Former Senator Opposes Registering Protection for Four Holy Basil Varieties, Citing Concerns Over Big Business Monopoly

Published 2026-10-31

A former member of the Senate (Sor Wor) has come out against the registration of plant variety protection for four varieties of holy basil. He is concerned that such protection could allow big businesses to monopolize holy basil varieties, and could ultimately affect small-scale farmers.

Plant variety protection registration is a process that gives the applicant legal rights over that plant variety. Those who wish to use the variety for commercial purposes may need to seek permission or comply with specified conditions. The former senator believes that if certain holy basil varieties were protected, farmers who have long grown and exchanged these varieties could find it harder to access them.

He therefore proposes amending the relevant laws to better protect farmers' rights, particularly the right to save, use, and exchange plant varieties that farmers use in their daily lives. This proposal seeks to give priority to farmers and communities that have conserved local plant varieties since ancient times.

Holy basil is an herb and vegetable that Thai people use in popular dishes such as stir-fried holy basil, and it is an economic crop for farmers in many areas. The issue therefore remains one to watch, to see how the relevant agencies will consider it and whether the laws will be amended in line with the proposal.

Sources: thestandard.co

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