EDITORIAL: Chemical ban needs support

Support from a group of opposition politicians to consider banning three highly toxic chemicals, namely paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, has lent some hope for members of the public who want to see food made safer in a country that boasts it is “the kitchen of the world”.

The politicians, among them Thawee Sodsong of the Prachachart Party, attended a forum on Sunday organised by a network of food safety activists, including members of Biothai (Biodiversity Sustainable Agriculture Food Sovereignty Action Thailand) and Pan-Thai, where they were handed three demands including the endorsement of a bill on food safety which aims to introduce a mechanism to prevent those with vested interests from gaining access to positions that can have a say on the import of use of such dangerous chemicals. Paraquat, in particular, has been banned by more than 50 countries, including China and Vietnam.

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The politicians pledged to set up a committee to look into the matter which has been enlisted for vetting in parliament, meaning authorities concerned will be summoned to give information.

It is well known that some state agencies on a panel tasked with the control of the farm chemicals are at odds with one another over the proposed ban. The Health Ministry has supported the ban, while the industry and agriculture ministries have insisted the ban is inappropriate since farmers depend on the substances. The use of the three chemicals is allowed on big rubber, sugarcane, palm oil, corn and fruit plantations. There is a strong suspicion that some agro giants were behind the panel’s shameful decision not to ban the substances in past years.

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Some may wonder whether these politicians are really serious about the long-standing issue given that many are from parties that when in power allowed enormous imports of the chemicals. Yet, any support from elected politicians at this stage counts, especially for the bill. State agencies, in particular the industry and agriculture ministries represented on a committee tasked with the control of toxic farm chemicals, keep ignoring calls for an immediate ban of these extremely toxic chemicals despite evidence that their residues have not only tainted food but also entered the food chain.

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Outgoing Agriculture Minister Grisada Boonrach, who earlier this month unveiled a plan to have the three chemicals banned before he leaves office, appears to have made little headway. Previously, his deputy, Wiwat Salyakamthorn, aka Ajarn Yak, could could only his head in shame after his threat to resign from the coup-installed administration if the panel did not make a U-turn on their pro-chemical stance brought no change.

Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture was to kick off a plan to register farmers and provide workshops and training to use the chemicals. While agriculture officials insist that it’s necessary to equip farmers with knowledge of the toxic chemicals, so they “can safely use them”, their move triggered a public outcry as many think the use of public money to support farmers in poisoning the land is unjustifiable.

It remains to be seen whether these MPs’ support will bear fruit. But, as elected politicians, they deserve applause for responding constructively to a matter of grave public concern.