6 hours ago, saengd said:

I don't think they mean tractors in the same way that posters here understand tractors, they are talking about small motorized ploughs I imagine.

Also known as mechanical buffalo!

 

There will be ship loads arriving soon......from China,and the commision

is very good,the government's solution for farmers throw money at it.

regards worgeordie

Might be a mistake. Last time the farmers took their kubotas and headed to BKK the government folded immediately. Although I think they're betting on the farmers not maintaining their new tractors (a 100% certainty) and not being able to drive down. A cunning plan.

3 hours ago, Prairieboy said:

Also known as mechanical buffalo!

 

Sign the wife up as I can handle one of them. She is a member of the local cooperative.

9 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

Some locations are not suited for conventional cultivation or crops. 

That would  wipe  out vast swathes of  land round by me then.

There is a meeting about the chemical ban on tomorrow (Wed 27th Nov). There is a chance it will be called off or postponed. If that happens, then no need for the tractors?

There is a tractor (36Hp 4x4 Kubota) in our village that is communally owned. Don't know the details but apparently it is operated by one of the villagers at reduced rates. 

I doubt the two wheel Rot Thais are what they are talking about. There are more than enough of them still around and seldom used for more than pulling a trailer.

 

Farmers to be given tractors

Surely they mean SOLD?

8 hours ago, smiggley said:

I am looking to buy a tractor and slasher to keep the weeds and grass down between my newly planted cocoa trees, so if they want to subsidise  a tractor to my wife I am all for it.

Just bought a used tractor and bush hog 60,000 it's small but good enough for me

8 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Thai Tractor......

 

At least they can't wreck it ????

43 minutes ago, Fred white said:

At least they can't wreck it ????

But they often fall sick, especially if there is a farang in the offing.

On 11/25/2019 at 7:08 PM, saengd said:

That's truly excellent news that I would never imagined seeing in my lifetime. Years ago there was a number of threads about ways to reduce burning and one of the proposed solutions was to give farmers rotovators etc and to increase the concept of composting, everyone said it would never happen, it looks like we have a start.

Farmers are being given tractors,must read the small print on that  first, rotovator's are not included ,they are an implement ,about 50 k ,as for increasing the concept  of composting ,you got that well wrong ,to make compost ,you first must find  something to compost grass would do ,fist it has to be cut ,then put in a compost heap for a couple of months  ,then spread on the land ,works well on a pocket handkerchief garden ,X's that by 20 rie  for a field ,it will not get done. and it will reduce burning.

If you want to help with this concept you are welcome, I think you will be on your own.

To increase fertility of the land a green manure  is a good way (Googel it ) .

More BS from a clueless government. How can a tractor kill weeds thats in between rice or corn? The average Thai farm is 5 rai which means it cannot justify a tractor. They effed up the whole chemical ban. Step 1 they should have decided on a ban date (about 2 or 3 years in advance). Step 2 identify alternatives. Step 3 test the alternatives. Step 4 select the most effective alternatives. Step 5 register those alternatives. Step 6 train farmers in using those alternatives. Step 7 make those alternatives available in the market at a reasonable price. Step 8. Identify organic methods that can help farmers cut down on chemicals. Step 9 train farmers in these methods. Step 10 continue R&D to minimize chemical use. 

3 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

More BS from a clueless government. How can a tractor kill weeds thats in between rice or corn? The average Thai farm is 5 rai which means it cannot justify a tractor. They effed up the whole chemical ban. Step 1 they should have decided on a ban date (about 2 or 3 years in advance). Step 2 identify alternatives. Step 3 test the alternatives. Step 4 select the most effective alternatives. Step 5 register those alternatives. Step 6 train farmers in using those alternatives. Step 7 make those alternatives available in the market at a reasonable price. Step 8. Identify organic methods that can help farmers cut down on chemicals. Step 9 train farmers in these methods. Step 10 continue R&D to minimize chemical use. 

I'm not sure about the numbers. This study says average farm size is 4.51 ha, that's 2,812 rai.

 

http://www.fftc.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&id=20110726143050&type_id=4#:~:targetText=The average farm size in Thailand is 4.5 ha.,income to the farm household.

 

(see scale of agricultural production).

On 11/26/2019 at 7:06 AM, Prairieboy said:

I would really like to have a tractor so I could rent it out and increase my income!  A nice Kubota with cab and A/C would suffice.

Obviously you haven't thought it through.   Think about who you will be renting it to......

Around here anything rented gets treated like,  quote: Drive it like you stole it!  Unquote.  They often treat their own gear just as bad. 

On 11/26/2019 at 10:55 AM, smiggley said:

I am looking to buy a tractor and slasher to keep the weeds and grass down between my newly planted cocoa trees, so if they want to subsidise  a tractor to my wife I am all for it.

And when it needs servicing or new parts good luck with the costs... or will it be subsidised for life?

5 hours ago, saengd said:

I'm not sure about the numbers. This study says average farm size is 4.51 ha, that's 2,812 rai.

 

http://www.fftc.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&id=20110726143050&type_id=4#:~:targetText=The average farm size in Thailand is 4.5 ha.,income to the farm household.

