Middle East Hunting For Thai Land

[george]

Middle East hunting for Thai land

BANGKOK: -- The minister of agriculture is hoping to persuade the Cabinet to issue a law preventing excessive land grabbing by Middle Eastern groups.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Somsak Prissananantakul revealed his ministry has received reports of groups from Middle Eastern countries collaborating with large agriculture firms in Thailand to grab up farm land through mass-buying and renting of farmers' land. Mr. Somsak said this would lead farmers to their downfall.

The agriculture minister said his ministry is not idly sitting by and preventive measures against land grabbing are being sought.

According to Mr. Somsak, the issue would be brought up for discussion at a Cabinet meeting so appropriate laws on land rent or ownership could be laid down. One idea would be limiting holding of land to 50 rai per person.

-- Bangkok Post 2008-11-21

[TAWP]

1) This (50 rai per person) isn't some new suggestion, since over 3 years ago there was talk in the family of again re-assigning some land between family members due to a comming 50 rai rule comming, and some being signed for 140 rai and so on.

2) If they wanna exclude proxy-purchases, surely they can target the structure of these purchases instead of outlawing normal people from owning a lot of land? (Don't be mistaken, it's not like the Shinawatras will have to part with any land if it goes into law.) Being able to confiscate any and all lands being sold or rented via proxies would be a start to act against middle eastern speculators using local 'goalies' to sign the papers.

[Farma]

This links in with an earlier story from May http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Rice-Farmers...nd-t190726.html

[Farma]

Excerpt from Arab News dated 20 May 2008

http://arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&...;m=5&y=2008

“But, most importers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are planning to secure more supplies from Thailand instead of waiting for India to lift its export ban,” said a local rice importer.

“Prices are skyrocketing, but we are very keen on securing enough supplies from Thailand, which is the most suitable alternative for the time being,” he said.

But Jullamon said no Saudi government agency had contacted Thai authorities on the supply issue or on the possibility of Saudis growing rice in Thailand.

There have been reports that the Kingdom is likely to start investing in rice farms in Thailand by the end of this year. “Thailand can definitely provide technical assistance to Saudi Arabia when it comes to producing rice,” said the Thai diplomat, adding that Saudi imports of Thai rice increased from $20 million in 2005 to $37 million last year.

“During the first half of this month, Bangkok exported rice worth $11.7 million, indicating an upswing in rice exports,” he added.

“But, it can only be done by joint ventures because Thailand does not allow foreigners to buy paddies,” said another Asian diplomat, who did not want to be named.

[Martin]

Foreigners finding loopholes in the law so that they get power over local people can be social dynamite.

But this is the sort of stuff that we are going to see a lot of. Suddenly, many Governments in the 'developed' world are waking up to the fact that they are going to find it increasingly difficult to ensure enough food for their populations.

Lee Kwan Yew in Singapore had seen it coming over twenty years ago. In a discussion with some students in New Zealand, he pointed to the quite-possibly quite-short number of decades that Singapore might be able to go on (in his graphic phrase) "earning enough foreign currency each month to buy next month's food and fuel".

At a time when I was visiting Singapore from Brunei, there was a story (possibly true, possibly exagerated) that the beef ranch that Brunei had bought in Australia was bigger than Brunei itself. In casual conversation with a member of the Singapore Cabinet it came up, and his reaction was: "How I wish we could own at least one, preferably several, rice farms in Thailand that were bigger than Singapore". (Singapore island is only about 500,000 rai in area, or 100 times bigger than Khon Kaen University campus).

Peasant Revolts used to happen over no more provocation than this, and as 'LaoPo' says on the Rice Farmers thread, it is local people who are positioned to wreak havoc on foreigners' holdings if the general community feeling is that it is appropriate to 'turn a blind eye' to a few folk going missing from the village for a few hours in the night.

[Gravelrash]

Be interesting to see how this plays out...will the big bucks change the rules? If so expect PAD to go ballistic.

[jitagon]

Be interesting to see how this plays out...will the big bucks change the rules? If so expect PAD to go ballistic.

Why on earth are you bringing up the PAD on this particular issue ?If the 'PAD' 'go ballistic'?

Go on ... As you were saying?

Edited November 21, 2008 by jitagon

[dumball]

What an interesting post !! I read an arlicle about the Cambodian government being approached also by the same (similar) people , it seems they are already working on how it would benifit Hun Sen , sorry , the Cambodian people in general .mmmmmmm

[Bagwan]

There have been reports that the Kingdom is likely to start investing in rice farms in Thailand by the end of this year. “Thailand can definitely provide technical assistance to Saudi Arabia when it comes to producing rice,” said the Thai diplomat, adding that Saudi imports of Thai rice increased from $20 million in 2005 to $37 million last year.

