Tailand: Health to Appeal Cigarette Injunction

Source from:  Bangkok Post  09/17/2013

Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong said the ministry will on Monday file an appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court against a Central Administrative Court injunction against the enforcement of larger warning labels on cigarette packets.

He said the appeal will focus on two main issues in asking the court to allow the enforcement of mandatory health warning graphics that take up 85% of a cigarette package, and the use of 10 different warning graphics, from  Oct 2 as scheduled.

Nine tobacco companies are adapting their production lines to comply with the regulation. Two have already shipped the new-look cigarette packages to Thailand, Dr Pradit said.

The injunction would damage those nine tobacco companies which have complied with the regulation, he said.

On June 26, tobacco giant Philip Morris filed a lawsuit against the ministry's regulation, claiming it was unfair and asking the Administrative Court to over rule it.

The court issued an injunction on Aug 23, freezing the implementation of the regulation, while it considers the case. Enditem