Trade Justice: Health is a Human Right
The 2006 US-Thai Free Trade Agreement Speaker Tour

With the generous support of Oxfam America, ENGAGE presented a Speaker Tour to raise awareness about the United States-Thai Free Trade Agreement (US-Thai FTA) throughout the month of October 2006. The US-Thai FTA covers multiple trade issues, including foreign investment, government procurement, and intellectual property rights (IPR). The US-Thai FTA Speaker Tour focused on proposed IPR regulations included in the US-Thai FTA that would limit Thailand’s ability to produce and import generic versions of medicines and would jeopardize its access to high quality, affordable medicines.

ENGAGE, in collaboration with Oxfam America’s CHANGE Initiative and the Thai Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+), coordinated the tour. Tour stops featured panel discussions, congressional lobbying, movie screenings, potlucks at community centers, and other targeted educational activities. Speakers included a Thai NGO representative, a TNP+ representative and an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) expert.

The US-Thai FTA Speaker Tour took place from October 8 to October 29, 2006, just in time to put the issue on the 2006 election map. Click here to view the Tour Calendar.

For more information or press inquiries, click here to contact Brighid O'Keane, US-Thai FTA Campaign Coordinator or Kyra Busch, ENGAGE Global Action Director.

In addition, click here for more US-Thai FTA research and materials.

Media and Event Coverage
January 29, 2007 -- "Thailand backs patent drug copies," BBC News

October 27, 2006, San Francisco, CA -- "Thailand: FTAs and Access to Medicines," Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health (CPATH) Newsletter

October 21, 2006, West Lafayette, IN -- WLFI NewsChannel 18 Story: U.S.-Thai Delegation Stops in Lafayette

October 19, 2006, Philadelphia, PA -- "Thai AIDS patient faults free trade," The Daily Pennsylvanian

October 6, 2006, Bangkok -- Press Release: "Thai AIDS campaigners pack 80,000 voices to United States' Capitol Hill"

October 1, 2006, San Francisco -- Press Release: "ENGAGE Announces Thai Academics and Activists Traveling to United States for U.S.-Thai Free Trade Agreement Speaking Tour

Below, Press Conference at Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, October 6, 2006.