THAILAND'S National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotech) on Wednesday confirmed the ''Jasmati'' rice of US-based RiceTec Inc was not developed from Thai jasmine rice.

Dr Apichart Vanavichit, the director of Biotech's DNA Fingerprint Unit who has studied the DNA of Jasmati, said the controversial rice strain has only 3 per cent of DNA from Khao Hom Mali.

''Right now, it's needless for Thais to worry about Jasmati because it's not developed from Thai jasmine rice although we don't know about the parent strains of Jasmati,'' he said.

The unit has received a sample of Jasmati rice sent by the Thai Embassy in Washington DC. Apichart has compared the sample with various Thai rice strains, including Klong Laung 1, Suphan 1, Dok Mali 105, Jasmine 8 and India's Basmati, already patented by RiceTec Inc.

Legal experts on intellectual property rights have suggested the Intellectual Property Department file a lawsuit against the US Patent and Trademark Office which granted the trademark on Jasmati and Plant Variety Protection certification to RiceTec Inc because the trademark misled consumers into believing Jasmati is jasmine rice due to similar wording and pronunciation.

Jade Donadavanik, an expert on US intellectual property rights laws, said the Jasmati trademark might be revoked if Thailand is able to provide figures on economic damage which resulted as a result of Jasmati sales.

However, Intellectual Property Department deputy director General Santi Rattanasuwan argued that it was impossible to file a lawsuit against the US Patetnts and Trdaemarks Office (US-PTO).

''Jasmati is not jasmine rice, so I don't know how to take legal action against the US-PTO,'' he said.

PENNAPA HONGTHONG

The Nation