A pilot survey conducted among farmers in two districts of Kampaengpetch province of Thailand revealed that farmers were still widely using various types of pesticides that are banned and known to be harmful to their reproductive health.

Conducted by the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as well as ICOMP, the survey focused on Kampaengpetch where campaigns promoting organic farming have not yet been broadly conducted, as opposed to Surin. In Surin province, the amount of pesticide used was found to be lower than the amount used in Kampaengpetch, another major agricultural province.

Conducting surveys and interviews in two districts of Kampaengpetch, the survey found that nearly 80 per cent of respondents were using some birth control method, while out of the 31 chemicals commonly used for farming, eight were particularly harmful and likely to cause abnormal development of the foetus and endocrine malfunction when tested on laboratory animals. Furthermore, the survey revealed that some chemicals already banned in Thailand, namely Nitrofen, Methamidophos and Nonocrotophos were still being used. Incorrect practises were also found such as overuse of pesticide and unsafe storage.

During the five years preceding the interview, 67.4 per cent of respondents (or 285 persons), experienced reproductive health problems, related either to reproductive organs (menstrual pain, irregular menstruation, etc.), sexual organs or pregnancy (miscarriage, premature birth, etc.).
Presenting the findings during a seminar on “Pesticide Use Effects on Reproductive Health of Farmers” held at the House of Parliament at Bangkok in April, the task force underscored that exposure to pesticides by pregnant women could increase the risk of abnormal development, newborn disability and infant mortality. The task force recommended that urgent attention be given to the matter. It recommended that relevant laws and regulations be passed and strictly enforced, and encouraged more in-depth studies on the effects of pesticide use on reproductive health. It also recommended that education regarding the attitude and behaviour of farmers and their families towards pesticides be improved. The survey recommended increased awareness in Thailand and its neighouring countries about the negative health effects of pesticides. It stated that Thailand had the highest amount of chemical use among South-East Asian Countries.