Thailand To Rent Additional Storage Facilities As Rice Warehouses Fill Up

[Thai at Heart]

If they rent silos in Cambodia would that count as exports? Probably need security guards to stop recycling back to Thailand.

Easy, stamp every grain at immigration. Colour it with washable food dye? Anyone for coloured rice?

[Thait Spot]

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. For the present farmers are grinning given political difficulty in phasing out the rice subsidies introduced by Thaksin.

Consumers will always be grinning with cheap imported rice on supermarket shelves offering lots of choices.

The only person hit from Day One is the Thai tax-payer. Carrying the can for E.U.style farm subsidies (for rice) which reward farmers for growing rice to store in warehouses until it ages & rots. Sadly, for the farmers reckoning must come even if the can is kicked down the road. The free market & free trade punish non-performers.

Thailand needs leaders whose brain goes all the way to the spine.

And the retina

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dcutman]

Google says that white rice will last 4-5years.

Although it says Jasmine rice can last indefinitely if stored correctly.

So, assuming the Thai Government can keep building or finding warehouses, this could go on for many years making several people very rich in the process.

if stored correctly.

Frenetically sealed or air conditioned spaces, that is key to the longevity of rice. All the pictures I have seen, this is not the case here. It is either stored undercover in a burlap bags on a concrete floor or just merely piled to the ceiling or in metal silo's. If left unmilled it will last much longer in these conditions. Witch is not the case here either. All pledged rice must be milled within 7 days of delivery. So depending on temperature and humidity, rice stored in this fashion seen here in pics on TVF it will be suitable for human consumption for +- 1 year.

[hellodolly]

It's at times like this I wish I had a large hangar at my disposal..........and also, a way of utilizing 3 million tones of rice husks

Interesting point regarding the rice husks. I'll need a bit of time to think about that so if you could store the husks somewhere I'll get back to you.

As for the hanger for the rice you may find that as well as having storage space you may need something else as well. Special friends.

Actually I think they had looked at some hangers in Don Muong and found them unsuitable.

Or they couldent figure out a way to get a kick back on them.

[hellodolly]

Google says that white rice will last 4-5years.

Although it says Jasmine rice can last indefinitely if stored correctly.

So, assuming the Thai Government can keep building or finding warehouses, this could go on for many years making several people very rich in the process.

I would assume that a temperature and humidity controlled environment would be a necessity and that insects and vermin would be kept out?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Picky picky picky.

[Locationthailand]

Adding more costs to this failed scam and increasing the fiscal burden on Thai people by a completely inept government. But that's okay, it will be the next government's problem when they get voted out. Right now I bet there are a few politicians who own warehouses which for some reason just found new tenants. And the money goes round and round.

[Baloo22]

I keep reading about various famine-struck areas in Africa and the accompanying requests for food aid. At the very least they could take some of that stored rice (hopefully the rice that is still fit for human consumption), put it on some ships, coordinate with the U.N. and send it over there. They could then call it "humanitarian aid" and get bragging rights for it.

Might be a better plan than letting it sit, rot, and have rats (of both rodent and human varieties) get fat off of it!

[kimamey]

It's at times like this I wish I had a large hangar at my disposal..........and also, a way of utilizing 3 million tones of rice husks

Apparently, rice husks make good filler for bricks or construction material. But, whoops, that would screw up the cement market. Also used for Biomass for boilers, but then, that would mess up PTT gas business. Oh, what to do with this stuff without messing up someone's market.....

It's funny I was thinking about construction when I was writing my reply to that post but I wasn't sure of the facts so I stuck to my specialist subject. Sarcasm.

[GentlemanJim]

I keep reading about various famine-struck areas in Africa and the accompanying requests for food aid. At the very least they could take some of that stored rice (hopefully the rice that is still fit for human consumption), put it on some ships, coordinate with the U.N. and send it over there. They could then call it "humanitarian aid" and get bragging rights for it.

