This study, conducted jointly by the Bank and Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, is an excellent example of influential analytical work. It found that government antiretroviral treatment costs in Thailand would increase dramatically in the coming years, yet meeting such costs would be affordable and yield substantial health benefits. This put credible research behind the Ministry of Public Health’s proposal for more resources from the national budget. The result was an almost doubling of the budget allocation to this expenditure item in the 2007 budget. The report also focused renewed attention on the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

This work stands out as exemplifying good practice in several respects. It was a truly collaborative effort, with teamwork between Thai officials, NGOs, other international experts, and World Bank staff. It was demand-driven in the context of a clearly set out country program, and focused on an important and well-defined topic. Its technical quality was high, but more than that it superbly intertwined international lessons with local needs. And it was highly practical with a clear end-purpose. It provides an excellent example of how the Bank’s analytical work can be valuable in a variety of settings including in middle-income countries.