On March 4, 2026, Dr. Somrerk Jungsaman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said that the Ministry of Public Health saw the importance of developing criteria for a safe, health-conscious canteen or Healthy Canteen and therefore assigned it. Dr. Amphon Benjaphonpitak Director General of the Department of Health Chairing the Obesity Day 2026 event and joining hands with Rangsit University, Lineman (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in operating a safe, health-conscious canteen (Healthy Canteen) with Dr. Supachai Kunarattanapruek Vice President of Rangsit University and Dr. Maleeya Chotisakulrat Senior Director Public Policy Department and government relations, Lineman (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Signed along with the executives of the Department of Health Rangsit University administrators Executive of Lineman (Thailand) Co., Ltd., executive of True Coffee brand Central Group Executive and Central Business Group executives attended the event at the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health.
Dr. Amphon Benjaphonpitak The Director-General of the Department of Health said that March 4 of every year is “World Obesity Day”. “Obesity” is one of the important risk factors for NCDs. Campaigning for people to see the importance and change behavior is therefore a matter of urgency, especially organizing the environment into a sustainable system. The Department of Health recognizes the importance of “Eating well, losing weight, starts with a good environment” and is working to develop criteria for a safe, health-conscious cafeteria or Healthy Canteen.
In collaboration with Rangsit University To be a model for the first educational institution and Lineman Company (Thailand) to pass on good food to the people, it also launched Normal Sweet = 50% Sweet in collaboration with a major national beverage brand. To adjust the sweet eating behavior of Thai people In order to have good health in the long term
According to the 7th Thai Public Health Survey by Physical Examination (2024 – 2025), it was found that 45 percent of Thai people aged 15 years and over are obese, accounting for almost half of the total population. and 10.6 percent were sick with diabetes, an increase from 2020 which was 9.5 percent. Moreover, obesity and diabetes are considered important risk factors. that leads to heart disease and stroke which is the leading cause of death for Thai people
Dr. Pakorn Tungkha Serirak Deputy Director-General of the Department of Health said that over the past three years, the Department of Health together with Lineman (Thailand) Co., Ltd. delivered healthy food through more than 60,000 stores on the platform nationwide. This made it possible to reduce the use of sugar by up to 120 tons. And this year, Lineman, as a national Food Delivery platform, continues the policy of driving “Less sweetness available to order” to “Normal sweetness = 50% sweetness”
Through cooperation from the private sector, major beverage producers, 7 companies, 9 brands, and 2 additional companies, including True Coffee Company. and business groups in the Central Group To jointly create a new sweetness norm for brewed beverages for Thai society.
“To solve the obesity problem in the long term, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Public Health need to drive together the government, private sector, and civil society. Today’s event Therefore, it is a good opportunity to create cooperation from all sectors, including Rangsit University, Lineman (Thailand) Company Limited, True Coffee Company. Central Business Group that joins in driving Healthy Canteen and regular sweet, equal to 50% sweet, in creating an environment that is conducive to changing the consumption behavior of Thai people. It is also a campaign to create social trends for people to choose to consume food and drinks that have a lasting effect on the health of Thai people,” said the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Health.
