The History And Development Of Public Health In Thailand Compare With Japan
Thailand in the previous time the main person who take responsibility of people health was the ruler or the king. The development of the health during Sukhothai period (1243 – 1350), the stone inscription indicated that the big herb garden was created in order to service people. In Ayutthaya era the first of cholera outbreak was recorded and the king passed away cause of Smallpox outbreak during 1350- 1357. Entering Rattanakosin era (1782) The King Rama I collected and inscribed the texts of traditional medicine formulas as well as established the hermit exercise pose at WatPho (temple) and he also founded the department of medicine. The King Rama II enacted the first law which powered the traditional pharmacy was unable to search and collect the herb all over the kingdom. The King Rama III put in writing of pharmacy formula in stone plates of the temple to educated people, which was the first time of the opened university.
In 1828 the western medicine took the important role in public health by pushed on both treatment and prevention. Dr. Dab Beach Bradley (US. Missionary) introduced smallpox vaccination. King Rama V (1891), The first sanitary Act was enacted in order to keep the canal in the clean environment. In 1888 after visiting Singapore the king founded the Sirirat Hospital, this is the initiation of modern medical and public health in Thailand. In1914 the health center of each province was founded under the supervision of ministry of interior. In 1942 The ministry of public was established. The history of health system in Thailand the main person who took responsibility in this issue was the king and the method for treatment was the traditional medicine, since the location of the country suitable for various kinds of herb so that the medicine was highly relied on herb. The place for education or treatment was the temple and someplace the monk was also got involve in the treatment. If look back to the history of Japan and Thailand have similar experiences with the infectious disease that was without knowledge about the cause of diseases and many people died in each out brake until we were transferred knowledge from the western countries.
Comparing the factors that effect the health in Japan and Thailand in different result after the world war II until present in three main issues. The first issue is economic condition. Since after the world war II Japan was supported from western counties and become the economic leader and because power of good economic and high-income country can push development of health system as a whole such as Universal Health Coverage in Japan have been continued for more than 50 years comparing with Thailand at that time a large number of people was facing with health expenditure catastrophe and health problems. As a powerful economic country Japan can also invest in health-related human resources comparing the ratio of physicians per population in Japan is 1 per 400 population, in Thailand is 1 per 2,000 population and etc.
The second issue is the law, in Japan it has been well prepared for covering all necessary heath events, with has been independent from the others law such as Maternal and Child Health Law, Community Health Law, Mother’s Body Protection Law etc. Which mean every issue has well managed? Comparing with Thailand has a few laws which do not cover all necessary issue. For example, according to the population structure, Thailand will face with the same situation as Japan, it will reach aging society within 2021, the person of age over 60-year-old will reach to 20 % but Thailand move too slow to manage with a huge burden there is no specific Law to cope with this burden yet.
The last factor is environment, food and behavior. During my staying in Japan I have observed the difference factors that can result in difference health status, these factors such as the good hygiene, sanitation, and low environmental pollution and the variety of heathy food are available, moreover the attitude and behavior of Japanese people. In Japan the elderly people they always keep working or doing exercise which is difference from Thailand mainly of them they quiz from working or doing any activities to keep moving themselves after entering 60-year-old. Another example of difference behavior, the method that we drink green tea, Japanese green tea was introduced to Thailand about 15 years ago, Japanese they drink pure green tea but Thai they add sugar in green tea. These factors are also the important factors that promote Japanese people to have good health and long-life expectancy that other countries should consider and learn to improve and develop health status too.
