CRITICS YESTERDAY accused the Intellectual Property Department of intentionally ignoring its legal duty in order to benefit transnational pharmaceutical conglomerates by accepting ineligible cannabinoid medicine patent registration applications for consideration.

They said, in the process the department had potentially sabotaged Thai medical research and development based on cannabis.

Medical access campaigners led by FTA Watch yesterday demanded the department disclose all information related to every cannabinoid drug patent application it had received. They also demanded that the department immediately freeze all cannabinoid drug patent registrations, which violate intellectual property laws.

They will be hit with lawsuits if they refuse the demands, FTA Watch warned.

Achara Eksaengsri, an expert on medicine patents and drug access, noted that legalisation of medical cannabis is now in process and new medicines are being developed from cannabis extracts by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) and Rangsit University. But the progress of these efforts were now threatened by indefinite delay because of the cannabinoid medicine patent issue.

“Even though the Intellectual Property Department said no cannabinoid medicine patent had yet been granted, and none of the applications would pass consideration, the mere presence of cannabinoid medicine patent applications in the registration system will be enough for giant pharmaceutical companies to disrupt our cannabinoid medicine development efforts,” Achara said.

The problem is that the pharmaceutical companies are now using a legal loophole in the Thai intellectual property protection law as a tactic to monopolise the medicine marketplace, she said, as the law grants protection for patent applications from the first day that it enters the consideration process.

“Even though other medicine developers can still work on their cannabinoid drug research during the period of consideration, these pharmaceutical companies will file a notice to their opponents about their intellectual property claims. This will demoralise researchers, as their hard work could be wasted because of the possibility of intellectual property violation in the future,” Achara said.

“Medical research and development is expensive and no one wants to invest in a wasteful project, so keeping these ineligible patent applications in the system will severely harm the country’s cannabinoid medical research effort.”

She noted that the consideration process would normally take up to five years, and sometimes extend to 10 years, allowing the big pharmaceutical companies to reap a large benefit if they can halt research by potential competitors for such a long time.

BioThai Foundation director Withoon Lienchamroon said the registration of cannabinoid medicine patents in Thailand by transnational pharmaceutical companies was a clear violation of the intellectual property law. Yet the Intellectual Property Department had not been alert to the need to perform its obligations, despite its power to immediately reject unqualified patent applications, he said.

“Most of the cannabinoid drug patent applications that we have found do not qualify to register for intellectual property protection in the first place, because they |are either not a new invention or are claiming intellectual property rights over natural parts of living organisms, or both,” Withoon said.

“The law states that the Intellectual Property Department director-general has the power to dismiss ineligible applications right away when they receive the application, but the department chose to do nothing.”

He accused the department of also failing to be transparent. Not only did the department fail to improve its patent-search system to make it easily accessible to the public, but it also kept secret some of the details of the patent applications. The lack of transparency makes it very difficult for the public to look into the details of these patent applications, said Withoon.

The department must declare all details of the cannabinoid medicine patent applications in their possession and drop all unqualified patent applications, he insisted.

“If the department fails to comply with our demands, we are considering offering legal advice and help to those who are disadvantaged by the department’s inaction, such as the GPO and Rangsit University, and sue the department in court,” Withoon said.

Dean Panthep Puapongpan of the Rangsit Institute of Integrative Medicine and Anti-Ageing said the patent issue had already caused the university problems in its effort to develop medicines from cannabis.

“We are strongly opposed to patent registration of medical cannabis, because Thai people have learnt to use cannabis in many traditional Thai medicines for hundreds of years,” Panthep said. “Everyone should have the right to equal access to cannabis for medical treatment.

“Even though Rangsit University does not yet have a plan to sue the Intellectual Property Department, we are open to this option.”

“Even though I know condoms prevent STDs, I still wouldn’t ask my boyfriend to wear one,” a college student, who takes birth-control pills, said. “It feels better [without a condom] and we trust each other.”

However, the number of Thais aged 15 to 24 who have caught an STD has jumped over the past six years, statistics compiled by Department of Disease Control show. In just six years, the number of teens with STD infection has doubled from 80.8 to 161.2 per 1,000 people.

The most common infections among them include gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, chancroid and genital herpes.

