During a meeting with farmers in Chiang Mai and other provinces in the North, Winichai Chaemchaeng, vice commerce minister, said the government understood their concerns and would not allow any imports of GM plants or the registration of Thai plant varieties by TPP signatory states.

Before reaching a final decision on whether to join the TPP, the government would continue to conduct public hearings to learn about the concerns over potential membership among involved sectors, he said.

The Commerce Ministry and the Agriculture Department’s meeting with around 300 northern farmers was part of the hearing process, he added.

Allowing the import of GM plants is the top issue of concern among farmers in the North, mainly from the provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lampang, Lamphun, Nan, Prayao, Chiang Rai and Phrae.

“The ministry has stressed to farmers that the government will not allow GM plant imports, as some might have feared. The TPP pact only aims [for member states] to learn about each other’s farming policy, and to exchange information.

“Thailand already has a specific law to control GM plant imports. If we joined the TPP, GM plants would not be allowed into the country,” Winichai reaffirmed.

As to longan farmers’ concerns about the registration of the plant variety in other countries, the government would not allow any country to go down such a path as the Thai fruit variety is protected under the Plant Variety Act, he added.

The vice minister also explained that the international ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement) mechanism should benefit Thai investors overseas in the event of any dispute.

During the hearing in the North, farmers also called for the government to help prepare them and develop their competitiveness for future liberalisation.

They requested help in reducing the cost of production, promoting the use of solar energy, the development of plant varieties and the handling of residual substances, and the mutual-recognition arrangement on product standards in order to facilitate trade growth and reduce inspection costs, Winichai said.

Moreover, in response to farmers’ concern about the rising cost of seeds, he said the government would help develop good-quality, affordable seeds.