I can't think of anything that I would seek technical advice about from Thailand. BTW Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam all have far higher yields of rice per acre than Thailand. I'd rather talk with them.

Has the Saudi Prince's jewellery been forgotten now?

[cmsally]

It is a well known fact that the Chang Beer group have for the last few years been buying up both urban and rural land.

It would be interesting to know just in fact how much land the Chang Beer group does own. Is there a M East connection, who knows, maybe someone on here knows more.

But one thing is for sure they have a lot of available finance and an awful lot of land.

[geriatrickid]

But this is the sort of stuff that we are going to see a lot of. Suddenly, many Governments in the 'developed' world are waking up to the fact that they are going to find it increasingly difficult to ensure enough food for their populations.

Have you looked at population trends in the developed world? They are not growing in any way that would put pressure on domestic food production. This is all about rice. The developed world doesn't need Thailand's rice. No one would starve in its absence. Rather ,Thailand needs the foreign markets, particularly from its Asian neighbours and the Middle East.

By developed world are you referring to the North America? NA has 3 countries which are net food exporters. What is imported into North America comes primarily from South America. Import of Thai agricultural products is minimal. The US is a major producer of rice. The EU? Don't think so as the EU is self sufficient and an exporter of many food products. Australia? Don't think so as rice isn't the most popular of grains in OZ, and it's a major grain exporter. The biggest source of foreign food products into the developed world is China. Consumers don't see the Chinese products because they go to food processors, institutions and restaurants.

It is a well known fact that the Chang Beer group have for the last few years been buying up both urban and rural land.

So have InBev, and AmBev. It';s called investing profits. It's what prudent companies do. Over the past two years there has been a serious shortage of hops and malt used for brewing beer. This was due to crop failures, floods and droughts. Almost all of the world's breweries have taken steps to secure supplies of these grains. Annheiser Busch secured rice supplies for its breweries in the USA. Why would Chang be any different?

If the beer manufacturers don't have secured grain supplies they cannot make beer and will go out of business. As well, they can't keep costs low. I don't understand the concern here.

Edited November 23, 2008 by geriatrickid

[annamaria4711]

Middle East hunting for Thai land

BANGKOK: -- The minister of agriculture is hoping to persuade the Cabinet to issue a law preventing excessive land grabbing by Middle Eastern groups.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Somsak Prissananantakul revealed his ministry has received reports of groups from Middle Eastern countries collaborating with large agriculture firms in Thailand to grab up farm land through mass-buying and renting of farmers' land. Mr. Somsak said this would lead farmers to their downfall.

The agriculture minister said his ministry is not idly sitting by and preventive measures against land grabbing are being sought.

According to Mr. Somsak, the issue would be brought up for discussion at a Cabinet meeting so appropriate laws on land rent or ownership could be laid down. One idea would be limiting holding of land to 50 rai per person.

-- Bangkok Post 2008-11-21

Its called FDI Foreign Direct Investment...and it would seem due to the bully boys shennanigins foreign invstors are now shying away from Thailand and have gone to Cambodia...where there too like Thailand have a restriction on foreign nationals owning land on a free hold basis, but they are looking to come to an agreement for a longer term lease on land in exchange for money to invest in farm land tools and increased agricultural jobs !!!!

That's what Thailand is missing.

They are not GRABBING land...they would actually invest a lot of money in the rural areas of Thailand stop being so Xenophobic

[womble]

They would also create many jobs as they would ensure higher productivity.

Problem is the Thai elite are worried about loosing their monopoly on rice wholesale and export.

At present they pay the farmers peanuts for the rice they produce, they are worried that the middle east will cut out the middle man and go direct to the farmers.

This would be great for Thailand aslong as the Farmers don't sell out. Instead they should form co-operatives, getting together in large numbers and pooling land and resources.

I would love to see the elite wholesalers cut out and the profits going upcountry to the people who work their <deleted> off and deserve better.

I beleive it's right that they shouldn't sell the land to the Arabs, but they should be able to go into partnership with them, using arab money to increase productivity. So long as the Thai farners retain a controlling share, they could in return promise to sell the rice to the Arabs instead of to the Bangkok Chinese/Thai oligopolies that have held them to ransom for all their lives.

It looks like the Thai elite are shitting themselves!!!!

This is scare mongering in order to bring about legislation to protect their interests. By all means protect the farmers, but the legislation should be made to allow FDI that strengthens the farmers positions and sees the profits going upcountry where it should have been going all along!

Edited November 25, 2008 by womble