Anutin rejects demands to delay ban on hazardous pesticides

By The Nation

 

 

The ban on three chemical pesticides will be imposed on June 1 as scheduled, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday (April 28), adding that he did not agree with Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit’s proposal to postpone it further.

 

The agricultural chemicals to be banned are paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

 

Anutin said that even though the chemicals make farming cheaper, people’s health is more important. He also rejected Thai Chamber of Commerce chairman Kalin Sarasin’s suggestion that the prohibition be delayed until December 31.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Mananya Thaiset said the ban was necessary, though there are some concerns that need to be discussed with the National Hazardous Substances Committee.

 

The committee is set to meet on June 30 to discuss substitutions, which the Department of Agriculture was tasked with coming up since the ban was announced last year. The department has reportedly come up with three substances, and plans to send its updated version directly to the committee.

 

The department has also drafted a regulation on a new approach to production, import, export and possession of hazardous substances, which will be ready for the committee’s perusal by April 29, she said.

 

As for Kalin’s proposal, the department does not believe he is representing the Chamber of Commerce because the chamber has supported the ban right from the start.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386932

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-29

 

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This guy has gotta go!

Just another example of Anutin opening his mouth when he has absolutely no idea what he is talking about.

Finally some positive news involving Anutin.

Anutin for the first time seems, to have said something good.......but let's wait a week or two and give the big agro chem companies time to get inside Prayuth' head again...he'll change his tune!

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The committee is set to meet on June 30 to discuss substitutions, which the Department of Agriculture was tasked with coming up since the ban was announced last year. The department has reportedly come up with three substances, and plans to send its updated version directly to the committee.

 

I agree absolutely that the three chemicals should be banned for health reasons, but I can understand the frustration of farmers who don't yet know what else they can use. The ban will be enforced on 1 June and yet 'the committee' isn't due to meet until 30 June to discuss substitutions! Doesn't look like this has been thought through properly does it.

Thailand is ahead of Europe on this issue - well done Thailand for not caving in to corporate lobbying and pressure (and shame on Europe for doing the opposite in the face of overwhelming evidence for the harm these chemicals do)

Misleading title.  There's no scientific evidence, or even a plausible reason why, glyphosate is hazardous to mammals, or to any animal if used correctly.

 

Unfortunately, the non-stop repetition of such language in the press is leading the ill-informed masses to believe it is.

 

We're going to see a very safe and effective herbicide replaced with older, much more dangerous chemicals, and the scientifically illiterate will be to blame.

Good decision by Anutin not to bow down to Trump over his threat to end the Generalised System of Preferences for Thai Seafood if Thailand did not Kow Tow (bow down) to President Trump and accept these harmful chemicals already banned in 20 Countries. The U.K. is currently being blackmailed in to accepting chlorine washed chickens and other banned chemicals used in U.S. food processing.

Anutin running his mouth rampant again in areas that he is not qualified to speak in or has not seen long term positive opposed to negative results that will happen in these dire times.. Actually he isn't qualified to speak on anything. How did this annoying loud foul mouthed person ever get into the limelight? Did he buy everyone?

Anutin says something good, for once in his life. Why a lot of comments here are slagging him off for wanting noxious pesticides to be banned on time is beyond my ken. A

26 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Anutin running his mouth rampant again in areas that he is not qualified to speak in or has not seen long term positive opposed to negative results that will happen in these dire times.. Actually he isn't qualified to speak on anything. How did this annoying loud foul mouthed person ever get into the limelight? Did he buy everyone?

Come on, he is saying the right thing this time. Should be appreciated

Anutin has found a reasonable priced answer to chemi that is not favoured by many....well why didn't he mention it?  Well, maybe because he hasn't found a dam thing!  All he is doing is making life a lot harder for farmers and orchardists.  

1 hour ago, Antonymous said:

Doesn't look like this has been thought through properly does it.

Does anything... 

If I may - I agree. These chemicals are utterly toxic. They are not used in many other countries for this reason and they should not be used in this country. Mind you, farmers will need a cost effective replacement. 

1 hour ago, Davedub said:

Thailand is ahead of Europe on this issue - well done Thailand for not caving in to corporate lobbying and pressure (and shame on Europe for doing the opposite in the face of overwhelming evidence for the harm these chemicals do)

I recall reading that paraquat and chlorpyrifos are banned all over EU. Only glyphosate is still allowed.

