Chemical ban proves popular
After a few months in office, the Bhumjaithai Party is already proving to be a force to be reckoned with and the party could win over its critics if it succeeds in pushing for the ban on three harmful farm chemicals, according to political observers.
Led by Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai continues to capture public interest with its two key campaign pledges — legalising the use of cannabis and ridehailing services.
The party is in the process of gathering public input for a legislation draft seeking to allow people to grow six marijuana plants at home for personal and household consumption.
The Department of Land Transport will soon ask Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, who is also Bhumjaithai’s key figure, for approval to start drafting a new ministerial regulation to enable private car and motorcycle drivers to pick up passengers through ride-sharing apps. The DLT is expected to get the nod without much difficulty given the party’s vocal stance on the issue.
However, while both policies are not without a certain degree of controversy, the party has, in contrast, has received all-out support for its stance against the continued use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.
The campaign is spearheaded by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Mananya Thaiset and is expected to intensify as the deadline for the planned enforcement of the ban in January next year approaches.
The fight for the ban has been going on for more than two years, much to the growing frustration of advocates, and Ms Mananya’s active engagement gives the campaign a much-needed boost.
Ms Mananya has ordered the Department of Agriculture to look for alternative substances in a bid to convince the National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC) to issue the ban.
Her call for the NHSC to cast their votes openly appeals to supporters of the ban because the 29-member panel has reportedly held secret ballots on the issue before. In the previous one, the committee voted 16:5 in favour of continued use of the chemicals.
Political observers agree the campaign will not only boost the coalition party’s popularity but also the deputy agriculture minister’s profile.
The former mayor of Muang Uthai Thani municipality was not a popular choice of cabinet minister. She was seen by many as a proxy for her brother, Uthai Thani MP Chada Thaiseth, who has a controversial background.
In July 2015, police commandos raided one of Mr Chada’s homes, and 11 other residences of influential figures in Uthai Thani province, as they hunted two murder suspects. He was suspected of sheltering the pair who were wanted for the murder of a senior police officer shot dead in 2011.
Ms Mananya was reportedly chosen for the job after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha disagreed with giving the cabinet post to Mr Chada, due to concerns over his reputation.
The first-time cabinet minister took her critics by surprise by picking a fight with one of the country’s big industries and making the proposed chemicals ban her top priority.
As the campaign gatherings momentum, Ms Mananya — now made more widely known by her quote; “I can’t wait until all of the harmful chemicals are banned” — and Bhumjaithai have found themselves a new ally in Yuenyong “Add Carabao” Opakul, a popular songs-for-life musician, who wrote a song for use in the campaign.
However, observers doubt that the song will strike a chord with the NHSC.