Watcharapol allocates 350M to combat Blackchin Tilapia at Lam Pao Dam

MGR Online•Politics•16m ago

Reader Briefing

Deputy Agriculture Minister Watcharapol Khaokham leads a 29-agency meeting to implement 7 measures against Blackchin Tilapia using a 350 million baht central budget.

•Watcharapol Khaokham presided over a meeting of 29 agencies on September 16 to address Blackchin Tilapia outbreaks.
•A central budget of approximately 350 million baht was approved to implement 7 existing measures.
•Blackchin Tilapia has spread to Lam Pao Dam in Kalasin Province, which Watcharapol Khaokham believes was caused by human transport.
•The Department of Fisheries is tasked with investigating offenders and expects visible results within 30, 60, and 180 days.

Overview

•On September 16, Watcharapol Khaokham chaired a meeting of 29 agencies at the Parliament to track and solve the Blackchin Tilapia outbreak.
•The meeting approved the use of a remaining central budget of approximately 350 million baht to execute 7 measures.
•The Department of Fisheries is using an urgent budget of 15 million baht to address the situation specifically at Lam Pao Dam in Kalasin Province.
•Watcharapol Khaokham believes the fish at Lam Pao Dam did not swim there themselves but were transported by humans.
•Watcharapol Khaokham stated that the Blackchin Tilapia problem is a national agenda, noting a 450 million baht budget was previously approved during Srettha Thavisin's administration in 2024.
•Watcharapol Khaokham assigned the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to coordinate with agencies such as the Royal Irrigation Department to cut the infestation cycle.
•Watcharapol Khaokham plans to personally visit affected areas within the current week.
•The Department of Fisheries' legal department is investigating the causes of the outbreak and reviewing court orders regarding affected groups in Samut Songkhram.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on MGR Online (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: MGR Online (Original)

View Original Article

Key Quotes

Watcharapol Khaokham

"I have come to work; I only want to get it finished, do it quickly, and make it as efficient as possible. Today we will no longer just treat the symptoms; it must end."

ผมเองเข้ามาทำงาน ผมต้องการอย่างเดียวทำให้จบ ทำให้เร็ว ทำให้มีประสิทธิภาพมากที่สุด วันนี้เราจะไม่เลี้ยงไข้อีกต่อไป ยังไงก็ต้องจบ

Watcharapol Khaokham

"Regarding the situation at Lam Pao Dam in Kalasin Province, Blackchin Tilapia definitely cannot swim from the coastal sea to the dam; therefore, they must have been transported or carried there."

สถานการณ์ที่เขื่อนลำปาว จังหวัดกาฬสินธุ์ ปลาหมอคางดำไม่สามารถว่ายจากทะเลชายฝั่งข้ามไปยังเขื่อนได้อย่างแน่นอน จึงต้องมีการพาไป หรือ อะไรที่นำพาไป

Key Entities

Person

Watcharapol Khaokham(วัชระพล ขาวขำ)

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives who is leading the effort to combat Blackchin Tilapia.

Suriya Jungrungreangkit(สุริยะ จึงรุ่งเรืองกิจ)ℹ️

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives who appointed the director and committee for the Blackchin Tilapia management center.

Srettha Thavisin(เศรษฐา ทวีสิน)ℹ️

Former Prime Minister who approved a 450 million baht budget for Blackchin Tilapia management in 2024.

Organization

Department of Fisheries(กรมประมง)

The agency responsible for implementing tilapia control measures and investigating offenders.

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives(กระทรวงเกษตรและสหกรณ์)

The ministry overseeing the Department of Fisheries and the effort to eliminate Blackchin Tilapia.

Department of Marine and Coastal Resources(กรมทรัพยากรทะเลชายฝั่ง)

An agency under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment that provided input on the tilapia situation.

Royal Irrigation Department(กรมชลประทาน)

The agency responsible for water management and machinery to cut the infestation cycle.

Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation(กรมป้องกันและบรรเทาสาธารณภัย)

An agency under the Ministry of Interior that participated in the management meeting.

Public Relations Department(กรมประชาสัมพันธ์)

The agency requested to help publicize updates on the 21 affected provinces.

Place

Lam Pao Dam(เขื่อนลำปาว)

A large dam in Kalasin Province where Blackchin Tilapia outbreaks have been found.

Kalasin Province(จังหวัดกาฬสินธุ์)ℹ️

The province where Lam Pao Dam is located.

Samut Songkhram Province(จังหวัดสมุทรสงคราม)ℹ️

The province where affected groups organized to sue over the tilapia problem.