“This is because they wrongly believe that not using a condom is a way to show they trust their partner,” Kanokwan Tharawan, manager of the Women’s Health Advocacy Foundation’s Healthy Sexuality Programme, said at a workshop on sexual wellbeing and teen pregnancy.

The workshop was organised by the Women’s Health Advocacy Foundation (WHAF) in Chiang Mai.

She said that teens are aware of the importance of condoms, but because they love their partners, they do not want to show they “distrust” them.

The traditional belief in Thailand is that condoms are used by women whose partner is promiscuous.

“Teenagers forget that using a condom is necessary,” Kittipong Saejeng, director of the Reproductive Health Bureau, said. Prophylactics such as pills, injections or implants can protect women from pregnancy, but not from sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/Aids or venereal disease.

“Without condoms, girls are also more likely to contract the HPV virus and develop cervical cancer,” he warned.

The HPV vaccination does not provide complete protection from cervical cancer as it only covers 70 per cent of HPV strains. That’s another reason to use condoms, he said.

A study conducted last year by the Department of Disease Control on sexually active Mathayom 5 students, aged 17 to 18, across the country showed that 80 per cent of boys and 79 per cent of girls used a prophylactic. However, when asked if they had used a condom the last time they had intercourse, only 76 per cent boys and 71 per cent girls said yes.

“In order to tackle this problem, we need to think like them [teenagers]. We need to change their attitude. Using condoms does not mean that you love or trust your partner less,” Kanokwan said.

Meanwhile, the 60-year-old restaurant Methavalai Sorndaeng, which is next to Democracy Monument and popular among politicians, is one of the 10 new eateries awarded one star, as per the second edition of the “Michelin Guide Bangkok” released yesterday at Park Hyatt Bangkok.

No restaurant in Thailand has won the coveted three stars yet, though all three two-starred restaurants from the inaugural edition, namely Gaggan, Le Normandie and Mezzaluna have retained their stars.

“It’s my greatest honour to win the award again and it also proves that we can still maintain Michelin standards,” said 72-year-old Supinya Junsuta, better known as Jay Fai. Her eatery is known for local seafood delicacies, such as omelette stuffed with crabmeat, with prices ranging from Bt800 to Bt2,000.

“For the past year, after winning one star, I have not stopped cooking as people are still queuing up to try the dishes. I still cook with a charcoal oven and am the only cook. I work 11 hours a day, from 2pm until 1am every day except Sunday and Monday,” Supinya said.

Apart from Jay Fai, the 12 one-starred restaurants in the first edition have also retained their honours, namely Bo.lan, Chim by Siam Wisdom, Elements, Ginza Sushi Ichi, J’aime by Jean-Michel Lorain, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Nahm, Paste, Saneh Jaan, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, Upstairs at Mikkeller and Savelberg. The European contemporary restaurant Suhring run by chef brothers Mathias and Thomas Suhring earned an upgrade from one to two stars.

The little red guide has been extended to cover the best dining venues in the southern provinces of Phuket and Phang Nga for its 2019 edition.

However, Pru restaurant in Phuket is the only restaurant in region to have been awarded one star.

“The awards aim to honour the diversity of Thai gastronomy, secret recipes and talented chefs who can craft dishes to reflect Thai cultures and marry traditional and modern cooking techniques,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides.

“More than half of the awards go to Thai-style cuisine, which is why Thailand has become a world-class culinary destination. We have also seen a trend in degustation menu, whereby chefs design a complete experience for diners.”

Apart from Methavalai Sorndaeng and Pru, other new one-starred additions include Le Du, Gaa, Canvas, R.Haan, Saawaan, Sorn, Ruean Panya and Suan Thip.

“I didn’t expect to win a Michelin star because the standard is very high. I’m really glad that Thai food can be accepted so widely,” Jirawut Sapkiree, the second-generation owner of Methavalai Sorndaeng, said.

“Our restaurant focuses mainly on local ingredients, spices and herbs and maintains the authentic recipe. The most popular dish for local people is green curry, while pomelo salad impresses foreign diners.”

Former prime ministers such as General Prem Tinsulanonda, Anand Panyarachun and Chuan Leekpai have been seen dining at Methavalai Sorndaeng.

