Latest news with #Mingkwan
Bangkok Post
24-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
TIDLOR Honored for Empowering Thais Through Financial Literacy
Ngern Tid Lor Public Company Limited, a subsidiary of Tidlor Holdings (TIDLOR), stands as The Leading Financial Inclusion Service Provider, led by Mr. Mingkwan Prasertsiwaporn, Social Impact Lead, has been awarded in the Social Empowerment category at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2025. The award recognizes TIDLOR's unwavering dedication to promoting financial literacy as a means to improve the quality of life for Thai people. The accolade reflects TIDLOR's sustained efforts to address financial inequality by providing access to practical financial education and fostering long-term behavioral change among underbanked populations. 'I believe that simply offering loans is not enough to sustainably improve lives,' Mr. Mingkwan said. 'But if we instill financial literacy and encourage sound financial discipline, people can regain control over their choices and rebuild their lives. We are confident that this will lead to lasting improvements in financial well-being.' Since 2015, TIDLOR has prioritized financial education through initiatives such as the 'Financial Education to Communities for Life Rolls Forward' program. Targeting low-income communities, self-employed people, workers, and students, the program has reached over 7,000 individuals across 250 communities and 7 educational institutions—leading to reduced debt levels, increased savings, and measurable improvements in financial habits. The company has also published the book 25 Mindsets to Ruin Your Life / 25 Mindsets to Live Comfortably (unofficial translation), supported Thai translations of global bestsellers like Poor Economics and The Poor and Their Money, and created impactful campaigns including 'Debt Hell' (2019) and 'Choice' (2025) to raise awareness of excessive debt and promote financial responsibility. These initiatives not only mitigate long-term risks in the lending sector but also cultivate financially disciplined customers—laying the groundwork for sustainable business growth. Winning the AREA 2025 award strengthens TIDLOR's reputation as a trusted provider of fair, accessible, and transparent financial services, aligned with its ESG commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Bangkok Post
04-07-2025
- Health
- Bangkok Post
New drug to be registered with FDA
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) has prepared to register the affordable hepatitis C drug ravidasvir with the Food and Drug Administration to improve access for 800,000 patients and reduce treatment costs. GPO director Dr Mingkwan Suphanpong said on Thursday that the state producer is working with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Egypt‑based Pharco Pharmaceuticals, which co‑developed ravidasvir under a South‑South partnership. The three parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to supply technical documents and regulatory support "so the registration proceeds smoothly", she said. Four clinical trials conducted in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Malaysia show that ravidasvir achieves cure rates above 95%. Already registered in Malaysia and listed on the World Health Organization's essential medicines roster, the drug will become Thailand's first domestically produced direct‑acting antiviral (DAA) developed through international collaboration, said Dr Mingkwan. "Current DAA regimens cost more than 2.5 million baht, so many patients are left untreated," she said. Only about one in five Thais with the virus can presently afford therapy, she added, yet untreated infection can progress to liver cancer, cirrhosis and chronic disease, burdening families and the health‑care budget. Ravidasvir's registration is a central plank of Thailand's strategy to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030. DNDi, an NGO dedicated to affordable medicines in developing nations, and Pharco, which supplies the active pharmaceutical ingredient, will continue to assist GPO in scaling up production once regulatory clearance is secured, she said. Dr Mingkwan said a Thai‑made version of ravidasvir would "dramatically lower prices and expand access".
Bangkok Post
04-07-2025
- Health
- Bangkok Post
New drug registered with FDA
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) has registered the affordable hepatitis C drug ravidasvir with the Food and Drug Administration to improve access for 800,000 patients and reduce treatment costs. GPO director Dr Mingkwan Suphanpong said yesterday that the state producer is working with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Egypt‑based Pharco Pharmaceuticals, which co‑developed ravidasvir under a South‑South partnership. The three parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to supply technical documents and regulatory support "so the registration proceeds smoothly", she said. Four clinical trials conducted in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Malaysia show that ravidasvir achieves cure rates above 95%. Already registered in Malaysia and listed on the World Health Organization's essential medicines roster, the drug will become Thailand's first domestically produced direct‑acting antiviral (DAA) developed through international collaboration, said Dr Mingkwan. "Current DAA regimens cost more than 2.5 million baht, so many patients are left untreated," she said. Only about one in five Thais with the virus can presently afford therapy, she added, yet untreated infection can progress to liver cancer, cirrhosis and chronic disease, burdening families and the health‑care budget. Ravidasvir's registration is a central plank of Thailand's strategy to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030. DNDi, an NGO dedicated to affordable medicines in developing nations, and Pharco, which supplies the active pharmaceutical ingredient, will continue to assist GPO in scaling up production once regulatory clearance is secured, she said. Dr Mingkwan said a Thai‑made version of ravidasvir would "dramatically lower prices and expand access".
