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Story: Wandee santivutimetee
Photos: Chaichana Jaruwannakorn |
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Dr. Angun Lewvanich is Thailand's only certified butterfly specialist. Having been sent abroad to study at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London University, and trained at the Natural History Museum in England, her benefactors envisioned that she would gain the expertise to return to Thailand to deal with the overwhelming 80% of Thailand's agricultural pests, the Scircophaga. Upon Dr. Lewvanich's return to Thailand, she promptly dedicated her lifetime to the study and classification of butterflies, collecting additional samples for the Insect Museum. She has played no small part in what has now become Thailand's largest collection of insects. |
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Since the establishment of the Insect Museum more than 70 years ago, the need for engaging entomology in our daily lives has consistently grown. Besides pest management, we are becoming increasingly aware of the issues with which entomology is involved, in a world in which competition is fierce, and Thailand is a major agricultural player. |
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As Dr. Lewvanich pointedly explains, "Currently, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have agreed among themselves that there will be no hindrances in the form of taxation to free trade. Such a policy facilitates the free flow of trade among these member countries. However, because countries naturally want to export more than they want to import, these countries try to find other mechanisms that will prevent foreign products from coming into their countries. One such popular mechanism is the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, which employs entomology and the classification of insects to create barriers to the free flow of goods." As a consequence, such things as pest lists and pest risk analysis have now enabled countries to forbid the entry of agricultural products from other countries. |
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Coupled with the fact that Thailand has an entomological team of a mere 5 persons (not including Dr. Lewvanich who officially retired last year) compared to say, Japan's team of 145 persons (to be used as a basis for comparison), how do we properly counteract such an imposition of standards without an adequate amount of personnel to "back up" our agricultural exports? It becomes painfully clear who is disadvantaged... |
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