Thailand was among the first Asian countries to recognize the benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) was established in 1983 to support the development and adoption of biotechnology. Since that time, BIOTEC—together with the Department of Agriculture (DOA) and several universities—has continued to conduct genetic engineering research. The Center for Agricultural Biotechnology (CAB) was established in 1999 through the collaboration of five academic institutions to enhance post-graduate study and to promote collaborative research in agricultural biotechnology. Although the 6th National Social and Economic Development Plan (1987-1991) emphasized biotechnology, it has not been consistently supported, and policy constraints have increased. These inconsistent policies have blocked the use of transgenics and caused the loss of millions of dollars of economic benefits.
The first transgenic crop to be field tested in Thailand was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994; it was to be cultivated for seed production destined for export only. Field trials of Bt cotton began in 1996, but permission for the commercial release of Bt cotton still has not occurred. In response to public protest over Bt cotton field trials, the Thai government suspended all field trials of GM crops on April 3, 2001, until national biosafety regulation could be devised and implemented. Since then, research and development of agricultural biotechnology has been hindered. Biosafety regulation has yet to be completed, even though work on a biosafety guideline has been in process since June 1992. Despite the opposition of GM technology by activists, some scientists strongly believe that GM crops have great potential to solve energy and food security problems. As a result, the Thai government on December 25, 2007, reinstiuted permision for field trials of GM crops, but only in government fields.
In 1999, amendment of the 1964 Plant Quarantine Act strengthened the regulation to include all possible GM plant varieties. On March 17, 2000, 40 transgenic varieties (with exceptions for grains of GM corn and soybeans) were banned from importation. On October 14, 2003, an additional 49 transgenic varieties were listed as prohibited items for import except for processed products.
As of May 2009, no commercialization of GM crops is allowed in Thailand due to fear of losing export markets and environmental and health concerns. There is little public information available on the costs and benefits of GM technology to the Thai economy, and national policies and research and application plans are yet to be made. The economic evaluation of transgenic crops is essential to the development of appropriate future agricultural biotechnology policies. This article provides an ex-ante economic evaluation of the use of GM papaya in Thailand. Papaya is in the most advanced stage of development among GM crops. Implications from this study could be used to evaluate potential biotechnology policies in the future.