The “Bib Gourmand” award, a rating that recognises restaurants offering exceptionally good food at moderate prices (within Bt1,000 in Thailand’s case), doubled in number this year from 35 to 72 venues. Dining venues in Bangkok’s neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan as well as Phuket and Phang Nga were covered in this category. Among them are the legendary Southern food restaurant Raya and its sister restaurant Chomchan in Phuket, along with Krua Bai Toey and Nai Mueng in Phang Nga.

The Michelin Guide Bangkok has a five-year budget of Bt140 million paid for by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The guide is expected to promote the country as an international gastronomic destination.

“The first edition had a successful impact as more tourists want to discover the diversity of Thai cuisine,” TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said. “Popular tourist destinations, Phuket and Phang Nga are also included in the new edition. The cuisine in Phuket is distinctive and flavourful, with a wonderful blend of influences from India, Malaysia, China and the Peranakan ethnic group, while Phang Nga is full of eateries with authentic southern fare incorporating seafood, herbs and spices.

“We plan to cover more territories in the future,” he added.

The bilingual edition of “Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang Nga 2019” is now available at leading bookstores.

THE AGRICULTURE and Cooperatives Ministry plans to seek a budget of more than Bt10 billion to help rubber growers and tappers cope with the dropping price of rubber.

“We intend to compensate them more than we did last year,” Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach said yesterday.

Last year, 140,000 families of rubber growers and tappers received Bt1,500 per rai (0.16 hectares) for a maximum of 15 rai.

Those who registered with the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAT) were eligible for the financial help.

“Either the compensation per rai or the number of rai eligible for compensation will increase,” Grisada said.

The minister was speaking after holding a meeting with representatives of the country’s five big rubber exporters.

According to him, the private sector will be asked to designate specific spots where rubber cup lump will be bought at Bt35 per kilo, rubber field latex at Bt37 per kilo and crude rubber sheets at Bt40 per kilo.

At present, the per-kilo price for cup lump is between Bt12 and Bt14, for field latex between Bt28 and Bt31 and for crude rubber sheets between Bt32 and Bt35.

“With the Rubber Development Fund, RAT should be able to cover the difference in price,” Grisada said, adding that his ministry will also try to boost the price of rubber by increasing domestic demand.

“We plan to propose that rubber-based bedding be manufactured for state schools and hospitals,” he said, adding that relevant government agencies have already been asked to study the need for such bedding.

Manas Boonpat, president of Small Rubber Tappers and Farmer Association of Thailand, meanwhile, said the drop in rubber prices has put many families in trouble.

“This is why rubber farmers have been protesting, yet their demands have long fallen on deaf ears,” he said, as hundreds of farmers gathered at six locations in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani provinces for fresh rallies.

Saksarit Sriprasart, a leader of a southern rubber farmers’ network, said his group planned to join larger protests in Trang province on November 20.

He said the protests were becoming larger because the farmers did not really believe the government would roll out tangible measures to ease their woes.

“The government has made many promises, but they have turned out to be empty,” Saksarit said.

Meanwhile, oil-palm growers in Krabi province yesterday continued burning their crop for the third consecutive day to protest against the drop in price.

So far, they have already burned down more than 50 tonnes of oil palm.

Local farmers are angered by the fact that palm-oil fuelled machines have been moved from a local plant to be reinstalled in a power plant in Chachoengsao’s Bang Pakong district. This plant will only begin using palm oil next year.

Krabi authorities have been trying to appease the farmers by proposing that all service stations in the province sell bio-diesel, which uses palm oil. The plan, if implemented, may provide a sustainable solution to the slump in palm-oil prices.

Anucha Thasako was knocked out cold in a boxing ring in Samut Prakan province last Saturday and succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

“The current boxing law requires that a boxer completing five rounds of a match take a 21-day break before entering another fight,” Nattadej Wachirattanawong, the promoter of the Phetyindee boxing camp, said yesterday.

He said had the law been fully enforced, Anucha’s death could have been prevented. A new law is now working its way through Parliament.

Records showed Anucha became a paid boxer at the age of eight, and fought more than 170 matches over the past five years, or 34 matches a year and approximately one match every 11 days.

