All Parties Have Farmers In Their Sights

[Lite Beer]

All parties have farmers in their sights

The Nation on Sunday.

Reconciliation and education also top priorities for voters

The heads of the economic teams of the six political parties have given top priority to boosting farmers' income, taxes and energy price reform, to promote national reconciliation in their economic polic

They spoke about their policies on a Nation Channel programme on Friday, where they were invited to discuss their economic policies.

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said if the Democrat Party returned to power, it would continue its existing economic policies, especially the farmers' income guarantee scheme. It will also continue the schemes and welfare measures that help people ease the burden of the living cost. It also vows to boost minimum wages by 25 per cent within the next two years.

Bottom-up income distribution is the ultimate goal behind Pheu Thai Party's proposed farmers' credit-card scheme and related policies for farmers, said Pheu Thai Party's chief economic strategist Olarn Chaipravat.

"Economists' general aim is economic growth, but Pheu Thai's strategy will push growth from the bottom. We'll create opportunities, jobs and income for the grass-roots people," he said.

He said one of the party's first and foremost goals was to boost the price of paddy rice to correspond with those of other farm products and the oil price. One measure to achieve this goal is through the proposed farmers' credit-card scheme.

"If they can sell rice at Bt15,000 per tonne or earn Bt300 per day, they can [meet their expenses]. Economic growth will be fairly distributed."

The party would set a guaranteed price of at least Bt15,000 per tonne for paddy white rice. With farmers' credit cards, they can buy fertilisers, pesticides and fuel in advance at fair prices.

Supachai Jaisamut of Bhum Jai Thai said his party would focus on the farm product price guarantee and ensure that water resources would be equally available to farmers.

Kasemsant Weerakul of Chart Thai Pattana said his party has given top priority to national reconciliation, which is a key fundamental for economic development. The party will focus on boosting peoples' income and the economy, tax reform and enhancing the country's infrastructure.

He added that the country must be prepared to deal with the impact of the Asean Economic Community, which will take place in 2015.

Energy Minister Wannarat Charnnukul from Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party, agreed that the country needs reconciliation. His party will also focus on the restructure of energy prices, given that energy, especially oil, is a platform of economic development and oil price volatility has affected people lives and economic expansion to a large extent.

He added that his party aims to control the diesel price at not over Bt30 per litre and petrol at not over Bt35 per litre. He will promote the use of gasohol, which will consequently spark demand for ethanol. This will boost demand for energy crops, boosting the income of crop farmers.

Sonthi Boonyaratglin of Matubhum Party, said it would promote the participation of people in solving the country's problem and promote education to boost the number of middle-class people.

-- The Nation 2011-05-22

[sirchai]

The party would set a guaranteed price of at least Bt15,000 per tonne for paddy white rice. With farmers' credit cards, they can buy fertilisers, pesticides and fuel in advance at fair prices.

What a weird story. :jap:

[Thaddeus]

One party proposes achievable goals, one party promises wild unobtainable dreams.

To a bunch of children.

Guess which party will win?

It's just too sad for words.