On May 23, the Hazardous Substance Committee voted to restrict rather than ban the use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, while claiming that their impacts on health remained debatable.

“We will submit a petition to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to press for the review,” Thailand Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-PAN) co-ordinator Prokchol Ousap said yesterday.

She said the representatives from more than 300 other organisations would join her network in the rally.

According to Prokchol, at least three members of the 29-member Hazardous Substance Committee had conflicts of interest and should not have voted.

“The committee should release the information on which it based its decision,” Prokchol said.

She said her group expected a response within two months.

At present, 53 countries including Laos and Cambodia, have banned paraquat.