Years ago in the 'common market. now the EU...surpluses of certain farming goods were given away free to sections of the populace...butter...cheese etc.

Could not this be done here with the glut of rice?

I don't know of anybody that could eat 18,000,000 tons of rice in a lifetime.

If it was given away it would probably be sold back anyway.

I remember that, we were on the receiving end of the EEC beef and butter mountain handouts (unemployed with loads of kids).

The butter was inedible after years of poor storage and the beef (canned) looked and tasted like dog food (not that we were at the level of eating dog food, quite).

Never did find out what happened to the wine lake.

That was back then, when the planet was not yet overpopulated.

Today the challenge is to feed everyone

I don't know of anybody that could eat 18,000,000 tons of rice in a lifetime.

If it was given away it would probably be sold back anyway.

It could be donated to the charities who are trying to feed the starving africans in the refugee camps in Africa...and thinking of that...does Thailand have any policy of giving 'overseas aid?

Don't go spending time thinking about what to do with the rice mountain.

Rest assured, others already have a plan for the free distribution of the rice with an guaranteed profit somewhere down the line.

I don't know of anybody that could eat 18,000,000 tons of rice in a lifetime.

If it was given away it would probably be sold back anyway.

It could be donated to the charities who are trying to feed the starving africans in the refugee camps in Africa...and thinking of that...does Thailand have any policy of giving 'overseas aid?

Even charities will turn their noses up at rotting rice.