Farmers in Thailand still largely use chemical herbicides, especially paraquat and atrazine, to control weeds on their farms. According to research by the Office of Agricultural Economics, in 2019, Thailand imported almost 10 million kilograms of paraquat and close to 3.5 million kilograms of atrazine. The residues of these herbicides cause harm to the environment, living creatures, and our health.  

The Public Health Ministry is pushing for a complete ban on three hazardous pesticides, after reports showed that toxic residue was found in newborns and more than 40,000 people have been sickened in the past five years.