The Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand organized the first meeting on ASEAN Focal Points on Tobacco Control  (AFPTC) in Bangkok, last 6 October 2009. The two-day meeting aimed to bring together all the appointed Focal Points from the Ministry of Health of 10 ASEAN countries that are directly involved in tobacco control activities in their country. This marks the first regional forum on tobacco control following the decision made at the ASEAN Health Minister Meeting (AHMM) last year in Manila, Philippines.  

The meeting sought to organize the ASEAN Focal Points on Tobacco Control under the purview of Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) to monitor the progress of the FCTC within each country and the region. This partnership would serve as a platform for regional cooperation to curb tobacco consumption and protect the ASEAN people from the harmful impacts of tobacco use. 

Dr. Dhannan Sunoto, Director of cross-sectoral cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat welcomed the delegates from  Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.  The opening address was by Dr. Prapon Tangsrikertikul, Deputy Director General of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand.  Others present were Professor Prakit Vathesathogkit, Consultant on Tobacco Control of the Ministry of Health of Thailand and Secretary General of ASH-Thailand, Dr. Supreda Adulyanont, Deputy of the Thaihealth, SEATCA Director, Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee, and representatives of the WHO-WPRO office and the ASEAN SEcretariat.