About 1,000 swine raisers on Tuesday gathered in front of Government House to protest against plans to import United States pork and offal to Thailand.
The protesters presented 100 pig heads as part of a ritual to seek divine blessings for their cause.
Surachai Sutthitham, the group leader and president of the Swine Raisers Association (SRA), said swine raisers are not the only ones who will be affected if the Thai government yields to the influence of the US.
"Consumers will also be in trouble because the American imports contain chemicals and have a high risk of carrying plagues such as swine flu," Mr Surachai said.
He said that after Vietnam opened its pork market to the US, half of its local swine farmers had to quit their jobs. Vietnamese farmers who grew crops that are used as pig feed, such as corn and cassava, also suffered, he said.
Yaowaman Kahcharoen, adviser to the SRA, insisted that Thailand does not need to import pork and offal from the US.
The price of pork in Thailand has always been low, indicating that the country already has a sufficient supply of pork products, she said.
She warned that if the government accepted the deal, between 10 and 12 million workers in pork-related businesses would be affected, accumulating between 98 and 100 billion baht in damage annually.
Siriwat Kajornprasart, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, acknowledged the protesters' complaints.
The government will gladly cooperate with related sectors to find a mutual solution, he said.
"If the well-being of local farmers are at risk, I believe that the government would turn down the import plan," said the minister.
Photos by Pattarachai Preechapanich
