Anutin: Ministers at odds over use of banned chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that Thailand's health minister Anutin Charnvirakul has put the brakes on moves by the industry minister to reintroduce the banned chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos.

 

The herbicide and pesticide were banned in Thailand in 2020 but industry minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, as chair of the Hazardous Substances Committee, has called for a review to allow them again.

 

Anutin has instructed Mananya Thaiset, deputy at the agriculture and cooperatives ministry, to report on the matter to Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha.

 

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A clearly irked health minister said that he was confused as to why moves were made to reintroduced the banned substances.

 

He said that the health of the Thai people was paramount.

 

"Everyone has got used to the bans over the last two years," he said, "but they are trying to reintroduce chemicals that are injurious to the Thai people's health. 

 

"How can they do this? I am opposing this to protect the people."

 

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[mtls2005]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

that he was confused as to why moves were made to reintroduced the banned substances.

 

Well clearly the "Paraquat" lobby is poking the Industry minister. D'oh.

 

 

[RandiRona]

When it comes to any chemical, trust Uncle Anutin...he has lot of experience in dealing it.

[trainman34014]

Farmers here the same as Fishing Trawler Owners; they don't give a stuff about people's lives or wellbeing, money is their God and they don't care who dies as long as can worship piles of cash.

[ozimoron]

24 minutes ago, RandiRona said:

When it comes to any chemical, trust Uncle Anutin...he has lot of experience in dealing it.

He is on the money here. If you want to do something other than gratuitously bash Thailand why not put up a reasoned argument with citation to show how he's wrong. I live in the only state in Australia where chlorpyrifos is legal and I was a mango farmer in a past life. That industry uses lots of it unnecessarily. Both paraquat and chlorpyifos are extremely dangerous to the environment and food chain. Chlorpyrifos has a 100 year half life.

[G Rex]

Wow!  Chalk this one up.      

Good work Anutin ????

[farmerjo]

Used by the right people with the right training and permit to buy,it would certainly help.

I know it would of helped us in year like this when the rains came early.

Paraquat that is.

I agree with the post below on the other.

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by farmerjo

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Used by the right people with the right training and permit to buy,it would certainly help.

I know it would of helped us in year like this when the rains came early.

 

Chloryrifos kills every insect and animal around, including snakes. One of my friends used to spray his mango trees with chlorpyrifos and the ground was littered with dead tree snakes the day after on each occasion. Another friend used to do the spraying for him, he is now dead from cancer.

[metisdead]

An off topic post about Covid vaccines has been removed.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand's health minister Anutin Charnvirakul has put the brakes on moves by the industry minister to reintroduce the banned chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos.

Good.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Bluespunk

[animalmagic]

3 hours ago, farmerjo said:

Used by the right people with the right training

This is Thailand!

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A clearly irked health minister said that he was confused as to why moves were made to reintroduced the banned substances.

Vested interests were severed when the ban was introduced.

Now the push is on to reverse things again.

[Callmeishmael]

I'm no fan of Anutin, but he's 100% correct this time.  We don't need more poison spread about!

[farmerjo]

37 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

I'm no fan of Anutin, but he's 100% correct this time.  We don't need more poison spread about!

I wish that was true.

If paraquat was available,i would have only used one chemical,now instead i will be using four different types of chemical.

[Golden Triangle]

It's banned in 50 or more countries, I'm no fan of Anutin but he's done the right thing with this. 

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

It's banned in 50 or more countries, I'm no fan of Anutin but he's done the right thing with this. 

Of course he has, a few farmers will complain about it but that's to be expected.

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, Callmeishmael said:

I'm no fan of Anutin, but he's 100% correct this time.  We don't need more poison spread about!

Not if the ever-influencing Monsanto mafia lobbyists have any pull. 

[spidermike007]

Anything to this story? Anutin is less sincere than Kim Kardashian. One can only hope he is sincere about the health and well being of his people. That would be an amazing development, and a very refreshing change of course for him. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by spidermike007

[zzaa09]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

Totally fake news. Anutin is less sincere than Kim Kardashian. Prayuth has already squashed this. The health of the people mean little to these psychopaths. 

Sociopath might be more defining.

[seanpat]

Someone got paid

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Of course he has, a few farmers will complain about it but that's to be expected.

Says someone in polluted Bangkok who would not know a farang from a guava.

Edited May 18, 2022 by GreasyFingers
addition

[ozimoron]

3 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Says someone in polluted Bangkok who would not know a farang from a guava.

If you're suggesting that either of these chemicals should not be banned bring forth your argument. Otherwise it's just mud slinging.

[Bkk Brian]

7 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Says someone in polluted Bangkok who would not know a farang from a guava.

Only I'm not in Bangkok as if that matters and I don't like guava either

[GreasyFingers]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

If you're suggesting that either of these chemicals should not be banned bring forth your argument. Otherwise it's just mud slinging.

No! Used them both when needed on a small scale. The problem is the way they can be used irresponsibly.

[ozimoron]

Just now, GreasyFingers said:

No! Used them both when needed on a small scale. The problem is the way they can be used irresponsibly.

Why do you think both of these chemicals are banned in most countries? How can either be used responsibly? Both deserve to be banned.

[GreasyFingers]

10 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Why do you think both of these chemicals are banned in most countries? How can either be used responsibly? Both deserve to be banned.

Are you saying your use of them was irresponsible.

[ozimoron]

6 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Are you saying your use of them was irresponsible.

I used roundup, now also banned. Did not know of the effects at the time when it was not banned, I never used paraquat or chlorpyrifos. Their effects were known then and are now. That's why they are banned. You said they'd be fine if used responsibly. Please detail exactly how you would use then responsibly. Full hazmat suit with respirator? Full equipment washdown is a dedicated wash down area with collection of all wash liquid and disposal in a proper hazardous chemical facility? Completely away from any food crops forever? Chlorpyrifos doesn't have a withholding period for food. It doesn't break down.

Edited May 18, 2022 by ozimoron

[farmerjo]

4 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I used roundup, now also banned. Did not know of the effects at the time when it was not banned, I never used paraquat or chlorpyrifos. Their effects were known then and are now. That's why they are banned. You said they'd be fine if used responsibly. Please detail exactly how you would use then responsibly. Full hazmat suit with respirator? Completely away from any food crops forever? Chlorpyrifos doesn't have a withholding period for food. It doesn't break down.

Roundup is not banned.

It was left out of the deal when the Americans got involved as they would not have be able to send soya beans here.

[ozimoron]

11 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Roundup is not banned.

It was left out of the deal when the Americans got involved as they would not have be able to send soya beans here.

Glyphosate, sold as Roundup, has been banned in dozens of countries worldwide and by multiple Australian local governments because of its toxicity to humans.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-07-20/glyphosate-ban-could-cost-farmers-hundreds-of-thousands-/100307322

 

I actually held a permit to use chlorpyrifos and attended a government course to get it. I intended to use it in one of its 3 forms, in tubes branded Mirant for use against mastotermes darwiniensis, a large termite which attacks young and stressed mango trees. It was illegal to use it on the actual trees themselves. I never used it as I discovered that the termites only attack young trees in newly cleared and disturbed ground near the perimeter lines of native bush land. It was therefore preferable to put up with some losses for a few years until things stabilised. It is still legal as an under slab treatment for that termite in my state alone. The other form was a more diluted air spray which is the most dangerous form. I think it's use in that form is now banned.

[GreasyFingers]

41 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Please detail exactly how you would use then responsibly.

Be careful when mixing and using, which we do with other substances. Common sense, no intellectual science needed.