A helpful clarification to the public debate on the “GMO Bill” was provided in a press conference of the so-called National Confederation for Safe, Secure and Sustainable Agriculture on Friday (BP, Dec 27).
The group’s name may raise suspicions, but its statements such as “if the result of growing GM crops in open fields is good and safe, I don’t see any reason why not to give the GM seeds to farmers” and “releasing GM seeds onto the market is standard practice for a GM trial once the experiment proves there is no negative impact on the environment” show the confederation’s bias.
What if the experiments prove there are negative impacts? The bill lacks a clear definition of responsibility for damage to the environment, to farmers and to consumers, especially long-term impacts which cannot be determined by short-term research.
The statement “farmers’ rights have been terminated by the bill’s suspension” makes clear that the confederation’s members deny the right to say no to the uncontrollable release of GMOs that might carry immunity to herbicides and poisonous chemicals, which therefore could deliberately be used against plant species without this GM protection.
The press conference confirmed that the members of this confederation aren’t farmers and that the members promote their own, extremely dangerous “rights without responsibilities”.
Hopefully our government will take precautions until the decisive debate expected during the upcoming international Monsanto Tribunal, to be held in The Hague in October 2016, casts more light on what GM crops entail from the perspective of genuine sustainability, and why the most advanced countries ban GMOs.
Hans van Willenswaard
Forest evictions will fail
Re: “Farmers, poor call for forest dweller rights”, (BP, Dec 23).
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government should be commended for making forest protection and restoration a high priority. There are scores of good reasons for increasing tree cover and improving the health and sustainability of the country’s forests.
Evicting upland farmers from lands they have occupied for generations, however, should not be part of the strategy for expanding forests. Such actions will only foment discontent and undermine efforts to restore forests. It is essential to have the support of local people to ensure forests are maintained.
For forest restoration and protection to succeed, the government must enlist the support of local people as allies, and not alienate them with confrontational approaches.
Samanea Saman
Justice not yet done
It was interesting to read the story of the Yoovidhya family and their signature product Red Bull (Business, Dec 28).
I wonder if we could now receive an update on the situation of the young heir to the Red Bull family fortune who some years ago driving his Ferrari along Sukhumvit Road managed to hit and kill a policeman on his motorbike.
As far as is known this young man has never faced justice or been brought to trial and his whereabouts remain a mystery.
Edward B Duhigg
Asean of disunity
Let me give you a short lesson on what Asean will be.
It will be a “toothless tiger”, simply because there are no three countries out of the lot that will agree with each other on any subject of importance. Each and every one will continue as before on “what is best for me and my country”, and let the others worry about themselves.
Farang Observer
Verdict backlash valid
Thai police are suggesting the issue of two Myanmar nationals recently convicted of murder is being politicised.
I beg to differ. The ruling is being criticised and justifiably so.
If police had done their jobs right from the start, if transparent records had been kept properly in accordance with international best practices, and if they did not have a long-standing history of torturing suspects, then and only then could the spectre of political motivation for the protests be raised.
As it stands, for the Thai justice system to receive international respect it will need a far-reaching and thorough reform process. The justice system is the foundation of a nation and Thailand urgently needs reliable institutions upon which to build a stable and functional government.
Michael Setter
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