Might be a better plan than letting it sit, rot, and have rats (of both rodent and human varieties) get fat off of it!

Well, there's politics. The US send millions of tons of rice to Africa. the rice ends up on the black market and is sold cheaper than the local farmers can make it.......result........no more farmers can compete and produce rice and now they all have to buy rice from the US, when they used to grow it all themselves. There is always an ulterior motive to 'food aid'. Perhaps thats the kind of plan Thaksin has up his sleeve.

[kimamey]

Google says that white rice will last 4-5years.

Although it says Jasmine rice can last indefinitely if stored correctly.

So, assuming the Thai Government can keep building or finding warehouses, this could go on for many years making several people very rich in the process.

I would assume that a temperature and humidity controlled environment would be a necessity and that insects and vermin would be kept out?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

One source says that rice has a shelf life of 1-30 years, depending on variety, oxygen levels, humidity and temperature. I would imagine that, in warehouses with 30+ C temperatures and 80-90% humidity not to mention an abundance of veevils, as usually found in Thailand, the useful life of the rice would be very near the low end of that range.

Thanks for the information about shelf life. It's as I thought, dependent on many variables.

[kerrysum]

The insanity marches on. The government now seems to minus billions of baht, I would love to know where it went.

But of course we never will, unless we get a new non - Thaksin government, and then there will an investigation.

Why oh why couldn't Thaksin just have stuck to standard corruption, and not destroyed one of the corner stones

of the Thai economy ??? They must be laughing their asses off in Vietnam.......

Guess we don't have much to say, but the insanity seems to be contagious throughout the world.....

Just look at the U.S.A.

I am old school..... think you are also....

kilosierra

[AleG]

I keep reading about various famine-struck areas in Africa and the accompanying requests for food aid. At the very least they could take some of that stored rice (hopefully the rice that is still fit for human consumption), put it on some ships, coordinate with the U.N. and send it over there. They could then call it "humanitarian aid" and get bragging rights for it.

Might be a better plan than letting it sit, rot, and have rats (of both rodent and human varieties) get fat off of it!

Thaksin's (champion of the poor that he is ) plan was/is to force the price of rice globally, giving it away to feed the downtrodden he cares so very much about won't achieve that.

That plan hasn't worked so well, so instead of flogging the entire world he and his minions will have to content themselves with looting Thailand alone.

[hellodolly]

The insanity marches on. The government now seems to minus billions of baht, I would love to know where it went.

But of course we never will, unless we get a new non - Thaksin government, and then there will an investigation.

Why oh why couldn't Thaksin just have stuck to standard corruption, and not destroyed one of the corner stones

of the Thai economy ??? They must be laughing their asses off in Vietnam.......

Guess we don't have much to say, but the insanity seems to be contagious throughout the world.....

Just look at the U.S.A.

I am old school..... think you are also....

kilosierra

Are you old school types driving or riding on old school vehicles. 1950s and older?

[Skywalker69]

They use taxpayers money to bit rice and now also rent warehouses to store the rice,

Good luck Thailand, you med it. Badly.

[kevvy]

welcome to RICELAND THE LAND OF LOS (LAND OF STORAGE)

[allan michaud]

In India they often use the husks to generate power for the rice processing to reduce costs.

[Breville]

Rice husks can also be used for making explosives, perhaps the Red Shirts will buy it !

[notmyself]

She's gonna blow.

[stoli]

I am having friends over for dinner this weekend. I could use a kilo of rice. Being from the US, they could even call it an G to G purchase. Just add a lot a lot of zeros for the purchase by mistake.

[mrtoad]

Not many of the PTP supporters commenting....

[mrtoad]

Hub of failed policies

[lujanit]

This will be like the the assets repossessed by the banks after 1999. Most are still available for purchase but the problem is that the banks want not only their original loan back but interest as well; interest now exceeds the original value of the loan so the asset will sit in perpetuity gaining interest each year.

The only way out for the government will be to manipulate the markets and you can only do that by controlling supply. Problem here is of course other countries keep on growing more rice.

