Thailand Compiling Agricultural Happiness Index

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Thailand compiling agricultural happiness index

Monday 20 August 2007 12:57:11 AM (GMT+7:00)

BANGKOK, Aug 19 (TNA) - In an attempt to obtain general information on Thai farmers, the Office of Agricultural Economics is currently compiling vital information of agriculturists on their professional satisfaction, a senior official said.

Montol Jeamchareon, deputy secretary-general of the Office, said his office was collecting all the necessary information concerning the livelihood of Thai agriculturists and would eventually issue an agriculture happiness index in collaboration with the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.

The report is expected to be submitted to the ministry within the current fiscal year 2007 which ends on September 30, said Mr. Montol.

The report is aimed at further improving the quality of life of agriculturists, considered as Thailand's grass-roots people, he added. (TNA)

MCOT Public Company Limited

[fruity]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA......Ahead of their time; these people......lol....Of course, all Thai farmers are happy, the average guy working his balls off 14 hours a day for 50 baht is laughing his arse off...lol..

[chownah]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA......Ahead of their time; these people......lol....Of course, all Thai farmers are happy, the average guy working his balls off 14 hours a day for 50 baht is laughing his arse off...lol..

I'm a rice farmer. Around here most rice farmers work 8 hour days and they rest alot when its hot. I don't know for sure but my estimate is that they make between 150 and 300 baht per day depending on how good their land is, how good the weather is, and how skillful they are. When I hire people to help with a task (like planting) I pay 150 baht per day which is the going rate (not inflated because I'm a foreigner). This probably doesn't seem like much to many people but 150 baht is a pretty typical wage around here and 300 baht per day is a good wage.

Chownah

[fruity]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA......Ahead of their time; these people......lol....Of course, all Thai farmers are happy, the average guy working his balls off 14 hours a day for 50 baht is laughing his arse off...lol..

I'm a rice farmer. Around here most rice farmers work 8 hour days and they rest alot when its hot. I don't know for sure but my estimate is that they make between 150 and 300 baht per day depending on how good their land is, how good the weather is, and how skillful they are. When I hire people to help with a task (like planting) I pay 150 baht per day which is the going rate (not inflated because I'm a foreigner). This probably doesn't seem like much to many people but 150 baht is a pretty typical wage around here and 300 baht per day is a good wage.

Chownah

My post was not meant to be accurate. Rice workers when contracted in to plant or harvest get 100 baht per day in my neck of the woods for an 8 hour working day; this is standard. People working on their own land start at daybreak & finish at dusk; how much they earn is anybodys guess, however, in my opinion, they'd probably be better off working for someone else at 100 per day! The 300 baht daily rate is unheard of here.

[chownah]

Yeah, in our village I think there are no 300 baht per day jobs but there are a couple of 250 baht per day jobs operating construction equipment....so a farmer making 300 baht per day (which is my estimate only) would be one very happy farmer. I think that least year some might have made this much because it was a good year weather wise and the price for rice was high and there were alot of really big smiles around harvest time.

Chownah

[fruity]

Sorry, I was quoting daily wages for rice work. Likewise, there are many locals here too that make up towards 300 baht & more, but never by working rice. What saddens me in this area is that the majority of farmers operate on rented land, the rent being paid in rice when harvested; sadly, they all owe back rent from years when crops have failed, so many are on a tread mill they couldn't get off if they wanted to without money. The majority cannot afford to buy the fertilisers, so again they have to borrow this, to be paid for at harvest time, again in rice with interest. When the majority of people in this area have finished up paying the rent & the fertiliser back in rice, they end up with barely enough to draw even & this is from a good crop. Why do so many head down to Bangkok to work on the buildings for 200-240 baht per day?

[chownah]

Fruity,

Yeah, if the land is not good for raising rice or a farmer doesn't know what they are doing it is better for them to go find some other kind of work. There really is no solution for a bad farmer trying to work bad land in a hostile climate other than a career change....at least that's how I view it....or course there is always the dole but that's really not much of a solution in my view.

What percentage of the farmers in your area fit this scenerio?

Chownah

[fruity]

Fruity,

Yeah, if the land is not good for raising rice or a farmer doesn't know what they are doing it is better for them to go find some other kind of work. There really is no solution for a bad farmer trying to work bad land in a hostile climate other than a career change....at least that's how I view it....or course there is always the dole but that's really not much of a solution in my view.

What percentage of the farmers in your area fit this scenerio?

Chownah

Dole?????.......hahahahahaha....If only! I really don't have any idea what constitutes a good or bad rice farmer? They all seem most concientous around here and certainly know what they are doing; rice farming being in their blood. The main factor seperating those that get good crops & those that don't in most cases around here being finances or lack of them! Land is good here, but unless, people are prepared to borrow money to fertilise, crops are poor. I am no expert, only an observer, I conclude that in this area, rice growing isn't worth the bother, UNLESS, you own your own land (no rent) & can afford to fertilise without borrowing.

[chownah]

Fruity,

Yeah, if the land is not good for raising rice or a farmer doesn't know what they are doing it is better for them to go find some other kind of work. There really is no solution for a bad farmer trying to work bad land in a hostile climate other than a career change....at least that's how I view it....or course there is always the dole but that's really not much of a solution in my view.

What percentage of the farmers in your area fit this scenerio?

Chownah

Dole?????.......hahahahahaha....If only! I really don't have any idea what constitutes a good or bad rice farmer? They all seem most concientous around here and certainly know what they are doing; rice farming being in their blood. The main factor seperating those that get good crops & those that don't in most cases around here being finances or lack of them! Land is good here, but unless, people are prepared to borrow money to fertilise, crops are poor. I am no expert, only an observer, I conclude that in this area, rice growing isn't worth the bother, UNLESS, you own your own land (no rent) & can afford to fertilise without borrowing.

I figured you were an observer and no expert. Fertilizer for one rai costs about 400 baht...not alot of money. Clearly someone in your area thinks that growing rice is worth the bother or else there wouldn't be any rice growing there. Raising rice is a lot of hard work and alot of people don't think the returns are worth the effort....but alot of people do. Me for instance (I don't plan on ever making any money at raising rice).....and my neighbors.....but....ALL the rice farmers I know WITHOUT EXCEPTION have other work and NONE of them relies completely on the rice harvest for their income.

Chownah

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.....but....ALL the rice farmers I know WITHOUT EXCEPTION have other work and NONE of them relies completely on the rice harvest for their income.

Chownah

and yet rice is a major driver of the export economy .........................................