Anti-corruption body calls for transparency over controversial herbicides decision
PHOTO: Ricehopper
The Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand is joining the anti-paraquat bandwagon with its call for all parties concerned to take a clear stand on the three controversial herbicides – paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.
In a statement issued today, the ACT praised Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha for making clear his desire for a complete ban on the weed-killers, while calling on the National Hazardous Substances Committee to be transparent in its decision making process.
The ACT is demanding that any committee members who support the continued use of the chemicals should fully disclose their reasons for not to banning the substances.
The ACT is also proposing that the government subsidise farmers who would have to turn to alternative chemicals if they are forced to stop using the herbicides in question.
The government committee, empowered to ban the herbicides, is continuing to come under heavy criticism from consumer protection and civic groups for ignoring the safety of consumers in favour of the chemical companies. It is also been accused of lacking transparency for its practice of closed-door voting under the questionable pretext that the safety of committee members will be at risk if the vote is open.
Of late, however, the committee has come under pressure from the anti-paraquat network, which has the full support of Deputy PM and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Deputy Agriculture Minister Mananya Thaiseth.
The Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sri-on, of the Democrat party – part of the Palang Pracharat governing coalition – has been criticised for not committing to the complete ban.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