Reminds me of those American bros (I forget the name) who tried to corner the silver markets some years ago.

They came unstuck too.

The Hunt brothers. I remember very clearly as I was trading in futures, (silver and gold) at the time. Price went to about USD50 an ounce then crashed to below USD11. Lesson here for the hoarding of rice yet it will be the taxpayer who foots the bill in the end

[dcutman]

Not many of the PTP supporters commenting....

They are resting up for some late night hit and run strikes.

[Litlos]

This will be like the the assets repossessed by the banks after 1999. Most are still available for purchase but the problem is that the banks want not only their original loan back but interest as well; interest now exceeds the original value of the loan so the asset will sit in perpetuity gaining interest each year.

The only way out for the government will be to manipulate the markets and you can only do that by controlling supply. Problem here is of course other countries keep on growing more rice.

Reminds me of those American bros (I forget the name) who tried to corner the silver markets some years ago.

They came unstuck too.

The Hunt brothers. I remember very clearly as I was trading in futures, (silver and gold) at the time. Price went to about USD50 an ounce then crashed to below USD11. Lesson here for the hoarding of rice yet it will be the taxpayer who foots the bill in the end

Actually I feel it will be 95% of Thais who will foot the bill not just the taxpayers. This will be for the beginning, middle, end, investigation and celebratory party of this scheme. Just a few priviledged people will be exempt and they will be the ones at the party.

The TG's family grow rice and have spent the bounty on new furniture. I am trying to push the idea of saving for the future, but this either not well received or not understood. So my fallback position is making it very clear that I will not guarantee or repay loans, this has got their attention (briefly). At least when it all goes pear shaped they should still have their land and can supplement with a bit of fishing, so the food on the table is secure.

Unfortunately what I am seeing in Isaan is lots of capital expenditure on cars, motorbikes, new phones etc, probably with borrowed money.

Hmm wait a couple of years and buy the land off the lenders after the foreclosure or come in with a low ball offer just before the foreclosure. Decisions, decisions.

Cheers

[bigbamboo]

The insanity marches on. The government now seems to minus billions of baht, I would love to know where it went.

But of course we never will, unless we get a new non - Thaksin government, and then there will an investigation.

Why oh why couldn't Thaksin just have stuck to standard corruption, and not destroyed one of the corner stones

of the Thai economy ??? They must be laughing their asses off in Vietnam.......

Makes you wonder sometimes if he's still working for the Cambodians.

Edited January 17, 2013 by bigbamboo

[culicine]

Which markets will purchase Thailand's 4-5 year old rice, if they can sell it at all? Are they seriously waiting to sell it for more than they gave the farmers? Other countries will just buy Vietnam's rice instead. They won't care where it came from as long as it's fresh. I see Thais chowing down on the old stock of rice while the new stuff will be sold overseas. What a $hitty mess.

[TomTao]

Question for those in the know, who do you think the farmers will blame when the amount of harvested rice surpasses the the available storage space and the millers can no longer take any of the harvested rice, and the money dries up? Will they point the finger at the government, blame the millers or just swallow whatever line the government gives them? Any thoughts?

[pedro01]

Which markets will purchase Thailand's 4-5 year old rice, if they can sell it at all? Are they seriously waiting to sell it for more than they gave the farmers? Other countries will just buy Vietnam's rice instead. They won't care where it came from as long as it's fresh. I see Thais chowing down on the old stock of rice while the new stuff will be sold overseas. What a $hitty mess.

That's very good point.

Who wants old rice when there's plenty of new rice around.

The only answer is to dump it & face the wrath of the WTO!

[Breville]

The people voted for Takki Inc and got what they deserve as far as I am concerned. Wonder if I will ever see the day when the Thai people will admit they got it wrong ?

[Breville]

"They must be laughing their asses off in Vietnam......" Got news for you, Vietnam is not the only ones laughing at Thailand since Takki has been around.