 

(see scale of agricultural production).

My wife has about 25 rai in 2 plots and she rents about 15 rai to 2 different farmers.

 

Locally in Khampeang Phet province most plots are around 10 rai or smaller.

I hope it is true that they will actually ban the pesticides. The pesticide companies have a lot of money and as everyone knows people are easily influenced in the land of smiles. 

My cousin 53 years old, died from pesticide poisoning.  No compensation, they would just laugh if anyone tried to bring suit. Been spraying the chit for probably 20 years.

life is cheap in the land of smiles, and since the government owns all the farm land, the farmers are nothing but vassals.

Tractors and mini cultivators would be great. Finally something positive from this lot. 

Better than back in Australia, where the farmer gets diddley swat, even in disasterous times.

However, they need to stop growing crops like corn and pineapples on excessively steep land. Maybe replace them with say hemp which isn't affected to much by either pests or weeds. It can be harvested 3 or 4 times per year and uses very little water. ????

And here's one of the latest products from Italy's biggest tractor maker...

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

And when it needs servicing or new parts good luck with the costs... or will it be subsidised for life?

Servicing shouldn't be that expensive if it's treated right other than normal wear and tear really shouldn't have to replace many parts. Old ford 8n tractor I had in the states over 30 years old only had to replace the tires clutch and replaced the seals on the hydraulic cylinder

12 hours ago, saengd said:

I'm not sure about the numbers. This study says average farm size is 4.51 ha, that's 2,812 rai.

 

http://www.fftc.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&id=20110726143050&type_id=4#:~:targetText=The average farm size in Thailand is 4.5 ha.,income to the farm household.

 

(see scale of agricultural production).

I don't know where you got those figures from but;

1 rai = 1600 square metres

1 hectare = 10,000 square metres

 

So 4.51 ha = 45,100 square metres = 28.19 rai

 

I am assuming 2,812 is 2 thousand eight hundred as you have used the decimal point in the 4.51 ha, I believe Americans use the comma instead of the decimal point sometimes but even then it would be incorrect.

1 hour ago, Fred white said:

Servicing shouldn't be that expensive if it's treated right other than normal wear and tear really shouldn't have to replace many parts. Old ford 8n tractor I had in the states over 30 years old only had to replace the tires clutch and replaced the seals on the hydraulic cylinder

Ford was made in the States and parts were readily available & made by Ford.

Here they will be imported at whatever tariff Thailand wishes to impose!

8 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Ford was made in the States and parts were readily available & made by Ford.

Here they will be imported at whatever tariff Thailand wishes to impose!

Most parts for Ford here are non OEM and readily available.

On 11/27/2019 at 7:49 PM, hotchilli said:

Ford was made in the States and parts were readily available & made by Ford.

Here they will be imported at whatever tariff Thailand wishes to impose!

My point was that with a little care a tractor can last many years

Now the chemicals are unbanned...do they still get subsidies on tractors?

On 11/27/2019 at 3:08 PM, uffe123 said:

I hope it is true that they will actually ban the pesticides. The pesticide companies have a lot of money and as everyone knows people are easily influenced in the land of smiles. 

My cousin 53 years old, died from pesticide poisoning.  No compensation, they would just laugh if anyone tried to bring suit. Been spraying the chit for probably 20 years.

life is cheap in the land of smiles, and since the government owns all the farm land, the farmers are nothing but vassals.

I wonder did he ever wear safety gear such as respirator, gloves ,hat ,  long clothing when ??? From the photos that I have seen of Thai farmers spraying in the fields..I doubt it. I have been  in the pest control industry for 52 years an always wore all safety gear and guess what..I am still alive and well !! Dont blame the chemicals..blame the operators !!

If this is true & not just another scam, look for the accident rates amongst the Farmers to increase substantially! the majority would have problems driving a bicycle in a safe manner, never mind a tractor! 

On 11/25/2019 at 6:44 PM, Dumbastheycome said:

I am really wanting  to see  what tractor  can replace a herbicide !

Surely subsidizing  farm labour  would be  more  effective?

Oh silly  me ! 

The funding would not go to Big Bisnis ! And that tractor  will  not  be "free".

More sensible but no photo op.

 

A friend of mine is trying to introduce a farming technique he's implemented back in the states called Crimping. A large barrel is rolled behind a tractor to "crimp" the brush or w/e they burn here and create a thick layer of vegetation to both kill the weeds underneath and compost the dead materials... don't quote me on this. Look it up for a better explanation. He was and technically still is a farmer (leasing the land). 

On 11/26/2019 at 11:07 AM, fforest1 said:

Thai Tractor......

 

With a vietnamese hat;

maybe the photo was shot in Sakon Nakhon province ( or Vietnam ) ;

 

But to return to the subject, it is indeed the best tractor that I know (the buffalo or the Breton horse );
At home, in Brittany (France) we sometimes have land on beautiful slopes where no tractor even caterpillar can work safely.
The local farmers have kept their Breton horses with which they really go everywhere.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_horse

 

And the cherry on the cake, this animal provides excellent fertilizer when it poops