PM praised for not responding to US appeal to postpone the ban on glyphosate

13 Sept 09:51 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was lauded by the Biothai Foundation for his non-response to a US appeal to postpone the ban on glyphosate, one of three farm chemicals recently prohibited in Thailand.
US Under-Secretary of Agriculture Ted A. McKinney urged a delay, citing glyphosate's safety and widespread use, supported by various international scientific reviews.
Biothai criticized McKinney's appeal, linking it to his past employment with Dow Agro-Sciences and asserting it aimed to protect US chemical company interests, advising the PM to delegate the response to an appropriate department head.
The US Embassy in Bangkok warned of significant economic repercussions for Thailand, including 75-125 billion baht in higher costs for farmers and potential trade disruptions reaching US$1.7 billion, particularly affecting imports like soybeans and wheat.
Biothai clarified that while the ban might impact US farm exports using glyphosate on genetically-modified plants, current US farm products such as wheat and soybeans are not yet affected as glyphosate is not officially listed as a banned substance in the public health ministerial regulation appendix.

Bai Lu meet-and-greet cancelled days after China’s safety warning

Yesterday 15:28 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister announced the government will seek clarification from the Chinese Embassy regarding its recent travel advisory warning Chinese nationals about safety concerns in Thailand.
The travel advisory is anticipated to negatively impact the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, despite recent increases in arrivals.
A meet-and-greet event featuring Chinese actress Bai Lu, a WeTV Global Ambassador, was abruptly cancelled just days after the Chinese Embassy issued its safety warning, though no official reason was provided.
The Chinese Embassy's advisory urged citizens to beware of job scams, fraudulent investments, suspicious travel arrangements, and the risk of illegal detention or being lured to the Thai-Myanmar border.
Chinese nationals were advised to verify job offers, use legitimate transport, avoid high-risk border areas, protect personal documents, and keep family informed of travel plans.