The book "Did you take your poison today?" discusses pesticides related problems in Thailand. It can be downloaded as a file in PDF format, but the same content can also be viewed as web pages via the links below. Note: This document was written in Thailand in 2003, so some of the information, such as … Read more
Pesticide use in Thailand is most intensive in the Central plain, the Northern region, and in the East. Areas with relatively lower use of pesticides are the North-Eastern and Southern regions. Note: This map was prepared in 2003. The pesticide use may have changed since then.
The answer to this question is probably ‘yes’. There is a good chance that some of the fruit, vegetables or meat that you eat today will contain poisonous chemicals. We are talking about ordinary food: the things you buy in the market, cook at home, eat in restaurants, and give to your children. You need … Read more
Thailand is certainly a leading food producer. Exports of agricultural and food products from Thailand are worth more than 400 billion Baht (US $10 billion) per year. We are the world’s largest exporter of rice, frozen shrimp and canned pineapple. Other Thai products – such as vegetables, fruit, cassava, sugar, fish, and chicken – can … Read more
There are three major sources of concern relating to food safety in Thailand: Chemical contamination. This includes pesticides and antibiotics that are used by farmers to help them reduce crop losses. Some of these chemicals remain in the food when it reaches the consumer. Biological contamination. This includes bacteria (e.g. Salmonella), mould and other micro-organisms. … Read more
Pesticides are chemicals that are used to control pests, such as insects, rats, weeds and moulds. In most cases, these chemicals are poisons that kill the pest, but in some cases they act as a repellent (i.e. odors that make the pests stay away), or they stop the pest from growing and reproducing.
These chemicals are used to control pests, but they can also affect humans who are exposed to pesticides in a number of ways: Skin contact. Farmers often get pesticides on their skin when they are mixing the chemical, during spraying and when cleaning their equipment. This is called ‘dermal’ exposure, or skin exposure. Breathing. Small … Read more
Wrong. Not only farmers, but everybody should be concerned about pesticides. Although farmers have more contact with these chemicals, and suffer more problems, other people come also into contact with pesticides. This is how: Food that is sold and eaten often contains pesticide residues. The amounts are usually small, but if we eat these residues … Read more
Note: This text was written in 2003, so some of the information may be out-of-date. More than 300 chemicals are used to control pests in Thailand. These are sold under more than 2,000 brand names. Different types of pesticide are used to control different types of pest: Insecticides are used to kill flies, beetles, caterpillars, … Read more
Note: This text was written in 2003, so some of the information may be out-of-date. Most pesticides used in Thailand are imported. They enter the country in a highly concentrated form (called ‘active ingredient’) and are mixed with other ingredients (a process called ‘formulation’). The pesticides are packaged by wholesalers (who have their own brand … Read more