He died of a severe intracerebral haemorrhage – a stroke caused by bleeding within brain tissue.

Anucha’s uncle Damrong Tasako, who was with the boy’s attendant during the fight, yesterday labelled Anucha’s death as an accident. Still, he cannot help thinking that things would have been different if referee standards had been higher in the provinces.

He said the referee should have intervened when Anucha looked too weak to fight on.

“Also I hope the new law will require boxers younger than 15 years old to wear protective gear on stage,” he said.

Anucha, who fought under the alias Phetchmongkol Sor Wilaithong, was well-loved and is fondly remembered. Orphaned at a young age, Anucha was raised by his uncle. Damrong described his nephew as dutiful, honest and determined.

“I love him more than my own life,” Damrong said.

At the Watmaisamutkitwittayakom School, his close friend Nattaphum Wut described Anucha as a quiet, nice and humble friend.

“He was also the smartest student in class,” Natthaphum said. “I am so saddened to learn about his passing.”

Natthaphum said Anucha had never boasted about his boxing skills and had never used his skills against his friends.

The boy’s funeral is being held at Wat Mai temple in Bang Pla Klod area and the cremation ceremony will take place today.

Relevant authorities have vowed to push forward a boxing bill, which seeks to ban children under 12 from muay thai. This draft amendment to the 1999 Boxing Act would also require that teen fighters wear protective gear and be formally registered. It also threatens boxers and referees who rig bouts with up to five years in prison and fines of up to Bt100,000.

The hospital had modified its carpark without permission and made it into a facility to treat outpatients, which violates the Health Facility Act. He said the hospital is required to pay an unidentified amount in fines, and also improve its facility in 15 days or face licence revocation.

Meanwhile, Arkhom Praditsuwan, director of the department’s Bureau of Sanatorium and Art of Healing, said yesterday that no one at the hospital has been punished over the November 9 incident in which a woman with acid burns was allegedly denied treatment, and died shortly after arriving at a second hospital.

He said officials will be consulting experts from the Thai College of Emergency Physicians, the National Institute for Emergency Medicine and the Medical Council of Thailand in a bid to determine whether Praram 2 staff had met emergency-medicine standards.

Gathered evidence and expert opinions will be forwarded to a medical ethics subcommittee to decide if punishment is warranted and, if so, what it should be, Arkhom said.

“As a law-upholding authority, this department must ensure justice for both sides, so we have to be thorough in our investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Atchariya Ruangratanapong, a lawyer and chairman of a Facebook group for assisting crime victims, said on Facebook Live on Tuesday that a Praram 2 Hospital staff member had already admitted there was no doctor available when the victim arrived. Chorladda Tharawan, 38, was taken to the hospital at 5am after her husband allegedly poured acid on her face. The lawyer said shopping-mall employee, Chorladda, and her 12-year-old daughter, had hailed a taxi to Bang Mod Hospital where she was registered for the universal healthcare scheme. However, the taxi driver suggested they go to Praram 2 Hospital, which was closer, due to the serious nature of the injury, Atchariya said.

He cited the driver as saying that nobody was on stand-by in front of the hospital when the mother and daughter rushed inside. The driver followed them to ensure they were taken to the emergency ward. Four male staff members were present and the driver heard them say that no doctor was available at the time. The driver left the hospital after that.

Atchariya said Praram 2 Hospital did not contact Bang Mod Hospital for patient referral and its two available ambulances were not used to give Chorladda a lift.

By then, Chorladda was unable to walk, and was helped into a taxi by a nursing assistant and another staff member, the lawyer claimed on Facebook Live.

Last words

When they arrived at Bang Mod Hospital, the taxi driver shouted for help and hospital staff came to carry Chorladda to the emergency ward. At that time, the driver heard Chorladda say, “I cannot take it anymore.”

The victim was reportedly suffering from a large discharge of fluid from her nose and mouth, and a doctor in Bang Mod Hospital tried to remove the fluid and tried to resuscitate her. The also removed 2,200cc of blood, the lawyer said, but Chorladda died of massive bleeding and respiratory system failure.

Bang Mod Hospital has given police CCTV footage documenting the event after Chorladda arrived at the hospital.

The lawyer said autopsy result initially stated respiratory failure as the cause of death, which was in line with Bang Mod Hospital.

