- Author
- Pothisiri, Pakdee; Viroj Tangcharoensathien; Jongkol Lertiendumrong; Vijj Kasemsup; Piya Hanvoravongchai
- Title
- Funding Priorities for the HIV/AIDS Crisis in Thailand
- In
- "Funding and Policy" session, 1998 World AIDS Conference, Geneva
- Imprint
- UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Geneva, March 1999, p. 20
- Description
UNAIDS Best Practice Collection Key Material (UNAIDS/99.9E)
- Abstract
" The recent economic crisis in Thailand was triggered by a currency devaluation. Since July 1997, the crisis has placed severe constraints on public financing, including public health and HIV/AIDS programmes. The growth of Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 1998 is estimated at minus 5.5%, with inflation of 10.5%. As a result, the government budget was scaled down 18.5% from the 982 billion baht that was approved in the 1998 Budget Bill to 800 billion baht. The Ministry of Public Health budget was cut from 70.145 billion baht to 59.92 billion, a 14.58% reduction from the amount in the Budget Bill. This paper introduces the conceptual framework of interrelated consequences of the economic crisis on HIV/AIDS prevention and control. On the basis of document research and in-depth interviews with officials at national and provincial levels, we explain how the Government of Thailand has dealt with the AIDS epidemic during the period of economic hardship. The paper describes how programme managers at national and provincial levels have responded to budget cuts and discusses the impact the cuts may have on the effectiveness of programmes. The state of government finance and agreements with the International Monetary Fund have led to many policy adjustments and budget amendments."