The cabinet will be asked on Wednesday to approve a bill on the establishment of a national health policy commission, despite doubts about its usefulness and possible negative impact.
The Ministry of Public Health, which initiated the bill, is standing firm on the importance of bringing it before the cabinet, but the draft law is drawing comments and concerns from various state agencies, including the Secretariat of the Cabinet, which has questioned whether a new prime minister-led commission is really needed.
Key health issues are already overseen by the Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha-chaired National Health Commission. In the view of the secretariat, the proposed commission would be more or less doing the same job.
The ministry said the 45-member commission would be granted full powers to design and direct health policies considered most suitable for the public.
The commissioners would be made up of experts and representatives from state agencies as well as the private and civic sectors.
They would be authorised to scrutinise important policies including those concerning personnel and budget management before forwarding them to the cabinet.
The commission's potential power to control financial affairs has caused the Council of State, the government's legal advisory body, to express concern that some decisions may affect budgetary plans vis-a-vis health issues.
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is also concerned the bill may affect plans to draft new mineral, factory and environmental protection laws.
Other agencies are fretting over the number of members. While its composition is intended to cover all walks of life, some officials believe there are simply too many commissioners.