Atchariya said he will file a criminal lawsuit against Praram 2 Hospital’s executives and doctors, saying denial of treatment can be considered recklessness resulting in death and the lack of a doctor barred the patient from receiving proper help.

The forum, entitled “Continuing the Ideology of Dr Surin Pitsuwan – From Islamic Studies to the World”, is being organised by Rangsit University in cooperation with the Office of Islamic Committee of Bangkok and Pratheepsat Islamic School.

It will be held on November 27 from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at Rangsit University. Surin died at age 68 on November 30 following an acute heart attack at his home. He was taking a rest after giving an interview to Japanese media, and was scheduled to give a lecture in the afternoon when he suffered the attack.

He was rushed to nearby hospital, but doctors said he passed away on the trip.

The forum was initiated by his family, and made possible by those who knew him from his time as a Democrat Party politician, high ranking diplomat and Asean bloc chief.

Privy Councillor member General Surayud Chulanont will give the opening address at the forum while Arthit Ourairat, president of Rangsit University, will deliver the welcome speech.

Surayud, then Thai prime minister, nominated Surin as a candidate for the position of Asean secretary general which he won.

The keynote speakers will be Musa Hitam, Malaysia’s former deputy prime minister and home affairs minister, Asean deputy secretarygeneral AKP Mochtan, Morocco Ambassador to Thailand Abdelilah El Housni, and Aroon Boonchom, Senior Advisor to Sheikul Islam & Chairman of Bangkok Metropolitan Islamic Committee as well as former director general of the World Trade Organisation Supachai Panitchpakdi.

There will be a video address by Phra Vajiramedhi.

The speakers at a second academic forum, entitled “Dr Surin Pitsuwan’s Ideology Towards Thai Community, Asean and the World”, will be Trairong Suvankiri, a former Democrat MP; Suvat Chiraphant, former ambassador and Surin’s chief of staff in the foreign ministry; and Samai Charoenchang, former Democrat.

Veteran journalist Suthichai Yoon will moderate. Other future events are expected to be organised in the memory of Surin.

According to an urgent letter from Thanakom Jongjira, a Deputy permanent secretary in the Interior Ministry, to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the city’s 50 district offices should organise meetings with vendors to find a long-term solution.

The ministry recommended that the BMA plan remedial actions for the vendors affected by the earlier ban and allow vendors to continue operating for the time being.

The BMA is asked to report back to the ministry on the progress of the issues by November 22.

The Nakhon Ratchasima Court read a primary court verdict on Wednesday, to jail the 45-year-old bus driver Krissana Juthacheun – who fled the crash scene, was re-captured on the same day in the northeastern province and tested positive for metamphetamine use.

The court trial found Krissana – who has been in detention at the provincial prison since his arrest – as a repeated drug use offender and for driving under a substance’s influence (DUI) in various occasions in Amnat Charoen, Nakhon Ratchasima and Khon Kaen since 2002. In 2011, he was forced to undergo a drug rehabilitation program when he broke probation for a drug-use offence and his latest DUI offence on March 22 had led to many deaths and injuries.

The court found Krissana guilty of DUI resulting in dangers to others, reckless driving causing others’ deaths, and failing to aid the accident victims. They gave him a combined eight years and two months in prison before halving that sentence due to the defendant’s confession. The court also permanently revoke his driver’s licence. Relatives of the accident victims reportedly were satisfied with the verdict and said they would not appeal.

The fateful bus was chartered for villagers from Muang Kalasin to visit the Chanthaburi beaches and it was on the way back to Kalasin when the horrific crash took place at “Makrudwan Curve”. The families of the deceased and injured victims from this crash were given insurance money and compensation totalling Bt24 million.

Nakhon Ratchasima Highway Office 10 official Jakkrit Boonreungsri said the curve on the Highway 304 (Nakhon Ratchasima-Kabin Buri) where the bus had crashed has seen as many as 30,000 vehicles passing though it (35 per cent of which were cargo trucks) and often had accidents. The authority would divide the lanes with a 1.2-metre-tall road division concrete barrier and reduce the signed speed limit to under 60 kilometres per hour. They would also install other speed control equipment and add more lights as to prevent future accidents.