Proceedings of the Asia regional workshop on the

and central regions <strong>of</strong> Thailand where pesticide is used intensively. This project applied IPM
approach in training courses for farmers in Farmer Field Schools in <strong>the</strong> mentioned regions.
The main constraint is consumer’s attitude towards crop performance. Consumers prefer
good looking or undestroyed crop products. Therefore it is needed to educate consumer to change
<strong>the</strong>ir attitudes to safe crop products that do not look so good. It is also needed to train more farmers
on IPM through Farmer Field Schools, put up public relations to convince consumers and promote
bio-control.
B. Testing, quality control and effects in <strong>the</strong> field
Registration <strong>of</strong> a pesticide shall be granted when efficacy test result, label, toxicological data
and analytical result are approved. It is required that pesticide samples shall be imported for efficacy
test and for analysis <strong>of</strong> active ingredient and o<strong>the</strong>r constituents according to FAO specification <strong>of</strong>
each pesticide.
Office <strong>of</strong> Plant Protection Research and Development is responsible for efficacy test <strong>of</strong>
pesticide in <strong>the</strong> field. This agency shall approve experimental design, supervise efficacy test and
approve efficacy test result. This Office also approves rate and method <strong>of</strong> application.
Division <strong>of</strong> Agricultural Regulatory Inspection, Office <strong>of</strong> Agricultural Regulatory, monitors
pesticide quality by taking samples from <strong>the</strong> markets and at ports <strong>of</strong> entry. The analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se
samples is done by laboratory at Office <strong>of</strong> Agricultural Production Science Research and
Development. The percentage <strong>of</strong> active ingredient must conform to <strong>the</strong> percentage proposed for
registration. In <strong>the</strong> year 2004, Office <strong>of</strong> Agricultural Production Science Research and Development
reported that 1 316 samples were analyzed and found that 1 195 samples (90.81 percent) met <strong>the</strong>
standard while 121 samples (9.19 percent) were substandard. The industry supports samples,
methods and standards for analysis <strong>of</strong> pesticides for quality monitoring.
For new pesticides, it is required to conduct residue trial under supervision <strong>of</strong> Office <strong>of</strong>
Agricultural Production Science Research and Development. Pre-harvest interval (PHI) and
maximum residue limit (MRL) shall be determined by this trial.
C. Health and environment information
Health information
Bureau <strong>of</strong> Epidemiology, Department <strong>of</strong> Disease Control, Ministry <strong>of</strong> Public Health, in <strong>the</strong>
Annual Epidemiological Surveillance Report 2003, showed that during 1994-2003 <strong>the</strong> highest
number <strong>of</strong> poisoning incidents occurred in 1998 which were 4 398 cases and rate <strong>of</strong> cases per
100 000 capita was 7.16 (Figure 1). The rate <strong>of</strong> cases per 100 000 capita decreased since 1994 until
2003.
In 2003, <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> poisoning incidents was 2 342 cases or 3.72 per 100 000 capita. The
poisoning incidents occurred in a ra<strong>the</strong>r high number during months <strong>of</strong> May-August (Figure 2). The
nor<strong>the</strong>rn region was reported to have <strong>the</strong> highest number <strong>of</strong> poisoning incidents followed by
north-eastern, central and sou<strong>the</strong>rn regions, respectively (Figure 3). The age that has <strong>the</strong> highest
poisoning incidents was more than 35 years old followed by 25-34 and 15-24 years old, respectively
(Figure 4). Farmers were report to have <strong>the</strong> highest number <strong>of</strong> poisoning incidents which was
64.86 percent followed by labor workers (Figure 5).
- 177 -