• 
• 
• 

If you were to visit my mum's secret garden in the backyard, you would understand why the news had her 80-year-old heart beating so rapidly. My mother always has lemongrass, Chinese celery, galangal and ginger in the larder because these are all essential ingredients for her culinary creations. She often told me that every time she ran out of ideas, she would just throw together three magic ingredients - ginger, turmeric and chilli - and voilà, something delicious would show up on our plates.

And then the government declares that these very herbs could be dangerous.

If you've missed the news, let me recap the event. On February 3, the government announced that these herbs, included in a list of 13 others, were hazardous. The idea originated from a plan to control pesticide production, and therefore they decided to name these 13 herbs, which are also used in Thai kitchens, as "hazardous substance type 1" under the 1992 Hazardous Substances Act.

The government said that people could have these herbs in their possession but they could not use them in the commercial production of pesticide or they would be subject to a punitive fine. However, the announcement alone ruffled lots of feathers, especially among the many Thais who have been consuming these herbs daily. How can the government brand the very plants that give Thai cuisine its taste as "dangerous"?

If checked, my mother's kitchen could be considered a weapon of mass destruction, because it has several kilos of hazardous weapons such as ginger and chilli in its arsenal.

The government's claim has shaken many traditional beliefs about the benefits of local plants. For generations upon generations, Thais have used these herbs as medicine. These herbs have that flavour and aroma that Thais, no matter where they are, just can't live without.

And now the government's trying to control them?

By limiting the use of these herbs, farmers would automatically be encouraged to use expensive, imported chemical pesticides. I would much rather eat vegetables that have been nurtured by the very herbs that the ministry branded as "hazardous" than by the chemicals that the government deems safe.

If the government went so far as to ban these herbs from our kitchens, Mummy's world would become a very bland one. On the list of dangerous herbs is Chinese celery - an essential ingredient for fried noodles. Imagine tom yam kung without that sweet-and-sour spiciness of galangal, chilli and neem!

Many Thai households grow these plants for their other benefits. Bitter bush is known for stopping bleeding. Galangal and ginger are known to have therapeutic uses. Stemonia can be used as a natural pesticide. Lemongrass oil is believed to contain healing qualities.

How could the government possibly classify these herbs as a hazard to human life?

Even though the ministry said its announcement had been misunderstood, this misinformation could discourage the use of natural products. Ironically, the authorities continue to let many other hazardous products pass through our lives day in, day out without making any attempt to educate the public about their dangers. Plus, this announcement also goes against the plan to adopt a back-to-nature lifestyle, not to mention the attempt by several communities to develop organic pesticides.

My mother said she would continue faithfully using these herbs even if the government put the skull and crossbones on them to scare off consumers.

I agree that the furious reaction of many Thais proves that the government can't change people's attitudes any time soon, but its decision can damage our attempt to promote Thai herbs internationally. Consumers who are unfamiliar with our home-grown products will think twice when they see the products contain lemongrass and chilli.

Thank the dear Lord that the Department of Agriculture decided to take the herbs off the dangerous-substances list on Thursday.