Thai Finance Minister Rejects Extra Loans For Rice Pledging Scheme

[Valentine]

"Urging a speedy release of rice under the plan to enable cash flow"

Does this mean the moment is there, the price is right, the Thai government will make a huge profit of the sale of rice?

We, poor consumers in Thailand, are looking forward to lower prices though.

Huh? You want lower prices on rice? The average price for a bowl of the white stuff when I go out for a meal in Hua Hin ranges from 15 to 25 baht depending upon the restaurant. I think I splurged on the garlic fried rice at 45 (or was it 60 baht) at the BBQ place in Market Village.

This is hardly a high price. How much rice are you eating that it causes such a dent in your wallet? Seriously, if you ate the quantity needed to cause such a financial impact, I dare say you would be quite the plump fellow to the point someone might mistake you for one of your teutonic neighnours. Unless, you have fallen victim to the addictive power of nasi goreng, in which case, I shall show empathy.

A helpful tip for TVFers when they wish to recognize Dutch volk - they are usually tall and lanky and often have an impish sexy grin, with some mayonnaise dribble on the side of the mouth. Not big rice eaters, otherwise they would be fatties and such a condition is not permitted. I believe there is some sort of law on the books, that the citizenship requirement is to be tall and thin and of course seductively sexy - which causes me to question your credentials. If you eat that much rice, your sexiness quotient will decrease. Be warned.

Dear gKid, I feel hurt by your insensitive comments. As it just happens to be I went to a general hospital yesterday to get a 'medical certificate' required for renewal of my workpermit and apart from confirmation that I didn't have 'tertiary syphillis' (which didn't really surprise me ), my official weight was below 100 kilo for the first time in really many years. 99.3 to be precise and five years ago I was 127!

As for the rice, well I don't know about HuaHin, but in Bangkok portions seem to have gotten smaller the last year, maybe the garnish less, or a cheaper rice variety. It may not hurt my own wallet much, but for many Thai it's a pain. Many small titbits sold along the road for kids got smaller or more expensive. And so on.

BTW friendly doctor, helpful nurses, 607 Baht (which included 17 for a cottonball and plaster to cover the spot where they took blood). Bang Po general hospital in BangSue area. To be recommended.

In the past few years the price of rice on supermarket shelves has doubled. Nobody can tell me this does not have an impact on the cost of living. This along with large increases in the likes of cooking oil & others. Like Rubi I too feel the portions are less & using lower quality rice.

[animatic]

They have effectively priced themselves out of the world market and loasdt market to India and Vietnam.

They are taking loans to pay fro rice that is not going to be sold because it is priced far too high.

The people ie successful business interests will pay for this rice debacle to please the rice miller / storers

who control the peasant producers in each reason, but the rice can't be sold so it will molder and be

dumped for the next crop, or at the last minute be dumped below cost and market to make room....

if they are lucky.

This may have been the quid pro quo fior getting back in office, but it has been a national disgrace

and financial albatros of white elephant proportions and will be the most likely eventual downfall

of the Thaksin puppetry. Unless there is complete control of the military and police together,

this will expand so far, that no bills get paid, international loans are defaulted by the government,

old allies don't get their cut and the turn Newin on Thaksin's ass. Crash and Burn baby,

and all the little people get dragged down with pretty face and her ineptocracy..

Edited January 11, 2013 by animatic

[OzMick]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

[slapout]

The man behind the present government, many of whom are as corrupt as he is, will have to admit at some point that their style of business,government. and social behavior will not work in the new information age. They are finding that Thailand is out growing this type of unacceptable behavior, as seen by the majority of the world governments as well as the Thai people.

Thailand is right down there in the cess pool of corrupt governments which are tolerated by the developed countries/businesses due to oppurnities which exist to make themselves look acceptable to their peers. With leaders and policies which are being displayed in Thailand at present, what better example for how not to run a country for the rest of the world.

[geriatrickid]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

[ratcatcher]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

+

Touche! But his master IS !

[billd766]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

+

Touche! But his master IS !

And a proven covicted on the run criminal as well.

[OzMick]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

Government ministers who recklessly waste public moneys on a scheme/scam that almost totally fail in its stated aims while enriching members of that government fit my definition of criminal. Where are the demands for accountability? Where are the changes to improve goal achievement?

In its previous incarnation this scheme was plagued by corruption, and yet was re-instated without major anti-corruption alteration. Installing a seriously flawed policy is merely negligence or stupidity, in this case both. Continuing that policy which is a major drain on treasury is something else. When you are profiting from that continuation, that is corruption. All that needs to be proved is a person is engaged in rice farming or rents land for that purpose and has increased his rental income.

[animatic]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

He said the enterprise was criminal, and not that the minister was a criminal.

But also said that the minster might want to distance himself from it.

[waza]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

He said the enterprise was criminal, and not that the minister was a criminal.

But also said that the minster might want to distance himself from it.

GK Never lets facts get in the way of a good flame.

[animatic]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

He said the enterprise was criminal, and not that the minister was a criminal.

But also said that the minster might want to distance himself from it.

GK Never lets facts get in the way of a good flame.

A "future cell" could as easily be monastic here as any alternative.

Edited January 13, 2013 by animatic

[hellodolly]

^#12 ricardo

Probably more a matter of planning, budgetting, three-months notes, interest, etc., etc. For governments scheduling payments is important, sometimes even profitable, mostly lawful or dictated by law.

Very true.

But let us not forget this statement is coming from a finance minister who says it is OK to lie to the public.

I wonder if that makes him an honest politician none of the others admit to it but they cheat the government and lie to the people.

[hellodolly]

Perhaps he had a dream of a hand writing on the wall of his future cell, and is now trying to distance himself from this criminal enterprise. Good luck with that.

The only one dreaming is you. There is no basis with which to make your derogatory comment that the finance minister is a criminal.

How about the fact that he openly admitted he lied to the public and said it was OK to do that.

I for one see no way what so ever for that amount of money to pass through his hands and he not know some of it is going into his fellow workers pockets. Maybe not his own but he knows who the others are.

[Robby nz]

Could it be that the cash has already changed hands and this is just another white lie to try to show :

'We are acting responsibily by limiting what we spend'

No one will ever know because we dont intend to produce an honest budget anyway.