USA/THAILAND: US threatened trade sanctions to block GM labels, says Thai FDA

By just-food.com editorial team | 19 July 2001

A US trade delegation has threatened to impose trade sanctions on Thailand if proposals to label GM foods are approved and harm American exports.

Wichai Chokwiwat, secretary-general of the Thai Food and Drug Administration, revealed yesterday that the threats to invoke Section 301 of the US trade laws were made during an official visit on 13 February this year.

"I explained to them that the Thai government had resolved in 1999 to have food products carry a GM label to protect consumers," said Wichai, adding that the regulations would merely involve a special label reading "manufactured with genetically modified soybean/corn" for products having a GM concentration higher than 3%.

The label would not say that GM foods are dangerous and products would not be allowed to state "GM Free", he explained. It is purely to inform the consumers.

The US delegation indicated that any GM labelling was unwanted, said Wichai, as they warned that Thai imports, which are worth about Bt400bn (US$8.7bn) a year, will be placed on a high-priority watch list if Section 301 is triggered.