Phu Thap Boek Cabbage farmers sue influencer after pesticide tests clear crops
Farmers in Phetchabun seek legal action after official checks found no excessive pesticide residue in Phu Thap Boek cabbage
Cabbage farmers on Phu Thap Boek in Phetchabun have filed a police complaint against a well-known influencer after official checks found no pesticide residue above standards in cabbage grown in the area.
The move came after a livestream allegedly claimed that buffaloes and young ostriches had died after eating cabbage said to contain toxic chemicals. Farmers said the claim caused serious damage to the image of Phu Thap Boek cabbage, weakened consumer confidence and affected tourism in the highland community.
Farmers gathered at the village hall in Moo 16, Wang Ban subdistrict, Lom Kao district, on June 17 to sign authorisation documents allowing representatives and legal advisers to pursue the case.
Phannuwat Rotchanakheerepaisan, representing local farmers, and lawyer Thawat Chumhin later filed a complaint with Tha Phon police station in Muang district, Phetchabun. They asked police to take legal action against the influencer over the alleged entry of false information into a computer system.
The complaint followed tests by the Phetchabun Provincial Agricultural Office, which found that cabbage samples from Phu Thap Boek did not contain pesticide residue above permitted standards.
Separate tests by the National Institute of Animal Health under the Department of Livestock Development also found no organochlorine, organophosphate or carbamate insecticides in samples taken from the stomach contents, kidneys and livers of young ostriches, or in cabbage fragments found at the farm.
Phannuwat said the influencer’s remarks had seriously affected the local economy, as Phu Thap Boek depends heavily on cabbage farming and tourism. He said farmers wanted the influencer to issue a public apology to society and to local growers, and to compensate those who had suffered losses.
Farmers said the impact went beyond wholesale prices. Visitors who normally walked into cabbage fields to take photos, buy fresh produce or take cabbage home as souvenirs had become hesitant, with many saying they feared contamination after seeing the online claim.
The controversy had already prompted calls for official verification. Earlier reports said consumer-protection representatives in Phetchabun had asked livestock and agricultural authorities to examine the facts after the viral claims caused concern among consumers and damaged local confidence.
The social-media storm also hit farm prices. Cabbage from Phu Thap Boek reportedly fell to as low as 1 baht per kilogramme at one point, with some farmers saying it was no longer worth harvesting or transporting their produce.
Farmers are now urging the public not to share unverified claims about agricultural safety and to wait for evidence from recognised authorities before drawing conclusions.
