A consumer advocacy group will file a lawsuit against the government's Hazardous Substance Committee (HSC) later this month over its decision not to impose a full ban on three major chemicals in vegetable and herb farming.
Witoon Lienchamroon, director of Biodiversity Sustainable Agriculture Food Sovereignty Action Thailand's (Biothai), said the group is scheduled to file the lawsuit with the Administrative Court on Jan 29.
The planned lawsuit involves the HSC's decision not to ban paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate. They are still being used in the farming of six major crops -- corn, cassava, sugarcane, rubber, oil palm and fruit.
The group wants the ban on the three chemicals to be extended to these crops without delay.
He said the action by the group has been delayed because it needed time to gather information, most of which is technical, from several foreign sources to back the lawsuit.
According to Mr Witoon, the lawsuit will be jointly filed by Social Venture Network Asia (Thailand), Foundation for Consumers, and farmers representatives from across the country.
On the Office of the Ombudsman's decision requiring the Department of Agriculture to draft a plan to regulate and restrict the use of the three chemicals, he said the department is obliged to follow the order.
He said the group and its network, which includes organic farmers affected by the use of these chemicals, are expected to meet with the ombudsman soon to give more information about the substances.
The Department of Agriculture is also expected to report to the ombudsman over the progress of the plan to curb the use of the three chemicals, he said. Mr Witoon also called on the government to ban these hazardous chemicals, saying it is the last chance for the regime to ensure health security for the people.
