"Paraquat"

The Public Health Ministry is pushing for a complete ban on three hazardous pesticides, after reports showed that toxic residue was found in newborns and more than 40,000 people have been sickened in the past five years.

The ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos will take effect on June 1 and farmers must return the banned agri-chemicals in their possession to sellers within 90 days, Government Deputy Spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said on Saturday (May 30).

The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) has set up a team to study the effects of agri-chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos ban, saying that the Codex Alimentarius – a directory of internationally recognised standards and codes of practice – still allows the use of these chemicals if it is done correctly.

The Industry Ministry has classified agri-chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos as Type 4 hazardous substances. This classification will go into effect from June 1.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) has called on the Industry Ministry to postpone the ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos from June 1 to December 31 as the June deadline "will affect plantations and livestock".

A member of the National Hazardous Substances Committee announced on Facebook on Wednesday (November 27) that she had resigned from the panel to express her strong disagreement with its decision earlier that day to postpone a planned ban on two agrichemicals seen as dangerous to public health.

Dr Kitti Chunhawong, president of Thailand Society of Sugarcane Technologists (TSSCT) insisted on Tuesday (November 12) that the banning of 3 agrochemical substances namely Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate by the Hazardous Substance Committee, which came into effect last month, will severely affect the sugar industry.

The president of the cassava farmers group, Vashira Tanadaka and 60 farmers from Nakhon Ratchasima presented wreaths to Mananya Thaiset, the deputy minister who plans to ban Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives yesterday, telling her that the banning of Paraquat is illogical although they agree with the bans on the other two chemicals.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday (October 12) during a press conference in Phatthalung province that his Ministry and the Bhumjaithai Party will keep pushing for the ban of three toxic pesticides namely Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos, which are widely used in agriculture.

Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said on Saturday that he had agreed to join the campaign banning three pesticides – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos, which contain toxic substances and are widely used in agriculture.

The Ombudsman’s Office on Friday (September 13) advised the prime minister to ban the use of the weed killer paraquat and upgrade its lethality categorisation so it can no longer be imported after January 1.