Three experts quit panel studying high-risk pesticides, suspect it of ulterior motives

Professor Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, Professor Pornpimol Kongtip and Assoc Professor Puangrat Kajitvichyanukul resigned on Wednesday as independent committee members. The committee was tasked with seeking solutions to common farm chemicals, namely paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate.

“There’s no point in being part of this committee because it has ignored plenty of reliable academic and scientifically-proven information,” Thiravat said at a recent press conference.

“We suspect this committee intends to stick with Hazardous Substance Committee [HSC]’s resolution to only restrict the use of these chemicals. Also, four members of the panel [which he was part of] have ties with agriculture-chemical firms.” 

HSC’s resolution, which was passed in May last year, has generated controversy given that the Public Health Ministry announced that these chemicals be banned since 2017. 

Several studies show that these chemicals have contaminated the environment and are a threat to people’s health, and paraquat has been banned across Europe since 2007 because of its health impacts. The three academics also believe these three “dangerous” chemicals should be banned. 

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