Bangkok: Supajee Suthamphan has responded to accusations made by Senator Seranee Anilbol regarding alleged fabrication of palm oil stock data, describing the claims as "unconstructive." During a Senate interpellation, Supajee, who serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, emphasized that there is no existing policy to ban palm oil exports. She explained that the fluctuations in palm oil prices are driven by market mechanisms and criticized the senator's remarks about purportedly fabricated figures on crude palm oil stocks.
According to Thai News Agency, the Senate meeting was chaired by General Kriengkrai Srirak, First Deputy Speaker of the Senate. The session was convened to address an urgent interpellation by Senator Seranee, who raised concerns about the low price of palm oil and the implications of export controls on farmers eager to export their produce. Supajee clarified that while there is an export ceiling of 200,000 tons, all export requests totaling 140,000 tons have been approved, with no policy in place to prohibit exports. She noted that the decision to approve exports considers factors such as potential use for energy production.
Supajee also addressed the senator's questioning of crude palm oil figures, urging officials to verify actual stock levels and avoid speculating. She highlighted the need for mutual respect and teamwork, stating that she and the civil servants are committed to doing their best despite the senator's unconstructive comments. Following her explanation, Senator Seranee requested to replace the phrase "making things up" with a call for "accurate, complete, and comprehensive information."
In addition, Supajee provided clarification during a live interpellation on managing the import of animal feed corn to mitigate PM2.5 pollution, a concern raised by Senator Palawat Tansiri. She confirmed that the Department of International Trade has put measures in place to control the import of burnt-free animal feed corn, effective from January 1, 2026. Importers are required to register annually and self-certify that their produce is sourced from burnt-free agricultural methods. Long-term strategies involve replacing self-certification with certification from internationally recognized agencies and conducting retrospective investigations to prevent imports from fields where burning is detected.