Bangkok: Natcha Boonchaiinsawas, a party-list MP from the People's Party, has called on the Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Interior to comply with the Central Administrative Court's order to declare 19 provinces as disaster zones due to the black-chinned tilapia outbreak. Natcha has threatened legal action under Section 157 if relief efforts are not promptly provided to the affected populations.
According to Thai News Agency, following the Central Administrative Court's recent ruling, Natcha, accompanied by other People's Party MPs from the affected regions, held a press conference to emphasize the urgency of the situation. The court ordered the Department of Fisheries to take control, prevent, and mitigate the spread of black-chinned tilapia within 180 days. This directive follows the Department's announcement on August 15, 2024, regarding the outbreak in the designated provinces.
The court also declared an emergency disaster zone in Samut Songkhram province after over 1,400 residents filed a lawsuit against 16 government agencies. Additionally, an appeal in a related case against a private company importing the fish will be heard on September 14, 2026. Natcha stated that the People's Party will continue to pursue this issue, with MPs Boonlert Saengphan and Phatarapong Leelaphat taking significant roles in monitoring and addressing the crisis.
The Central Administrative Court's order serves as a precedent, and failure to appeal will uphold the directive. Previously, the Department of Fisheries allocated 450 million baht for combating the tilapia outbreak, but implementation fell short, with only 90 million baht used for temporary fish purchases. Natcha highlighted the need for systemic solutions and potential legal action against negligent provinces and departments.
During a budget review, Natcha questioned the governors of Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, and Samut Prakan about their handling of the crisis. Responses indicated a lack of consensus on declaring disaster zones. Natcha stressed the importance of adhering to the court's ruling and urged the Department of Fisheries to reallocate its 4.8 billion baht budget for fiscal year 2027 to address the outbreak effectively.
Boonlert Saengphan acknowledged the ongoing hardship caused by the tilapia problem and confirmed ongoing dialogues with the Prime Minister to reconsider disaster zone declarations. Anupap Likit-amnuay, another MP from the People's Party, called on the Prime Minister to declare Samut Songkhram a disaster zone to facilitate compensation for affected farmers.
Narumas Piambandit, spokesperson for the Committee on Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters, criticized the hesitancy of provinces in declaring disaster zones, despite meeting criteria. She urged the Governor of Chonburi to expedite such declarations to provide necessary relief to citizens, questioning whether the lack of action constitutes a dereliction of duty.