Led by the world’s renowned community-based farming advocacy organisation, Grain, and the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), the organisations have jointly campaigned this week to support Bio Thai and its alliances’ latest moves in Thailand
Grain and the WFFP have officially posted on their websites and social media platforms this week to invite members of the public worldwide to throw support to Bio Thai and its alliances here, which have launched the latest campaign to renew pressure on CPF Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CPF) and the government so they would be held accountable for the fish outbreak.
The organisations noted that CPF, which is part of Thailand’s agribusiness conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (CP), has recently filed a libel suit against Bio Thai over what it calls the well-founded accusation that CPF is responsible for the current spread of non-native blackchin tilapia fish in Thailand’s watercourses.
Since 2010, when the company imported 2,000 blackchin tilapia fish from Ghana for breeding trials to meet the demands of its expanding brackish-water industrial aquaculture, the exotic fish has spread to 19 provinces, wreaking havoc on local fisheries and coastal communities, the organisations further noted. This, they said, resulted in tremendous economic losses and environmental damage.
However, CPF has denied responsibility for the country’s “most severe environmental crime”, despite numerous pieces of compelling evidence against it, the organisations remarked.
Bio Thai and the devastated communities have been campaigning to pressure CPF and hold it accountable for the outbreak. In November last year, 1,400 farmers filed a lawsuit demanding compensation from CPF for their losses. This week, they have renewed their calls for accountability from the companies and the government.
Grain suggested various activities that people can join in the campaign to show support to Bio Thai and its alliances. Those include printing the campaign symbol on T-shirts or cards, or sharing the photos or messages with the campaign slogans on social media platforms.

The Philippines-based Farmer-Scientist Partnership for Development (MASIPAG), meanwhile, has also posted on their official website to show its support to Bio Thai and its alliances. The organisation said it stands in full solidarity with Bio Thai and the farmers and fishers of Thailand “as they confront the catastrophic consequences of Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) outbreak of the invasive Blackchin Tilapia”.
“This environmental disaster fuelled by corporate greed and disregard for ecological and community welfare underscores the need to hold CPF accountable for destroying biodiversity, traditional aquaculture systems, and local livelihoods,” MASIPAG noted.
The organisation further noted that the company’s actions mirror the dangers posed by genetically modified organisms (GMOs), such as Golden Rice, to biodiversity and food systems in the Philippines. Both cases, it said, expose a broader corporate agenda prioritizing profit over ecosystems and local communities. In Thailand, blackchin tilapia has ravaged traditional aquaculture, while in the Philippines, GMOs threaten genetic contamination, undermining farmer-bred seeds and the sovereignty of local food systems, the organisation further noted.
“MASIPAG likewise condemns CPF’s disregard for accountability and its use of lawsuits against Bio Thai in a bid to suppress resistance, a tactic we have also seen deployed by GMO proponents all across the globe to silence organizations fighting corporate abuse and exploitation.
“Bio Thai has been working with affected farmers and fishers to try and hold the company to account for this environmental and economic disaster. These legal assaults are not merely attacks on organizations but on the democratic right of communities to demand justice and protect their livelihoods,” MASIPEG remarked.

The organisation said biodiversity is the foundation of resilient ecosystems, food security, and the cultural heritage of farming communities, safeguarding the delicate balance of the natural environment and ensuring the availability of diverse crops and species that adapt to changing climates and resist pests naturally.
The proliferation of GMOs and introduced invasive species such as Golden Rice and Blackchin Tilapia threaten this balance, displacing native species, eroding genetic diversity, and introducing unforeseen ecological risks, the organisation noted.
According to the United Nations Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019), the organisation cited that over one million species face extinction driven partly by agricultural intensification and invasive species, exacerbated by GMOs that favor monocultures over diverse, resilient systems. GMOs, often designed to serve corporate interests, exacerbate farmer dependency on costly inputs while undermining traditional seed systems that have nurtured biodiversity for generations, it said.
“MASIPAG calls on Southeast Asian governments, civil society, and individuals to support Bio Thai and the affected communities in their fight against CPF’s environmental crimes (as accused). The courage of Thailand’s farmers and fishers serves as a rallying cry for all of us to reject corporate-controlled food systems that devastate biodiversity and livelihoods.
“Our collective future depends on embracing farmer-led agroecology, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring that food sovereignty remains in the hands of the people, not corporations. Together, we can expose and dismantle corporate greed, from Thailand’s waterways to the Philippines’ farms,” said MASIPAG.

CPF’s response
CPF has responsed to a request for comments and clarifications by Bangkok Tribune over the allegations concerning the blackchin tilapia outbreak and renewed efforts and campaigns by CSOs to hold it accountable for the incident.
In an email replied to Bangkok Tribune by its Corporate Communication and PR Office, the office has made comments and clarifications on behalf of the company, saying representatives of CP Food’s management expressed gratitude to the people network of its visit and assured those farmers that the issues raised would be presented for consideration by the management team.
CPF has consistently worked closely with the Department of Fisheries as part of its usual practices. Furthermore, the company has clarified its position, demonstrating its awareness of the blackchin tilapia situation and its proactive cooperation with government agencies to address the matter, the office noted.
It further noted that the company reaffirms its respect for the rights of all stakeholders to express their opinions, as long as such information and views are accurate, not misleading, and do not contribute to public misunderstandings.
Regarding the legal aspects, the company explained that the case is still under judicial review, noting that it is also a defendant in lawsuits filed by agricultural groups. Consequently, the company called for all parties to await the determination of facts through the legal process, the office said.
The office also said that company strongly denied allegations that it caused the problem and stated that it had complied with all legal procedures.
Over the past period, the company has actively collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and relevant agencies to address the situation. Efforts have included fish removal operations, support for research initiatives, and partnerships with government bodies to mitigate the issue.
The company has worked closely with the Department of Fisheries and government agencies for the ongoing collaboration as follow, the office elaborated.
- Community Engagement Programs: Participating in public clean-up efforts to remove Blackchin tilapia from natural water sources.
- Collaboration with fish meal factory: The project completed to purchase and process 2 million kilograms of Blackchin tilapia.
- Predatory fish release initiative: Partnering with the Department of Fisheries to release 200,000 predatory fish into natural water bodies based on department guidelines.
- Food product development support: Promoting the processing of Blackchin tilapia into food products, such as fish sauce and fermented fish.
- Fish population control research: Collaborating with academic institutions and government agencies on technological research to control Blackchin tilapia populations.
The efficacy of these efforts is currently under evaluation, the office said.
The office noted that the Department of Fisheries recently reported that, toward the end of last year, budget allocations were made to procure and release predatory fish and to utilize captured Blackchin tilapia.
According to the data from 19 affected provinces indicated that two provinces no longer have any spread of the fish, while the remaining 17 provinces have seen significant improvements. Areas once classified as “red zones” due to critical outbreaks have now been downgraded to “yellow” and “green zones.”
However, in cases where blackchin tilapia have entered farmers’ ponds, additional removal efforts will be required, CPF’s PR office said.
Also read: Series of legal action taken in Blackchin tilapia fish invasion case/ News Updates: ตัวแทนผู้ได้รับผลกระทบจากปลาหมอคางดำ 19 จังหวัดรวมพลเข้ากรุงเทพฯ เรียกร้องรัฐบาลและ CPF รับผิดชอบและแก้ไขปัญหาการระบาด
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