AROUND 200 aquatic farmers from 19 provinces rallied in front of Agricultural Land Reform Office this morning (March 18) to press the government to resolve the spread of havoc-wreaking blackchin tilapia fish in Thai waters with this affecting the ecosystem and also compensate those impacted by the invasion of this fish, Naewna newspaper said.
From here they intend to march to Government House where they intend to dump some of this fish while performing a ritual cursing ceremony against those who brought it to Thailand from Ghana by burning salt and chillies.
The aquatic farmers, led by Mr. Thira Wongcharoen, have four demands as follows:
– Set up an independent committee to investigate and find the perpetrators who imported this predatory fish;
– Eliminate this fish within one year and accelerate restoration of the ecosystem;
– Immediately declare a disaster zone;
– Sue the perpetrators to compensate those affected.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat said she has assigned Mr. Bancha Sukkaew, director-general of the Department of Fisheries, to talk to and reach an understanding with the protesting farmers.
Bancha in turn said the ministry did set up a fact-finding committee which has reported the results. There are no witnesses or evidence to prove how the blackchin tilapia fish invaded Thai waters. However there are lawsuits at the Central Administrative Court and the Civil Court, and verdicts are awaited.
On the demonstrators’ demand that the perpetrators compensate for the damage to the ecosystem, Bancha said once wrongdoing is established Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will sue and prosecute the offenders in accordance with the law.
On their demand for urgent assistance, he said the ministry, through his department, had purchased 3.5 million kilogrammes of this fish and is in the process of requesting a budget of 200 million baht from the Budget Bureau to eliminate the black-chinned tilapia fish from Thai waters by releasing other predatory fish to hunt them down and provide tea waste to farmers to spread in their dried out ponds so as to kill the alien fish roe.
On declaring a disaster zone in areas where this predatory fish has spread, Bancha said the ministry had already set up a committee to consider this matter as well as committees at national and provincial levels to eliminate it.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Demonstrators outside the Agricultural Land Reform Office this morning, March 18, 2025.
Insert: A protest poster demanding that the government sue the perpetrators to compensate those affected.Photos: Naewna
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