"We are asking the court to force government agencies to stop this contamination and punish Agriculture officials responsible for this huge environmental problem," said Patwajee Srisuwan, a campaigner for Greenpeace.

The legal complaint accused the department of being involved in the distribution of genetically modified (GM) papaya seeds to farmers across the country.

Greenpeace claims GM papayas have been found growing in Chaiyaphum, Kamphaeng Phet, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin and Rayong since 2004.

Ua-phan Chamnan-ua, media officer for Greenpeace, said the legal action followed the results of laboratory tests by Greenpeace and another two groups - the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and BioThai, a non-governmental organisation that advocates farmer rights and biodiversity - that showed that GM papaya had been raised in many provinces despite the ban on GM crops for scientific tests and commercial purposes.

GM crops are banned for commercial purposes by a Cabinet resolution and by the Plant Quarantine Act of 1964.

Patwajee said Adisak had the authority to stop the "contamination" but neglected to do so.

He is the second Agriculture head to faced a lawsuit related to the GM papaya issue.

The first was Chakan Saengraksawong, who retired last year and the case is now being investigated by the Crime Suppression Division.