The Central Administrative Court ruled that the ban on parquat is lawful but revoked the order requiring destruction without compensation measures, ordering the Agriculture Department to pay 116.9 million baht to the private sector.
On 31 July 2026 GMT+7, the Central Administrative Court issued a judgment in a case where Syngenta Crop Protection Co., Ltd. sued a government agency over the ban on parquat and chlorpyrifos as hazardous substances category 4, which also mandated that producers and importers bear all costs for recalling and destroying the chemicals. The court considered two separate issues.
First issue: The chemical ban announcement is lawful. The court ruled that the Minister of Industry and the Hazardous Substances Committee's announcement prohibiting production, import, or possession is a proper exercise of discretion to prevent and eliminate harm to health, animals, plants, and the environment sustainably. Therefore, the court dismissed the case against the Ministry of Industry, the Minister, and the committee.
Second issue: The order forcing private companies to bear destruction costs without compensation is unlawful. The Central Administrative Court revoked Agriculture Department Order No. 750/2563 (items 6, 7, and 8) retroactively, because the directive requiring producers/importers to recall and pay for destruction alone, while the Agriculture Department denied responsibility and provided no assistance, imposed an excessive and unlawful burden on private companies.
Additionally, in case number S.7/2569, the Central Administrative Court ruled that the Agriculture Department must pay damages of 116,984,000 baht plus legal interest from the filing date to Syngenta Crop Protection Co., Ltd., and partially refund court fees proportional to the case outcome. The payment must be completed within 60 days from the final judgment date.