Tuberculosis (TB) is theTuberculosis (TB) second leading infectious cause of mortality worldwide and arguably the most important neglected topic in bioethics. This chapter: (1) explains the ethical importance of TB, (2) documents its neglect in bioethics discourse, (3) maps the terrain of ethical issues associated with TBTuberculosis (TB), and (4) advocates a moderate pluralistic approach to ethical issues associated with TB.

Transnational food retailers expanded to middle-income countries over recent decades responding to supply and demand. Control in new markets diffuses along three axes: socio-economic, geographic, and product category. We used a mixed method approach to study the progression of modern retail in Thailand on these three axes and consumer preferences for food retailing. In Thailand modern retail controls half the food sales but traditional fresh markets remain important. Quantitative questionnaires administered to members of a large national cohort study revealed around (...) half of respondents were primarily traditional shoppers and half either utilized modern and traditional formats equally or primarily shopped at supermarkets. Fresh foods were mainly purchased at traditional retail formats and dry packaged foods at supermarkets. Qualitative interviews found price and quality of produce and availability of culturally important products to be significant reasons for continued support of fresh markets. Our results show socio-economic and geographic diffusion is already advanced with most respondents having access to and utilizing modern retail. Control of the fresh food sector by transnationals faces barriers in Thailand and may remain elusive. The short to mid-term outcome may be a bifurcated food system with modern and traditional retail each retaining market share, but fresh markets longer term survival may require government assistance as supermarkets become more established. Fresh markets supply affordable, healthy foods, and livelihoods for poorer Thais and are repositories of Thai food culture and social networks. If they survive they will confer cultural, social, economic, and health benefits. (shrink)

Thailand is promoting a sufficiency economy (SE) emphasizing community solidarity, mixed farming and sustainable agriculture. We analyze to what extent the SE philosophy is part of the daily lives of communities in Isan, NE Thailand. We interviewed rural household representatives and community leaders on education, employment, community dynamics, aspirations, concerns and social-sufficiency. The majority observed that community values and interaction were essential and were satisfied with living standards and community. However, most want their children to proceed to university meaning many (...) may not return to agriculture limiting the ability of SE values to be transferred to the next generation. (shrink)