Environmentalists demand govt ban weed killer

By Jintamas Saksornchai, Staff Reporter

 

Protesters stage a performance against the use of a toxic weed killer Tuesday near the Government House.

 

BANGKOK — Environmental activists marched on the Government House on Tuesday to demand a toxic chemical be banned from farms.

 

After the government’s recent decision to allow continued use of three highly toxic pesticides – paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate – despite health concerns, about 100 environmental protesters staged a colorful rally.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2018/06/05/environmentalists-demand-govt-ban-weed-killer/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-6-5

"Kritsada Boonyarat, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, came to the rally as a representative of the prime minister to receive the petition, and said the ministry would forward it to relevant committees for review.

 

“Practically, we cannot impose an immediate ban, but we will set up a committee to investigate the matter with the environmental networks” he said. “I insist that the government wants everyone to be safe.”

 

He added that the ministry is ready to act if any officials were found to personally benefit from the decision."

 

So basically, going to do nothing.

Edited June 5, 20188 yr by Bluespunk

Why would these fascists that are in charge ban a chemical that ultimately gets rid of the class they want silenced?

Too many people in high positions making a lot of dosh out of this poison, so we can be assured that the deaths will keep mounting !

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Environmentalists demand govt ban weed killer

The environmentalists don't pad the pockets of the law makers.  So, they aren't going to get the same traction as a Petro-chemical/Big agriculture Industry lobbyist who can buy their attention and their votes.

Govt to reconsider banning paraquat, two other farm chemicals

By The Nation

 

Activists sport red body paint to signify the toxicity of farm chemicals yesterday during a rally at Government House following a decision to permit the use of paraquat and two other hazardous agri-chemicals, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

 

PROTESTERS YESTERDAY welcomed an assurance by the government that it would reconsider banning farm chemicals paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

 

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Kritsada Boonyarat told protesters from more than 700 organisations, who had gathered yesterday in front of Government House, that the ministry will reconsider a previous decision to allow the use of the chemicals in Thailand by assessing new scientific data on their impact on health and the environment.

 

Protesters from across the country marched to Government House yesterday, which was World Environment Day, to object to the decision by the Hazardous Substance Committee not to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

 

 

They demanded to meet with the Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to submit a petition with more than 50,000 signatures asking the government to reconsider the committee’s decision and ban the chemicals.

 

Kritsada, who met with the protesters and accepted the petition, said the well-being of the public and the protection of people’s health and the environment was the government’s first priority. 

 

He said the ministry would work with academics and the public sector to gather new evidence on the impact of the chemicals and urge the committee to reconsider its decision.

 

The government also agreed to help find alternatives for these chemicals and support organic farming and other chemical-free methods to control pests and weeds on farms, he said.

 

“Right now the government is gradually reducing the import and use of these chemicals in Thailand and we promise to investigate the alleged conflict of interest among the members of the Hazardous Substance Committee. All citizens can be assured of the government’s effort to ensure the public is safe from harmful chemicals,” he said.

 

 

Prokchon Usap, coordinator of Thailand Pesticide Alert Network, said that the protesters were delighted by the minister’s assurance. She said they would monitor the government’s measures closely and the promise to review the harmful chemicals.

 

But Prokchon said the group was concerned about the ministry leading those efforts, saying it does not have expertise on health issues and in fact has an obligation to promote the use of agro-chemicals.

 

The Network for Supporting Hazardous Substances Ban later expressed its support for reconsidering a ban on the toxic chemicals, but the network emphasised that those involved must have no conflict of interest and agree that public health is the first priority.

 

The Hazardous Substance Committee discussed the use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos on May 23, with a majority of members voting in favour of allowing their use but imposing import and usage limitations. Some members sought a ban, though, expressing concern about the affect of the chemicals on the environment and their long-term impact on people’s health.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30347055

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-06

I can see banning Paraquat, but the other two are much less dangerous and would be very difficult to replace.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Kritsada Boonyarat told protesters from more than 700 organisations, who had gathered yesterday in front of Government House, that the ministry will reconsider a previous decision to allow the use of the chemicals in Thailand by assessing new scientific data on their impact on health and the environment.

in line with general thai competence; the civilized world has done all the work on this and they have banned them; i wonder if this minister and his ministry can tie their proverbial shoes

Well Ive decided to let my land just go back to nature, in a  few  months it will be a jungle, unable to find decent staff . From what i see by me more and more land is now being just abandoned as no one is willing to do the work. There going to have a  food  shortage next at this rate although Chinese imports will probably increase.

Lets see if everyone wants to pay a higher price for weeding by hand for their veggies and fruit

55 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

in line with general thai competence; the civilized world has done all the work on this and they have banned them; i wonder if this minister and his ministry can tie their proverbial shoes

Paraquat is banned in many countries, Chlorpyrifos is banned in Europe, Glyphosate Might get banned in the EU.

So not exactly the whole of the civilized world, and the EU has been making incredibly self destructive decisions recently.

Of the three I would say that Glyphosate is the one that farmers would not be able to do without easily. I think each chemical needs to be considered by its own merits and not just lumped in with the general term weed killer. Chlorpyrifos is not even a weed killer, but an insecticide.

The real answer would be education and regulation, but fat chance of either of those concepts being replicated.

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

in line with general thai competence; the civilized world has done all the work on this and they have banned them; i wonder if this minister and his ministry can tie their proverbial shoes

Sadly we all know it's nothing to do with tying shoelaces and everything to do with counting the contents of brown envelopes !