FritsSikkink Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 6 hours ago, YetAnother said: ah, the old 'sacrifice for the greater good' mantra; keep yourselves poor so that the other rice-growing countries, notably india, can take your money You "forgot" to mention this: "He also encouraged rice farmers to form groups in order to boost their bargaining power, which could help maintain prices. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stud858 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 5 hours ago, simoh1490 said: Sure, the spending will stimulate consumer spending but there are other ways to do the same thing that will provide a return as well. If they spend X on an infrastructure project using Thai firms that will also stimulate spending but at afterwards there'll be something to show for it which will further benefit the economy, a bridge, a road, a school etc. They can do both. But it's very important to keep the slaves working. There must be a class system. You can't have everybody well off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 14 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said: You "forgot" to mention this: "He also encouraged rice farmers to form groups in order to boost their bargaining power, which could help maintain prices. " They are called cooperatives and have been around last 25 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 7 minutes ago, Eric Loh said: They are called cooperatives and have been around last 25 years. Not big enough then at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 7 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said: Not big enough then at the moment. Probably a situation of a clueless Prayut. What he should say is that the junta will help the cooperatives to be more effective in boosting their bargaining power. That maybe asking too much of his limited IQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Anyone who has seen my posts knows how much I despise Little P., and how little respect I have for the little guy. But, this is astonishing news. He is finally going to do something smart? He is finally going to resist calls to subsidize rice? Is it possible he is actually doing something good for the nation? I am in utter shock. Frankly, I barely know what to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Eric Loh said: Probably a situation of a clueless Prayut. What he should say is that the junta will help the cooperatives to be more effective in boosting their bargaining power. That maybe asking too much of his limited IQ. If you have a business (selling rice) you need to do things yourself and not depend on the government. If you can't sell the rice with a profit, grow something else or do something completely different. It isn't a valid excuse that generations before you did the same (and failed too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake Monster Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 8 hours ago, AGareth2 said: high speed trains? etc Submarines Aircraft Carrier with no Planes New Battle Tanks Brand new helicopters New guns for Police Revamp of Parliament House Proposed Sattelite Surveylance ETC ETC ETC How is it possible that these small ticket items could ever be a drain on Public Resources ? And money well spent to create growth and inequality in the Nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Jean Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 3 hours ago, Kieran00001 said: Are you seriously suggesting that agricultural subsidies lead to communism? When you disturb free market pricing and competition then what do you call what is left? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtls2005 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Meanwhile, he's dumping another 16 Billion Baht into the "Thai Niyom" scheme. Please don't call this scheme vote buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simoh1490 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 2 hours ago, Eric Loh said: Probably a situation of a clueless Prayut. What he should say is that the junta will help the cooperatives to be more effective in boosting their bargaining power. That maybe asking too much of his limited IQ. I very seriously doubt that somebody who rose to become head of the Thai army has a limited IQ, no matter how much some people may dislike him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenslegs Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 9 hours ago, rooster59 said: The premier was speaking to some 300 farming representatives from all over the country at Government House. Did any of them manage to stay awake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieran00001 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 17 minutes ago, Khun Jean said: When you disturb free market pricing and competition then what do you call what is left? A well stocked market rather than one left with only the most profitable crops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 19 minutes ago, simoh1490 said: I very seriously doubt that somebody who rose to become head of the Thai army has a limited IQ, no matter how much some people may dislike him. No disrespect to how he rose in his rank although I do have an uncomplimentary opinion. Will just stick to the topic. Meant to say that he has limited knowledge of agriculture and was ill prepared. His suggestions of better quality and forming groups to have a better bargaining leverage are typical run of the mill motherhood recommendation. I expect him him to come prepare with a plan. If he is against price intervention, he should have a plan that tackle the cause and low farmers’ income and productivity. An elected politicians will come better prepared facing the voters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djayz Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 9 hours ago, simoh1490 said: Sure, the spending will stimulate consumer spending but there are other ways to do the same thing that will provide a return as well. If they spend X on an infrastructure project using Thai firms that will also stimulate spending but at afterwards there'll be something to show for it which will further benefit the economy, a bridge, a road, a school etc. Good point, but if they subsidise / support farmers there will also be something to show for it next year and the years to follow - namely farmers growing crops to feed the nation. Everybody forgets where our food comes from. If there are no farmers, then there's no food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simoh1490 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 20 minutes ago, djayz said: Good point, but if they subsidise / support farmers there will also be something to show for it next year and the years to follow - namely farmers growing crops to feed the nation. Everybody forgets where our food comes from. If there are no farmers, then there's no food. In purely economic terms I have to disagree, this year's "investment" will have been wasted since the only return on it will be a contribution towards the survival of the farmers in the hope that next year they will plant another crop and that will be successful. If the "investment" in the farmers is not made this year, there will still be farmers next year who will plant crops and as a result, people will be fed hence there's no point in giving them money this year when next years outcome is already assured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen tracy Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 "the government will be unable to survive”... we live in hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Dude Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 He will have to rethink about this one once the farmers bleat about it later on. He doesn't realise that all governments here have to do something to help the farmers. What he says is all very well, but unrealistic (still to learn that), but that is from the lips of the elite. You get two things from subsidizing agriculture. Firstly, you get food security if you manage the output properly...and secondly, you don't get the peasants waving pitchforks at the local government offices. Europe, US and many others do this too...just that in France the farmers will drive their tractors to block the roads to Calais instead. How naive the general is...but he will realise he has to placate the peasants, but will probably just dress it up in different clothes with sprinkles of this and that. You can't just order everyone to stop growing rice and help stabilize the market because you told them so...haha. Can't run the country like it's a army boot camp....blimey. