BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - China's public health minister and a prominent British doctor

on Jan. 20 received a prestigious Thai award during an audience with King Bhumibol

Adulyadej at the Chitrlada palace.

Minister Chen Minzhang and Sir Richard Doll received the Prince Mahidol award for

distinguished contributions to public health.

Winners of the annual awards of U.S. $100,000 each are chosen by a 10-member international

committee that includes three Nobel Laureates. Princess Sirinthorn, daughter of the

King, is president of the award foundation.

Both award winners gave speeches in Bangkok on Jan. 22 on the ill effects of smoking.

Chen, 61, has been minister of health since 1987. Last year, the U.N. World Health

Organization honored him for outstanding contributions to developing China's health

services.

Doll, 80 years old, has received numerous international awards. He taught at Oxford

University in the United Kingdom and directed a unit of the imperial cancer research

fund.