23 minutes ago, Magenta408 said:

If I may - I agree. These chemicals are utterly toxic. They are not used in many other countries for this reason and they should not be used in this country. Mind you, farmers will need a cost effective replacement. 

These chemicals are related to Agent Orange which is still having consequences fro the health of the Vietnamese people many generations later.

Roundup binds tightly to soil particles and doesn't move on or in the soil to affect untreated plants nearby. - It breaks down quickly into natural materials such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen. ... The glyphosate moves quickly through the plant and accumulates in areas of active growth called meristems..... Toxic... No thats for sure! 

 

2 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Come on, he is saying the right thing this time. Should be appreciated

Sorry. I don't care if he turns into a Jesus incarnate. Don't like the guy one bit and never will.

Probably his family got some stakes in this business and their pockets are not full enough ????

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The ban on three chemical pesticides will be imposed on June 1 as scheduled, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday (April 28), adding that he did not agree with Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit’s proposal to postpone it further.

Why doesn't he come up with a Cheaper/same cost  Replacement Before they ban the Chemicals? So All the people who use those chemicals have to suffer (as in extra cost) .Why didn't they start years ago to come up with a Replacement?  

Nah that makes sense . impossible in Thailand .

4 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Anutin running his mouth rampant again in areas that he is not qualified to speak in or has not seen long term positive opposed to negative results that will happen in these dire times.. Actually he isn't qualified to speak on anything. How did this annoying loud foul mouthed person ever get into the limelight? Did he buy everyone?

 

He heads a political party/clan that the government needed as a coalition ally to form a government. He brokered this job as his price for joining them rather than the opposition.

5 hours ago, Antonymous said:

 

I agree absolutely that the three chemicals should be banned for health reasons, but I can understand the frustration of farmers who don't yet know what else they can use. The ban will be enforced on 1 June and yet 'the committee' isn't due to meet until 30 June to discuss substitutions! Doesn't look like this has been thought through properly does it.

I think continued import will be banned, but current stocks can continue to be sold until depleted. I could be wrong.

5 hours ago, Antonymous said:

 

I agree absolutely that the three chemicals should be banned for health reasons, but I can understand the frustration of farmers who don't yet know what else they can use. The ban will be enforced on 1 June and yet 'the committee' isn't due to meet until 30 June to discuss substitutions! Doesn't look like this has been thought through properly does it.

SNAFU

Amazed that (1) Anutin is still employed. and (2) Anutin is still ALIVE. There used to be a thriving hit machine in Thailand. They must be unemployed too.

5 hours ago, Oxx said:

There's no scientific evidence, or even a plausible reason why, glyphosate is hazardous to mammals, or to any animal if used correctly.

The "if used correctly" fine print might apply in developed countries, but it doesn't apply to Thailand because things aren't used correctly. If that doesn't compute then you need to get out more. And besides that some people actually care about all types of flora and fauna, not just the mammals so that's a big red flag right there. And who on earth possibly wants these awful things in the food they eat? Why not next to the salt shakers and soy sauce have a bottle of glyphosate and the others for the stupid people to pour on their food so they can show their support of the big chemical industry and prove to us how safe these things are as they turn blue and keel over.

 

7 hours ago, Antonymous said:

 

I agree absolutely that the three chemicals should be banned for health reasons, but I can understand the frustration of farmers who don't yet know what else they can use. The ban will be enforced on 1 June and yet 'the committee' isn't due to meet until 30 June to discuss substitutions! Doesn't look like this has been thought through properly does it.

The farmers were given six months' grace to find alternatives. Public health matters more than  profit.

Edited April 29, 20206 yr by Krataiboy

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The agricultural chemicals to be banned are paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

 

Anutin said that even though the chemicals make farming cheaper, people’s health is more important.

Good! At least this decision is good for Thailand, good for the people!

3 hours ago, digger70 said:

Why doesn't he come up with a Cheaper/same cost  Replacement Before they ban the Chemicals? So All the people who use those chemicals have to suffer (as in extra cost) .Why didn't they start years ago to come up with a Replacement? 

There is something fundamentally wrong if farming is based on dangerous poisons and poisoning people.

These dangerous poisons are forbidden in most civilized countries, it is overdue that Thailand follows.

I hope this issue will be followed up by the media. Not impossible that some minister find his way into the PMs rectum and let him recall Anutins statement.