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKiwi Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Given what he tried to do to YL, perhaps he's afraid of what will happen if he loses the election. As I most assuredly hope he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 How can anyone take this Pinocchio government seriously. He has been using populist policies blatantly while he berate previous governments. He subsidized rice, rubber prices and a bag loads of other form of subsidies before. Election? Don’t even want to go there. He can say anything he wants as he know that he wouldn’t be facing the voters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djayz Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 3 hours ago, simoh1490 said: next years outcome is already assured Next year's outcome is never assured. Life and some of the decisions we make/have to make aren't always about economics. "Investment" usually implies putting money into some endeavour in the hope of a good/better outcome. Look at the agri sector in Europe. The farmers benefited from EU / CAP subsidies and the gains can still be seen today - modern farming methods, high safety standards (work place as well as food quality), cutting edge machinery, a sustanable lifestyle, putting kids through school and university, etc. A very wise "investment" made my people who had foresight. The investment should not be in the hope that next year they will plant another crop, but that they will invest in smarter, more efficient ways to plant their crops in the future. I don't believe in giving farmers handouts, the subsidies need to be coupled to tangible improvements in farming techniques, quality, safety, etc. Governments worldwide "invest" billions annually in security, military, etc. why not in education, food/farming, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKiwi Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 52 minutes ago, djayz said: don't believe in giving farmers handouts, the subsidies need to be coupled to tangible improvements in farming techniques, quality, safety, etc. Ditto. Unfortunately, Prayuth needs their votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 7 hours ago, simoh1490 said: I very seriously doubt that somebody who rose to become head of the Thai army has a limited IQ, no matter how much some people may dislike him. These people think they are way above any Thai but can't compare with their wealth and power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djayz Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 4 hours ago, KiwiKiwi said: Ditto. Unfortunately, Prayuth needs their votes. But that's a different topic ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SABloke Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 On 6/9/2018 at 11:19 AM, Kieran00001 said: Remove the farmers crutch, see if they can find another way = excellent move for the farmers - are you sure? In Europe we subsidise our farmers, it ensures we always have a supply of food by keeping their businesses alive despite them being unprofitable at times, it has also allowed us to influence them into diversifying which has brought us a greater variety of foods and helped them financially, it has also brought us a means of protecting the environment. In most developed countries, subsidies are seen as essential to keeping farming sustainable. True about the European subsidies, but false equivalence: In Thailand you can't walk 5m without bumping into a farmer. "What do you do?" "I'm a farmer." On further inspection ot turns out this "farmer" has 1 rai of paddy behind his house. He's not farming commercially, but registering as a farmer gives him access to government initiatives (credit card, subsidy etc) The fact is that there are way too many farmers in this country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieran00001 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 17 minutes ago, SABloke said: True about the European subsidies, but false equivalence: In Thailand you can't walk 5m without bumping into a farmer. "What do you do?" "I'm a farmer." On further inspection ot turns out this "farmer" has 1 rai of paddy behind his house. He's not farming commercially, but registering as a farmer gives him access to government initiatives (credit card, subsidy etc) The fact is that there are way too many farmers in this country There will only be too many farmers in this country when there are other industries in Thailand that are understaffed, until then there are just enough to keep people out of abject poverty, something the government recognises and actively holds back the coming agricultural revolution, as without slowing it down we would see tens millions of unemployed. The government initiatives for small farmers are tiny, subsidies per rai per year are less than I earn in a day, the benefit of farming small amounts of land is not the subsidies but the food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake Monster Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 You have to feel for these Farmers. On a slightly different note, the farmers are getting only 2 Baht / kilo for Pineapples around my area now from the large dealers. Some are resorting to roadside selling at 4 baht / kilo in order to have some value back on their hard work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 2 hours ago, Cake Monster said: You have to feel for these Farmers. On a slightly different note, the farmers are getting only 2 Baht / kilo for Pineapples around my area now from the large dealers. Some are resorting to roadside selling at 4 baht / kilo in order to have some value back on their hard work. Maybe Prayut should help sell pineapples like how Yingluck assist selling rice amid low market prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simoh1490 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Over 50% of small farms in Thailand are under 10 rai, these are farmers who grow crops because they can and because they have the land, in the case of rice farmers they all sell their crop to the local miller who profits enormously. The small farmer is being phased out in favour of large organised operators, previous small farmer/operators are now becoming paid labour at the larger farms. A good overview here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_production_in_Thailand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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