Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mananya Thaiset, says it is "not the time" to demand the government issue an executive decree to ban the use of three toxic chemicals that are widely used in Thailand.
Ms Mananya said the National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC), which is ultimately responsible for the issue, must instead resolve to ban the use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, as recommended by experts, and put the entire issue to rest.
That said, the deputy minister said she might consider asking the government to issue an executive decree if the NHSC tries to delay the ban -- which consumer protection groups wanted to see enforced by the end of the year -- any longer.
"While an executive decree might come in handy, this is not the time," she said.
"We should give the NHSC the chance to thoroughly consider the matter."
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Wissany Krea-ngam suggested an executive decree banning the chemicals may be issued, if various state agencies can agree on the issue.
The proposed ban was first floated in 2017, but NHSC members were reportedly at odds with one another over the issue, and only managed to agree to restrict the use of the chemicals.
Ms Mananya said a four-party committee which she chairs will meet today to review a report on the dangers and impact caused by the use of the herbicides and will make its decision public before forwarding the results to the NHSC.