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36 Surat Sri",'atanapongseGeneral (DG) of DQA and only for U,e experimental purpose, the applicant has to seek thispermission as the first step. All relevant information and documents concerning the transgenic plants(nature of genes, gene constructs, transformation process, etc.) have to be submitted to the DOA DGwith a copy to the BIOTEC (as NBC Secretariat). NBC will consider the case and giverecommendation to the DOA DG for final consideration. The case may be approved or rejecteddepending on this joint DOA-NBC consideration.There have been only few cases of filed testing of transgenic plants in Thailand as follows:1. Ffavr Savr Tomato:In 1993 Calgene Fresh Company made a request to conduct a field test on seed production ofgenetically engineered Flavr Savr tomato in Thailand. The proposed parental lines had all been testedin the US under the permitted process that was later relaxed to a notification process for tomato and 5other crop species (APHIS, 1993). The NBC at the time considered the case in accordance with thebiosafety guide lines and with some conditions. It was specified that the company have to work witha local company with a plant pathologist from a university as an expert and collaborator. And since itwas the first case, the testing had to be carried out under a strict contained environment, a netted houseto prevent the insect pollination. The permission was granted in 1994. In 1995-1996 Flavr Savrtomato type of the D A Plant Technology (DNAP) had been approved for field testing again, this timein an open field in the Northeast of the country.2. Monsanto B.t. Cotton:The application to field test this B.t. cotton was made in 1995 and it took some time for the N Cand DOA IBC to grant permission. Since the case involves genes producing toxic substance (protein)that could kill certain group of insects, careful! consideration has to be made. Finally, it isrecommended that the B.t. cotton has to be planted in a netted screen house to protect insects. Testswere made also for the survival of beneficial insects under the same containment as the B.t. cotton.The experiment has been performed in the Northeast beginning in March 1996 and repeated in openfields in the rainy season. Approval has been made to test the materials in open fields at theDepartment of Agriculture's experiment stations and in farmers' fields in 1997. Results from the fieldtestings are being collected and conclusion will be made early this year.3. B.t. corn:The third transgenic crop field testing is the Novartis B.t. com. Again the test is being performedin the netted house in Tak fa, Nakhon Sawan at the company's experiment station.In order to have an effective system in monitoring the field testing, DOA has established "JointWorking Group Committee" to monitor the field testing of transgenic plants. Experts from DOA andfrom NBC join hands in considering the design of experiment , field visits, provision ofrecommendation including the post harvest practices. For example, in case of Flavr Savr tomatoexperiment, 4 field visits have been made before harvest and additional 4 visits are being made afterthe harvest. Progress reports and final report on field testing are required and to be reviewed by DOAIBC and NBC.At present biosafety regulation in Thailand is of a soft law with voluntary guidelines. The onlypart that is linked to the existing Plant Quarantine Law is the control on the import of all transgenicseed crops into the country. Such import needs approval from the MOAC and for the purpose ofexperimentation only. Thailand is in the process of improving its productivity in all economic sectorsand biotechnology application is quite crucial for such development. The balance between R&D andregulalOry aspects is very important consideration.References:APHIS. 1993. Genetically engineered organisms and products; notification proceedures for theintroduction of certain regulated articles; and petition for nonregulated status. Federal Register 58(60): 17044-17059.Attathom, S. and S. Sriwatanapongse. 1994. Present Status on Field Testing of Transgenic Plants inThailand. Paper presented at the Third International Symposium on the Biosafety Results of FieldTests of Genetically Modified Plants and Microorganisms. Monterey, California, November 13-16,1994.