Thai Activist Seeks Court Halt on Sale of Decade-Old Rice

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Thai PBS via The Thaiger

 

Thai activist Srisuwan Janya has petitioned the Central Administrative Court to halt the Commerce Ministry's auction of approximately 15,000 tonnes of rice that has been in storage for over a decade. The rice originates from the Yingluck Shinawatra government's controversial rice pledging scheme.

 

The background to this story stems from the rice pledging scheme, which was intended to boost rice farmers' incomes by buying rice at above-market rates. However, the scheme ended in scandal and has left a large quantity of aged rice in storage. The Commerce Ministry, under the supervision of the Public Warehouse Organisation, plans to auction this rice soon, but Srisuwan argues that serious concerns remain about its safety and quality.

 

In his petition, Srisuwan notes that many rice experts oppose the auction, arguing that rice stored for such an extended period loses nutritional value, becomes inedible, and may be infested with insects. Although the Department of Medical Sciences has tested samples and declared them edible, Srisuwan voices scepticism about the reliability of these tests. He questions whether the samples were genuinely representative of the rice stored in Surin province’s warehouses since the pledging scheme.

 

 

Further, Srisuwan highlights that the auction's terms do not specify whether the rice must be exported or can be sold within Thailand. He warns that exporting such old rice could damage the reputation of Thai rice globally, while domestic consumption might pose health risks to local consumers.

 

Given these concerns, Srisuwan has asked the court to issue an injunction to suspend the auction, arguing that it poses unacceptable risks to public health and the country's international image. The court's decision is eagerly awaited, as it could set a precedent for how aged agricultural products are managed in Thailand.

 

-- 2024-06-01

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[smedly]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Although the Department of Medical Sciences has tested samples and declared them edible

oh well that clears that up lol, they are told what to say

 

my concern is obvious, they are what to say

 

what is more evident - this country is about to go financially down the toilet, the signs are obvious 

[Artisi]

An absolute disaster from the day it was conceived until the present, although it made good money for a few - nudge nudge, wink wink, the best solution now is to bite the bullet,write it off to experience and grind it up and turn it into animal feed. 

 

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai activist

AKA a paid flunky who is told what to do by a rich moron pulling strings behind the scenes.

[jippytum]

Some of these so called activists are more concerned with personal  publicity than the dangers  connected with anyone buying the rice. 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

In his petition, Srisuwan notes that many rice experts oppose the auction, arguing that rice stored for such an extended period loses nutritional value, becomes inedible, and may be infested with insects. Although the Department of Medical Sciences has tested samples and declared them edible, Srisuwan voices scepticism about the reliability of these tests. He questions whether the samples were genuinely representative of the rice stored in Surin province’s warehouses since the pledging scheme.

He's not alone...

[Srikcir]

I see nowhere that Srisuwan has actually offered proof such as depositions of rice experts to back his claims. 

He only offers political and bombastic opinion versus the government that has fully tested the rice and evidenced by rice exporters willingness to sell immediately to their foreign clients. 

 

[jaywalker2]

Why did they wait 10 years to sell the rice?

[PETERTHEEATER]

57 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

Why did they wait 10 years to sell the rice?

Like fine brandy, it improves with age?

[Luuk Chaai]

22 hours ago, Artisi said:

An absolute disaster from the day it was conceived until the present, although it made good money for a few - nudge nudge, wink wink, the best solution now is to bite the bullet,write it off to experience and grind it up and turn it into animal feed. 

 

donate it to "Zero Dollar Tour" Buffet Restaurants ,,,   

[sammieuk1]

Flog it to the Chinese it will go nicely with crispy bat and Pangolin soup🤔

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Flog it to the Chinese it will go nicely with crispy bat and Pangolin soup🤔

You can't infect your family with dodgie rice, that's not pukka and big brother wouldn't be happy. 

[sammieuk1]

14 minutes ago, Artisi said:

You can't infect your family with dodgie rice, that's not pukka and big brother wouldn't be happy. 

Nothing dodgy / doggy about aged dried rice with various proteins' and multi legged supplements that's for the Viet market  🤔

[Luuk Chaai]

18 hours ago, Srikcir said:

I see nowhere that Srisuwan has actually offered proof such as depositions of rice experts to back his claims. 

He only offers political and bombastic opinion versus the government that has fully tested the rice and evidenced by rice exporters willingness to sell immediately to their foreign clients. 

 

quick google search 

.Dry white rice may last for up to 2 years if kept at room temperature, while brown rice only lasts about 6 months. Refrigerating and freezing them increases their shelf lives.

 

 

Can you eat rice 2 years out of date?

“With proper storage, raw rice is stable for at least one year,” Alexis Peterson, quality systems engineer at Lundberg Family Farms in California, explained. Rather than an expiration date, rice has a “best before” date. Consume your rice before that date for the freshest, most flavorful result.Apr 17, 2567 BE

How long can rice be kept?

 

 

Dry white rice may last for up to 2 years if kept at room temperature

[DrPhibes]

23 hours ago, jaywalker2 said:

Why did they wait 10 years to sell the rice?

Dried rice stored in a dry, oxygen free environment (such as nitrogen, which is cheap) can last up to 30yrs.  

[Maitdjai]

On 6/1/2024 at 2:45 PM, jaywalker2 said:

Why did they wait 10 years to sell the rice?

Find out, whose pocket the rent was stashing up, for the places, where it has been obsoletely stored, all those years.

[BangkokReady]

On 6/1/2024 at 2:45 PM, jaywalker2 said:

Why did they wait 10 years to sell the rice?

 

Maybe to improve someone's image... 🤔

[still kicking]

On 6/1/2024 at 4:43 PM, PETERTHEEATER said:

Like fine brandy, it improves with age?

So does wine.

[jaywalker2]

I believe they waited 10 years because if they had sold it in 2015, say, after the coup and recouped much of the projected losses, they would have had a much weakened case against Yingluck. But now with Thaksin back in the country, it doesn't matter, and they'll sell the crap rice to their own people.

[OneMoreFarang]

Just sell it in small bags in all those red villages to the red-shirts. Add a picture of Thaksin on the bag and they will all buy it.

[Kinnock]

I hope they tested it for mycotoxins.  Aflatoxin is a known issue with rice stored in the Tropics.  

 

There's a big risk that the 'Thai Rice' stickers on exported rice will now be seen as a warning sticker ...... like Japanese fish.

[JoseThailand]

On 6/1/2024 at 4:52 AM, webfact said:

Although the Department of Medical Sciences has tested samples and declared them edible,

 

Is it the same department that deemed covid vaccines safe?

[JoseThailand]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just sell it in small bags in all those red villages to the red-shirts. Add a picture of Thaksin on the bag and they will all buy it.

 

Better sell it the the yellow shirts

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Better sell it the the yellow shirts

And how many of the yellow shirts do you think would buy rotten Thaksin rice? 

[JoseThailand]

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And how many of the yellow shirts do you think would buy rotten Thaksin rice? 

 

They're used to eating crap, so I think they wouldn't notice any difference