The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stated that he is ready to provide clarification to the Administrative Court regarding the lawsuit filed by the Ministry regarding the spread of the black-chinned tilapia. He must clarify his legal duties. What he is concerned about is the surveillance to prevent the spread of the disease in closed water sources and coastal areas, which he will do his utmost in cooperation with relevant agencies. Mr. Chatuporn Buruspat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), mentioned the case where the Lawyers Council, which is the authorized representative of 54 people who work in the fishing, aquaculture, and local fishing occupations in Amphoe Amphawa and Amphoe Mueang Samut Songkhram, Samut Songkhram Province, who have suffered damages from the spread of the black-chinned tilapia, filed a lawsuit against government agencies and government officials as defendants at the Central Administrative Court. He stated that as a government agency, when sued, it has a duty to explain to the court its roles and responsibilities regarding this matter. In the past, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced that it is an invasive alien species and monitored the areas under the responsibility of the Ministry. The concern is the various closed water sources, which must be monitored to prevent the spread, both in national park areas, which the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation oversees. At the same time, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is monitoring coastal areas and is ready to work with relevant agencies to solve the problem to the fullest. A total of 18 government agencies and officials were sued in the Central Administrative Court, namely: 1. Department of Fisheries, 2. Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, 3. National Fisheries Policy Committee, 4. Department of Fisheries' Institutional Committee on Safety and Biodiversity, 5. Ministry of Agricult ure and Cooperatives, 6. Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, 7. Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, 8. Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, 9. Committee on Marine and Coastal Resources Management Policy and Planning, 10. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 11. Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, 12. National Environment Board, 13. National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Committee, 14. Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, 15. Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, 16. Ministry of Interior, 17. Minister of Interior, and 18. Ministry of Finance. Source: Thai News Agency
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