Food safety in name only

EDITORIAL

Published: 13 Jul 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

It is a sad irony that that while the government wants to market Thailand as a "Kitchen of the World" by promoting food exports and by guaranteeing food safety to overseas customers, it has few health concerns for locals.

The European Union (EU) sent the government and food exporters into a panic last year when it threatened to stop importing a group of vegetables from Thailand after they were found with dangerous levels of toxic residues from chemical pesticides.

Measures were promptly taken to make the vegetables for export meet EU food safety standards.

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jacksprat
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Discussion 11 : 13 Jul 2012 at 15.2911
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@discussion 7 - It is called an "editorial". Editorials are written by the editorial staff and have no name, though you can be sure it was an editor. "Opinion" pieces are by individuals and carry a name. That is the way newspapers work.
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oldexp
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Discussion 10 : 13 Jul 2012 at 14.5510
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Dear undertaker.
Studies in Switzerland showed how much poison the amateur gardeners put on their "so healthy" vegetables. A lot. These amateurs know even less about chemistry than the farmers.
Farmers should be educated and helped about chemicals. But sure not by industry's interest groups.

Dear tomb.
undertaker doesn't hope for more customers. He just wants to sell 'em more.
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lungstib
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Discussion 9 : 13 Jul 2012 at 13.499
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The answer for many people in the north with a bit of garden is grow your own. I am amazed at how few people near me with decent gardens use them for lawns and car parking. Not a papaya or a banana in sight.
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khunbj
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Discussion 8 : 13 Jul 2012 at 13.078
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As long as Thais are more than willing to purchase their foodstuff , be it meat, egg, chicken etc at outside markets bought from vendors that do not check anything and do not take any hygienic precautions, then there is no need to go into further details concerning food safety.
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bkkboy
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Discussion 7 : 13 Jul 2012 at 10.567
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So someone at the Bangkok Post writes a critique on accountability, yet the article itself has NO byline and thus lack of credibility itself!
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Ian
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Discussion 6 : 13 Jul 2012 at 10.476
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We ingest more than pesticides, we eat synthetic hormones in our meat and dairy products, phthallates in our food packaging, plus God knows what we breathe in from the air. It is a global problem, even Antarctic penguins have pesticides in their bodies.
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jimbly
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Discussion 5 : 13 Jul 2012 at 10.355
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Pesticides are not cheap and there are non-chemical methods of controlling pests that are effective. You can't blame uneducated farmers for pouring them on. 200,000 sick people is a very high price to pay regardless of the Baht value. Who wants to eat poison just because it's cheap?
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bern1005
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Discussion 4 : 13 Jul 2012 at 09.344
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Big business has little problem with getting the government to do what they want (regardless of the health impact on farmers and consumers). It is only other countries threatening to ban Thai exports that gives us hope that these dangerous chemicals will be banned.

D1: I understand what you are saying but the risks to a gardener from using small amounts of a dangerous chemical and the risks to a farm worker (from breathing in fumes and skin contact for many hours) can not be compared. You may feel annoyed but for many this can be a matter of life and death.
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fundeena
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Discussion 3 : 13 Jul 2012 at 07.153
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"Pesticide poisoning has become widespread. The symptoms include intense headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, blurred vision, salivation, rapid heartbeat, rashes, cramps, and shock."

Gee, where have we seen this before?
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tomb
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Discussion 2 : 13 Jul 2012 at 07.022
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Possibly dangerous chemicals and pesticides should be strictly regulated.

Maybe 'undertaker' is hoping for more customers?
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Food safety in name only | Bangkok Post: opinion