The House panel tasked with investigating the proliferation and impacts of Blackchin tilapia in Thailand’s watercourses were to raise three key issues with Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) today, but its executive did not show up, claiming he was engaged on other business.
A CPF official arrived at parliament this morning, carrying a letter from Premsak Wanatsunthorn, chief of CPF’s research in the breeding of aquatic species, addressed to the panel’s chairman, Wayo Asavaroongruang, to inform him of his inability to testify to the panel today due to a prior engagement.
According to Dr. Wayo, a Move Forward party-list MP, the panel wants to ask CPF about the company’s proposal, reasons and necessity for the import of 2,000 non-indigenous Blackchin tilapia in 2010.
If the import was for research and experimental purposes, the proposal must specify the name of the research project, the name of the head of the project, the purpose and budget for the project, the research methodology and measures to prevent the fish from escaping into the environment.
The second issue concerns how dead fish were disposed of and the samples of dead fish sent to the Institutional Biosafety Committee of the Department of Fisheries.
The final issue concerns evidence to prove that samples of dead fish were actually sent to the biosafety committee and the receipt issued by the department.
