BANGKOK -- The Agriculture Department will not hesitate to sign the planned benefit-sharing agreement over the co-invention of the genetically modified papaya and related inventions with a US foundation. Sophida Hemakhom, the department's legal affairs officer, said the department had considered this thoroughly and viewed that the agreement would have no negative impacts on the country.

The department plans to sign a memorandum of understanding to share benefits in GM papaya and other related inventions with the Cornell Research Foundation, with which Thai researchers co-developed the papaya years ago.

The foundation has applied for patents to cover the method of growing the virus-resistant papaya as well as the discovery of the ringspot virus genes.

But experts said the virus are almost naturally common, and therefore should not be patented.

The experts also urged the department to protect other biological resources found in Thailand from being patented.

Biotechnology specialist Surawit Wannakrairoj, of Kasetsart University, said the MOU would automatically force the country to commit to the patents, which are still arguable.

Under the MOU, Mr Surawit said, papaya producers would have to shoulder the fees for growing the patented GM papaya strain.

``If farmers are in a disadvantageous position, the department should stop this, and make things clear about the foundation's right over the living organisms used in the production of GM papaya,'' said Dr Surawit.

Charoen Kampeerapab, vice president of Silpakorn University in charge of intellectual property rights and traditional knowledge, said an independent committee set up to settle the issue has also recommendation that the genes claimed by the foundation were generic. Hence, the government could raise this point to oppose the foundation's planned patent, he added.

Mr Jaroen said the transfer of the Thai strains was likely to violate the Convention on Biological Diversity, which prohibits the unauthorised transfers of the bio-resources.