World Food Policy
associated undernutrition , are unlikely to be effective in a modern urbanizing society . Social marketing and public nutrition education campaigns , as well as improved nutrition labeling , are all being utilized to make consumers aware of the importance of healthy diets ; and although nutrition is one part of the remit of the Thai National Food Committee , it is considered as a part of the strategy on “ Food research and education .” This may indicate an emphasis on product reformulation and dietary guideline approaches rather than considering more systemic influences on food choice . Despite this limitation , there has been a clear shift in government attention to the growing burden of diet-related chronic diseases in terms of health system resources . Effort to reduce risk factors for these diseases largely being coordinated by the successful Thai Health Promotion foundation .
Assessing upstream influences on consumption and nutrition will also be important . The relative price and availability of energy-dense , processed foods must be addressed . Food corporations are moving toward corporate responsibility programs in developed countries and some developing ones ( Hawkes , 2005 ; Igumbor et al ., 2012 ), and this may be an important way forward for Thailand although collaboration between industry leaders and the public health sector requires case by case critical appraisal and regulatory measures regarding nutritional content ( Stuckler & Nestle , 2012 ). The increasing economic importance of the Thai domestic food processing industry , which produces for local and international markets , presents a challenge to regulators . Government policy must include soft measures such as nutrition education and food labeling along with hard fiscal and legal measures to regulate the food industry in terms of marketing and product formulation . One recent step being made in the direction of influencing the nutrition environment for Thai consumers is the introduction of a new excise tax on drinks with sugar content which increases progressively with increase in sugar content .
Researchers , policymakers , and food security agencies now realize that effective food policy must address all aspects of the food system in an integrated manner , utilizing an ecological approach ( Carlisle & Hanlon , 2014 ; Lang , 2009 ; Lang , Barling , & Caraher , 2009 ). Public health , environmental sustainability , and social inequality are linked , and food policies must acknowledge these dynamics previously seen to be outside the food system . These are now the challenges facing Thailand ’ s National Food Committee , the primary body governing food policies in Thailand .
In this article , we have discussed many of the policy challenges for this body . It should be noted , however , that although the NFC has the responsibility to coordinate policies and actions across all aspects of the Thai food system , the NFC is not supplied with budget and personnel to carry out these functions . Under Thai law , the actual operation of policies is still devolved to individual departments and Ministries
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