Thai People Are Some Of The Worlds Greatest Farmers!

[AnandaSatvha]

That is one positive thing I have seen here and I can't say its true with all of them, BUT the traditional Thai method of farming without use of pesticides and hormones is quite admirable! But GM and the NWCO is quite trendy and convenient just like 7-11 and KFC......

The free ranging of chickens, ducks, buffallo and cattle is also really a positive observation I've made.

I wish the west would regress.....

[travelmann]

I think you are ill informed.

[dingdang]

without use of pesticides

its all in the mattresses...?

is there a statistic, how much pesticide a country manufactures per year/sells per year/exports/imports?

[samsiam]

Where do these fields in heaven exist Ananda ??

[Tywais]

I think you are ill informed.

Sounds like the case to me too.

Thailand is regarded as an emerging economy that has experienced rapid industrial growth. Nonetheless, 65% of the country's workforce is employed in agriculture -- ranging from the traditional rice sector to expanding export-oriented cultivation of products such as tropical fruits and cotton. In order to boost agricultural production and efficiency there has been a marked increase in the use of more powerful agricultural chemicals, both herbicides and pesticides. Anecdotal evidence indicates an increased incidence of agrochemical misuse and occupational farm worker exposure, partly due to field workers’ inadequate understanding of the acute toxicity and long-term health hazards associated with improper pesticide use.

Source - WHO International

---------------------------------------------------------

There are many examples of fertilizers and pesticides polluting water and risking

human health of Thai people. The Gulf of Thailand is suffering from eutrophication

and toxic algal blooms, caused among other factors by runoff of fertilizers. In

intensive farming areas, groundwater wells used for drinking are heavily polluted with

nitrates, endangering people’s health, especially for children. Dangerous pesticides

applied in farms find their way into rivers and groundwater, and into foods sold in

Thai markets. Direct poisoning with pesticides causes severe health effects on

farmers, in 2003, for example 2406 cases of pesticide poisoning were reported in

Thailand.

Source - pdf file

--------------------------------------------------------

o Around 64% of farmers in Thailand regularly use pesticides

o Data indicate inadequate knowledge about safe use among Thai farmers

• Indiscriminate application of cocktails

• Over- or under-dosing for particular levels of pest infestations

• Limited use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Unsafe discarding of residues

• Frequent storage of pesticides in living rooms

o Pesticide exposure has been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects in humans,

including:

• Increased cancer risk

• Neurological abnormalities

• Respiratory, reproductive, endocrine and skin problems

o Biomarker data have shown significantly higher urinary dialkylphosphate (DAP)

metabolite levels in children of farmers compared to children with parents of other

professions

Source - BOHS pdf file

------------------------------------------------------------

[loong]

Although it is true that some farmers are managing to do quite well by growing organically, I wouldn't think that it is so different from the west percentage-wise.

The free ranging of chickens, ducks, buffallo and cattle is also really a positive observation I've made.

I wish the west would regress.

You may well feel differently if you had suffered because of these free range animals. Fencing is just too expensive for most people, but without it, other people's chickens will scratch and destroy seedling beds. Ducks can devastate a vegetable crop in a short period. People will take out their cattle to graze and often leave them unnattended and not tethered. If I don't keep the gate shut on my garden, cows will get in.

Some of these cattle owners often believe that they have a right to graze their livestock on crop residues without getting permission from the landowner. Somebody recently left their cattle to graze on a cassava field that had just been harvested. The cows soon moved onto young cassava that was planted a few months ago and they did a lot of damage.

[GuestHouse]

I'm not sure Thai farmers can claim ignorance of the effects for chemicals they are using.

It is not at all uncommon for Thai farmers to raise two crops - The chemical drenched crop for sale to the market and the organic crop they eat themselves.

My wife and I run a small organic farming cooperative (now there's something you didn't know). We provide land, irrigation water and help with initial ploughing costs, the, Thais who join us provide the labour, seeds etc. They get to keep or sell all their produce, we occasionally get some free veggies and Bht1 per year land rent per farmer.

All of the people who join us are already aware of the risks from exposure to chemicals in food, I'd put their awareness and the awareness of others who interact with the project at fear levels. They do not need lecturing on the issue, though they do need help with education on the alternative methods.

People drive for miles to buy the produce - suggesting they too are aware of the dangers of chemicals in their food.

We have a wait list three times as big as we can accommodate from people who want to join the fun. Again suggesting that awareness of these issues is wide spread.

[canopy]

Farming free range chickens in Thailand was completely banned circa 2004. It was a measure taken to protect chickens from bird flu since it is contracted by migrating birds to outdoor flocks.

There are free ranging chickens around peoples yards except in cases where they use too many poisons in the nearby fields that winds up killing all the chickens.

[travelmann]

Look in any of the "local" shops by me and all you can see is row after row of Chemicals for every fruit and vegetable under the sun, right next ti them is row after row of weedkillers including Paraquat which we need a poisons register to sign for in the UK.

[StreetCowboy]

Followed my own advice

SC

Edited July 11, 2012 by StreetCowboy

[Rimmer]

Off topic generalisation removed

[David48]

To the OP ... seems most here refute your claims.

Do you have any factual information to back your claims?

[WebBangkok]

I think they are good from what I have seen, but I admit I dont know many.

Actually I don;t know jack all about farming. You put something in soil, pee on it or water it and it grows.

Once grown, pick and eat.

Thats my knowlegde of farming.

[StreetCowboy]

I think they are good from what I have seen, but I admit I dont know many.

Actually I don;t know jack all about farming. You put something in soil, pee on it or water it and it grows.

Once grown, pick and eat.

Thats my knowlegde of farming.

Well at least you've made clear the facts on which your opinion is based, unlike the OP, who seems to base his opinions on his own fantasies.

I prefer to rely on the 30-second documentaries that you get on free-to-air television between the shows, to learn about the various great products and innovative environmental efforts of agribusiness and the oil giants

SC

[h90]

Thailand has one of the worst farming....a lot chemicals.

Free ranging of chicken is not allowed. You know CP (food and animal feed) were good friends with Thaksin at this time so this unwanted competition was forbidden.

[David48]

Well at least you've made clear the facts on which your opinion is based, unlike the OP, who seems to base his opinions on his own fantasies.

SC

SC ... aren’t you rushing to genderfy the OP.

'He' could be a 'she' ... could even be an Alien for all we know.

So ... a tad to presumptive SC me thinks.

I have a few connections over in the Farming Forum and I'll ask a representative to drop by and comment on the OP's thought for some knowledgeable local perspective.

[villagefarang]

Struggling for something positive to say, the best I could come up with is that farmers in our area at least look good doing it.

Edited July 11, 2012 by villagefarang

[AnandaSatvha]

I think they are good from what I have seen, but I admit I dont know many.

Actually I don;t know jack all about farming. You put something in soil, pee on it or water it and it grows.

Once grown, pick and eat.

Thats my knowlegde of farming.

Well at least you've made clear the facts on which your opinion is based, unlike the OP, who seems to base his opinions on his own fantasies.

I prefer to rely on the 30-second documentaries that you get on free-to-air television between the shows, to learn about the various great products and innovative environmental efforts of agribusiness and the oil giants

SC

a

I apologize for my attempt at COMPLIMENTING Thailand in a rather sarcastic manner. Everyone here loves to argue and crack whips like Hitler in Schindlers List....