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THAILAND: Reversal of Ban on GM Crops Incenses Activists
By IPS Correspondents
BANGKOK, Aug 23 (IPS) - The reversal by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of an
earlier ban on the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops
has inflamed environmentalists, farmers' groups and consumer
networks, with food experts warning that this could mean
exposing Thais to serious health risks.
Thaksin's announcement was made over the weekend after he
chaired a meeting of the National Biotechnology Policy Board
(NBPB) at the Science Ministry.
''We are not going to promote GM crops, but we will not slam
the doors shut on their development. We will allow for their
plantation and commercialisation as we do for other crops,''
Sakarindr Bhumiratana, the NPBP's secretary, told reporters as
he relayed the premier's decision.
''We need a policy change. Otherwise Thailand will fail to keep
abreast of the global current in the GM-crop trade,'' added
Sakarindr.
In 2001, Thailand imposed a ban on field trials of GM crops,
and terminated ongoing field trials of GM cotton and corn carried
out by the transnational corporation Monsanto. The government
also banned all commercial planting of GM crops.
The government's weekend decision has incensed
environmentalists, who have vowed to wage an all-out campaign
against the prime minister's re-election campaign, next year, if
he decides to go ahead with the cultivation of GM crops in the
country.
''If Thaksin doesn't stop GM crops, we will stop him from having
another term as prime minister,'' Witoon Lianchamroon, the
director of BioThai - an environmental group devoted to the
preservation of biodiversity in Thailand - told IPS.
Witoon accused the U.S. government of putting pressure on
Thailand to reverse the previous policy on GM crops to benefit
U.S. biotech businesses under the upcoming Thai-U.S. Free
Trade Agreement (FTA).
''The FTA is the main motive for Thaksin to reverse the 2001
decision and we have proof that before the weekend policy
decision was made, Monsanto sent its people over to lobby the
government,'' said Witoon.
''The conflict of interest is obvious at the policy level. And a
decision affecting the whole of Thailand has been made without
the participation of environmental and consumer groups and
people's organisations,'' he pointed out.
The issue of GM crops flared out in the open in late July when
the environmental group Greenpeace managed to prove that a
government research station in the north-east province of Khon
Kaen that was planting GM papaya was the source of
contamination of one of the country's most important staple
foods.
The environmental group became concerned when it twice
tested batches of papaya seeds, from the native species 'Khak
Dam Tha Phra', sold by the research station to farmers.
Independent laboratory tests showed that packages of papaya
seeds sold by the Department of Agriculture's own research
station contained genetically modified seeds.
''No study has been conducted on the long-term effects of GM
crops on the environment and human health, so why is the
government rushing to commercialise it in the country?'' asked
Jiragorn Gajaseni, executive director of Greenpeace South-east
Asia.
Greenpeace accused the government of putting theThai
people and the environment at risk.
''At the time when the basic principles of genetic engineering
are under challenge from new scientific research, the
government seems to be deliberately ignoring the warnings of
many scientific institutions around the world,'' said Jiragorn.
''The Thai public expects the government to be knowledgeable
about the latest scientific developments and not act recklessly by
rushing to commercialise GM crops,'' he added.
The Consumer Network, a coalition of consumer rights
groups, on Sunday released its first official statement
announcing it would work with organic farmers' groups to
oppose the government's plan.
''We held discussions and concluded to put pressure on the
government to reconsider the policy as well as call for a
biosafety law and improvements to GM labelling,'' said Saree
Ongsomwang, coordinator of the Consumer Network.
But Greenpeace is also worried about the possible adverse
effects of GM foods on public health.
''Even if there has been some testing, the long-term effects to
humans are unknown. The full ramifications of modified genes
escaping and mixing with unmodified ones are unknown,'' said
Janet Cotter, a Britain-based scientist working for Greenpeace,
in an interview.
GM papaya, for instance, has been genetically engineered to
be resistant to the ringspot virus. It is made by cutting a gene
from the ringspot virus and forcing it into the cell of a papaya.
This is done by randomly shooting the gene millions of times
with a gene gun with the hope that it gets into the plant cell. As
part of this process, another virus and bacteria resistant to
antibiotics are added. In terms of human health risks, the build-
up of antibiotic resistance is also a concern.
''The only requirement for approval is that the GM food should
be grossly similar to its natural counterpart. However, a GM food
may not only be grossly similar, but almost completely identical
with its natural counterpart and yet contain an unexpected and
undiscovered very harmful substance,'' Cotter pointed out.
''It is a scientifically well-recognised fact that genetic
engineering can cause the appearance of such unexpected
substances,'' she said.
The British scientist said these unexpected substances are
very difficult to detect, and unless the Thai government had
sophisticated testing mechanisms, people could be subject to
severe health risks. (END/2004)
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