VZCZCXRO5519
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #4513/01 2330938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210938Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9074
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 004513 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD TH
 
SUBJECT:  BIOTECH CROPPING UP AGAIN IN THAILAND 
 
REF: 05 Bangkok 7336 
 
¶1. Summary. The Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) 
is building Cabinet support for the lifting of a six-year long 
moratorium on biotech crop field trials.  Field trials were halted 
in 2001 when public and political opinion called for more stringent 
regulations for biotech crops due to heightened fears of health and 
environmental impacts.  A Cabinet vote to resume field trials could 
come as early as next week. Recent efforts by FAS Bangkok and 
pro-biotech organizations in Thailand have helped increase public 
awareness of the advantages of biotech crops and dispel myths. 
During this most recent effort, public opposition has been lighter 
than expected. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  According to Dr. Suthat Sriwatanapongse of the Biotechnology 
Alliance Association (a non-government organization dedicated to the 
promotion of biotechnology in Thailand), the Minister of Agriculture 
and Cooperatives, the Minister of Science and Technology, the 
Minister of Public Health and the Minister of Natural Resources and 
Environment have been working to build support among other members 
of the Cabinet to lift the moratorium on open field trials of 
biotech crops.  Dr. Suthat and others connected to the biotech 
industry in Thailand are optimistic that the Cabinet will vote on 
the Ministry's proposal as early as next week. 
 
Resistance to Biotech Crops 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Numerous groups have raised concerns over development of biotech 
food in Thailand.  Biothai, a local NGO, has expressed fears biotech 
crops will migrate from research fields to ordinary fields and 
"contaminate" traditional crops.  Biothai is opposed to the lifting 
of the moratorium without a legal structure holding biotech firms 
accountable for damage to non-biotech farmers and the environment. 
Another concern is that the planting of biotech crops will taint the 
image of Thailand's agricultural sector and affect its substantial 
agricultural exports, particularly to Europe and Japan. 
 
¶4.  On August 16, the Bangkok Post reported that Witoon 
Lienchamroon, director of Biothai, threatened the Thai government 
with legal action if it failed to enact a new National Bio-Safety 
Law before allowing open field trials of biotech crops.  This is the 
first public NGO response to the recent push for the lifting of the 
moratorium. 
 
Biotech Developments in Thailand 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Agriculture contributes approximately 10 percent to Thailand's 
GDP.  Thailand is a world leader in the production of rice, cassava, 
canned tuna and canned pineapple. Currently, 49 percent of the labor 
force is engaged in some form of agriculture. The Royal Thai 
Government (RTG) has traditionally supported the belief that 
Thailand will need to embrace biotechnology in order to maintain a 
competitive advantage in agricultural production in the region. 
 
¶6.  In 1983, the RTG established the National Center for Genetic 
Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) under the Ministry of Science 
and Energy.  In 1991, BIOTEC was placed under the newly established 
National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). Since 
then, BIOTEC has facilitated the drafting of biosafety regulatory 
schemes and the National Policy on Biotechnology and its Strategy 
for Implementation 2004-2009.  The establishment of BIOTEC and its 
continued support is indicative of the RTG's commitment to 
biotechnology. 
 
¶7.  Since the establishment of BIOTEC, there have been several 
advancements in the development of biotech crops in Thailand.  Thai 
researchers initiated field trials of biotech tomato, papaya, cotton 
and chili peppers starting in 1994. There were hopes of researching 
and developing such high value crops as rice, sugar cane and rubber. 
However, field trials were halted in 2001 after increased pressure 
from NGOs and activist groups. Greenpeace and BioThai were the most 
vocal and their effective use of the Thai media resulted in a 
negative public perception of biotechnology. The Cabinet imposed a 
moratorium on biotech field trials, which was reaffirmed by the 
Cabinet under Prime Minister Thaksin in 2004.  In 2001, the MOAC 
(now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Resources and 
Environment), tasked the National Drafting Committee (NDC) with 
drafting a National Biotech-safety Law. 
 
¶8.  The public's concern about biotechnology resurfaced in 2004, 
when several biotech papaya plants were found in a local farmer's 
field in Khon Kaen Province. Greenpeace then facilitated the 
destruction of all the biotech plants at the MOAC extension office 
in Khon Kaen, further generating negative publicity for biotech 
foods. 
 
USG Takes on Papaya 
 
BANGKOK 00004513  002 OF 002 
 
 
------------------- 
 
¶9.  Embassy Bangkok has concentrated its efforts on improving the 
image of biotech foods by focusing on one crop, papaya, and the 
papaya ring spot virus (PRSV) that has crippled Thai production. 
PRSV destroys the leaves of papaya trees and leads to a decrease in 
fruit size and yield.  The virus is spread through the movement of 
insects from tree to tree and there is no effective treatment or 
cure for the virus other than the destruction of the infected trees. 
 The first outbreak of PRSV in Thailand was in 1975, and by 2003 the 
disease had spread throughout the country. Approximately 80 percent 
of planted areas have been infected, and yields have declined fifty 
percent. 
 
¶10.  During the week of July 16, FAS/Bangkok, in cooperation with 
the State Department and the Biotechnology Alliance Association, 
conducted a series of seminars titled, "Crisis and Solution: The 
Problem of Papaya Ring Spot Virus in Papaya Exporting and 
Productions" in Khon Kaen, Nakhonpathom, and Bangkok.  The seminars 
increased awareness and support for biotechnology among Thai 
stakeholders by discussing global commercialization of biotech crops 
and Thailand's problems with the papaya ring spot virus.  More than 
200 participants attended the three seminars, including private and 
commercial papaya producers, media reporters, consumers, papaya 
processors, and academics. 
 
¶11.  As part of the seminars, FAS/Bangkok invited a Hawaiian biotech 
papaya producer, Ken Kamiya, to speak to Thai producers 
pragmatically about the experience of biotech papaya in Hawaii and 
the risks of not adopting biotech, or "rainbow," papaya when faced 
with PRSV.  According to Kamiya, in 1998 PRSV nearly destroyed the 
Hawaiian papaya industry.  The introduction of biotech papaya to 
Hawaii allowed growers to eliminate PRSV from their fields. 
Currently, about 95 percent of papaya production in Hawaii is 
crossed with biotech papaya. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  Despite progress towards commercialization of biotech products 
in Thailand, biotech crops lack broad support and most of the public 
remains unaware of the benefits that biotech crops could have for 
Thai farmers.  Traditionally, Greenpeace and other environmental 
NGOs have organized awareness activities and publicity stunts to 
sway public opinion against allowing biotech research and 
development.  During the most recent public diplomacy activity by 
BIOTEC, BAA, FAS and Embassy Bangkok, opposition groups were not 
present.  The unexpectedly light public opposition to date could 
ease the way for Cabinet approval. End Comment. 
BOYCE