Thai agribusiness conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) has filed a lawsuit against the head of a civil society group over his allegations that its aquaculture operations caused the spread of invasive blackchin tilapia in Thailand’s waterways.
The case targets Witoon Lianchamroon, secretary-general of BioThai, who in a July 2024 seminar linked CP Foods’ Yi San Aquatic Research Center in Samut Songkhram province to the release of the fish. CP Foods dismissed the accusations as false and misleading, saying the project ended in January 2011 and all fry were destroyed.
The company claims BioThai’s presentation used misidentified photos, distorted breeding information, and outdated aerial images which mislead the public and damaged its reputation. It said the lawsuit aims to protect its integrity and ensure factual accuracy in public discussion.
From his side, Witoon said the lawsuit was intended to silence or discourage people from speaking out about environmental concerns.
The first court hearing is scheduled for 22 October, 2025, Bangkok Post reported 6 October.
The dispute comes as Thailand continues to battle the blackchin tilapia, an aggressive species imported from Ghana in 2010 for CP Foods research. Government DNA tests later suggested that fish found in the wild shared the same genetic stock. Farmers across Samut Songkhram and nearby provinces say the species has devastated shrimp farms, with annual losses estimated at THB 150 million to THB 350 million (USD 4.6 million to USD 10.8 million, EUR 3.9 million to EUR 9.2 million).
Last year, farmers in Samut Sakhon filed a THB 2.5 billion (USD 76.8 million, EUR 65.8 million) class-action lawsuit against CP Foods, while another group sued 18 state agencies for negligence. In July 2024, the Thai government launched a comprehensive strategy to fight back against the invasive fish, approving THB 500 million (USD 15.4 million, EUR 13.2 million) in funds to eliminate it from the nation’s waters.
CP Foods said it has supported initiatives such as the Thai Department of Fisheries introducing a genetically modified variant of blackchin tilapia to curb its reproduction.
