By Pongphon Sarnsamak
Published on February 14, 2009

The Public Health Ministry has called on the Industry Ministry to revoke the new regulation listing 13 herbal plants as hazardous substances, saying their use in traditional medicines and foods would be affected otherwise.
Dr Nara Nakwattananukul, directorgeneral of the Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department, said he would propose that the publichealth minister ask the Industry and Agriculture ministries to revoke the regulation.

He said since the regulation took effect on February 3, people had been panicking over the use of the 13 herbal plants as ingredients in traditional medicines and foods after hearing these were dangerous substances.

Moreover, farmers and herbal experts have expressed concern over the regulation's impact on the practices of growers and manufacturers, because they could not freely grow, trade or use these plants to make pesticides.

He made the announcement during a public conference at the Public Health Ministry to discuss the pros and cons of the regulation, which lists the 13 herbal plants as "hazardous substances type 1" under the Hazardous Substances Act of 1992.

It was imposed by the Industry and Agriculture ministries in a bid to control pesticide production.

The plants are: neem, citronella grass, tumeric, ginger, Chinese ginger, African marigold, Siam weed or bitter bush, tea seed cake, chilli, Chinese celery, ringworn bush, glory lily and stemona. They are widely used by farmers as alternatives for expensive and toxic farm chemicals, pesticides and herbicides.

Under the regulation, growers, manufacturers, importers and exporters of pesticides made from the 13 herbal plants are required to conform to Agriculture Department procedures and follow safety and qualitycontrol regulations. Violators are liable to six months in jail and/or a fine of 50,000 baht.

On Thursday, Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungrueng said his ministry would revoke the regulation if the Agriculture Ministry requested it to do so.

Meanwhile, a group of organic farmers and alternativeagriculture activists plan to submit a petition to the Upper House to investigate the members of the hazardoussubstances committee. The group alleges incorrect procedure was followed in the regulation's announcement.

Alternative Agriculture Network coordinator Tussanee Verakan said her group would submit the petition on Monday to the Upper House' committee on good government chaired by Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul.

It will ask the Upper House to probe the transparency and accountability of the committee members.

The network also speculated about conflicts of interest between some committee members and multinational agricultural companies that stood to benefit from the regulation.

Tussanee alleged the committee had rushed into announcing the regulation, spending only one year to draw up and announce it after the Agriculture Department submitted the items on the list.

Moreover, she said the term of the committee would expire next week, but the Industry Ministry made its announcement on January 29.

The network also said the report on the committee's meetings had not been certified by the members. The committee sent in the report while informing participants it had done so and without asking them to certify it. This violates administrative law, she said.

The network said it would give the government seven days to withdraw the regulation before filing a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court.

By The Nation On 14 Feb 2009

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