party, Somsak operates more like a partner.
Hot potatoes
Somsak, 69, was appointed as public health minister on April 28, replacing former party leader Cholnan. Before this appointment, Somsak was the deputy prime minister responsible for overseeing the Public Health Ministry.
As the new public health minister, Somsak is responsible for setting Thailand’s policy on three highly controversial issues: methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol.
When it comes to methamphetamine, the main focus of Thailand’s anti-drug efforts, the law currently considers anyone found with five or fewer meth tablets as an abuser, not a drug dealer, unless there is evidence indicating otherwise.
This classification was established by a Public Health Ministry regulation during Cholnan's tenure. It aimed to encourage rehabilitation for drug addicts and reduce overcrowding in Thai prisons. Data indicates that nearly four in five (78.67%) of Thailand’s inmates were incarcerated for drug offenses prior to the implementation of the five-tablet policy.
However, a recent survey revealed that 78.85% of respondents disagreed with the policy of sending individuals caught with up to five tablets to rehabilitation facilities instead of prison.
As the new public health minister, Somsak will need to decide whether to use his authority to change the policy established during Cholnan's leadership.
Regarding marijuana, Somsak will have to navigate the dispute over legalization between Pheu Thai and its coalition partner, Bhumjaithai.
Bhumjaithai was responsible for decriminalizing medical marijuana in 2022, which resulted in a surge in recreational use as unregulated weed shops popped up across the country.
During the 2023 election campaign, Pheu Thai expressed opposition to recreational marijuana. However, after forming the government with Bhumjaithai’s assistance, Cholnan prepared a bill to tighten cannabis control, targeting leisure use.
In terms of alcohol, Somsak will need to address the ongoing efforts to relax alcohol regulations, including the consideration of five draft laws by Parliament.
While serving as deputy prime minister, Somsak authorized a study on the possibility of allowing round-the-clock alcohol sales.
Currently, Thailand has some of the strictest restrictions on alcohol sales outside of the Muslim world. Customers are only able to purchase beer or liquor during specific hours of the day, with exceptions for airports and entertainment venues governed by separate laws.
Doctors and health organizations strongly oppose the idea of allowing alcohol sales 24 hours a day. They are worried that this would harm public health and lead to more deaths on Thailand’s roads.
Therefore, Somsak will need to be cautious about this issue.
Somsak is also dealing with the problem of electronic cigarettes (vapes). Despite being illegal in Thailand, e-cigarettes are widely available, causing confusion about their legality.
In addition to his daily duties at the Public Health Ministry, such as budgeting and managing current and new projects, Somsak also has to handle these difficult issues.
Experienced politician seems likely to solidify position
According to Olarn, Somsak is well-equipped to handle the challenges of his new position. He is a seasoned politician who briefly led the Public Health Ministry in 1992.
“Somsak has his own team that will work with others to implement his policies,” said Olarn, predicting a period of stability at the top of the ministry.
“I believe he may even become the longest-serving minister in the current government.”
Somsak officially joined the Srettha-led Cabinet on May 3 and is scheduled to start his work as public health minister on May 7.
During his time with the Palang Pracharath Party, Somsak frequently criticized Pheu Thai and did little to assist its 2023 election campaign. Therefore, his selection as public health minister in the Pheu Thai-led government demonstrates his political skills and connections, according to the expert, Olarn.
Cholnan’s downfall
In contrast, Cholnan actively campaigned for Pheu Thai and assisted the party in forming a government. He even took responsibility for canceling a memorandum of understanding for an alliance with the reformist Move Forward Party.
“However, he has now been removed from the Cabinet,” noted Olarn.
He stated that Cholnan's fate reflects his weakened position within Pheu Thai, starting with his removal as party leader last year and now culminating in his Cabinet ousting.
After the reshuffle, Cholnan's Facebook fan page posted a poem lamenting how he had worked hard and sacrificed a lot, only to be neglected as others sought power.
Cholnan emerged from a medical background as a rural doctor to become the most influential figure in Thailand’s healthcare sector.
However, after only eight months in office, he has been replaced by Somsak, a man who previously claimed that papaya-leaf soup can combat cancer, a statement that was mocked by scientists and rejected by the National Cancer Institute.
Olarn highlights Somsak’s strong ties with Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely seen as Pheu Thai’s leader, as a factor in his new appointment. Somsak held various ministerial roles in Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai government and defended his former boss against criticism when he returned to Thailand last August to face imprisonment for negligence and corruption in office.
“The leader of Pheu Thai simply feels that Cholnan has been recognized and there were no further tasks for him,” explained Olarn.
Somsak has political influence and a good relationship with the party's owner, which allows him to help maintain the stability of the current administration.
Cholnan has denied rumors that he was removed from his role as minister because he failed to push forward policies or work effectively.
He highlighted the significant progress during his time, particularly in the changes to the universal healthcare scheme that provide recipients with access to treatment at any public hospital across the country. The first two of the four phases in the plan have already been put into action.
However, Cholnan seemed to have anticipated his fate in the Cabinet reshuffle. In the weeks before the reorganization, he was rarely spotted at the ministry, choosing instead to spend time on work trips to hospitals throughout the country.
Olarn commented that it's uncertain whether Cholnan, as a Nan MP, will maintain his position given that he has lost credibility in the eyes of the public.
By Thai PBS World’s General Desk
