Dr Prawase, architect of public health reform and social change, dies at 93

Thailand is mourning the passing of Prof Dr Prawase Wasi, who died yesterday at the age of 93. He was widely known as public intellectual and social reformer, who played a leading role in shaping the country’s public health system and civic development.

Born on August 5, 1932 in Kanchanaburi province, Prawase graduated in medicine from Siriraj Hospital Medical School and later pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Colorado and the University of London.

He returned to Thailand to serve as a professor at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, of which he was later appointed vice-president.

Over the course of his academic career, he published more than 100 research papers.

He was internationally recognised for his groundbreaking work on thalassaemia, including identifying the genetic mechanisms of the disease and developing preventive treatment approaches for hereditary red blood cell disorders.

His contributions significantly advanced Thailand’s capacity to address anaemia caused by thalassaemia.

Dr Prawase was also a central figure in the development of Thailand’s public health infrastructure.

He initiated and supported the establishment of key independent agencies overseeing the Ministry of Public Health, including the National Health Commission Office, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Health Systems Research Institute, the Healthcare Accreditation Institute and the National Institute for Emergency Medicine.

As a prominent intellectual, he consistently advocated for rural public health development, democratic decentralisation and structural reform rooted in community participation.

He promoted the concept of a “healthy society” and long championed grassroots-based structural reform as a pathway to sustainable development. He also played a significant role in civic and political reform.

Dr Prawase chaired the Democracy Development Committee, which led the drafting of Thailand’s 1997 Constitution, and was instrumental in securing its adoption.

His writings on political reform, civil society and social change were deeply influenced by Buddhist philosophy. In recognition of his public service, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 1981.

His passing marks the end of an era for Thailand’s intellectual community. Dr. Prawase was the last surviving member of a group of senior public intellectuals, collectively known as “elder citizens,” following the deaths of Prof. Rapee Sagarik in 2018 and Prof. Saneh Chamarik in 2022.

Together, they laid foundational concepts on community rights, public participation and sustainable development in Thai society.

Dr Prawase will be remembered as a transformative figure, whose influence spanned public health, education, social development and civic politics, leaving a lasting legacy on Thailand’s modern institutions and reform movements.