So, Thailand is sitting on some 18 million tonnes of rice which it paid over the odds for. There is enough discussion on the good and or bad of such a practice all over the forum so I'd like to leave that aside and concentrate on other aspects.

Firstly, what are they going to do with it?

Sell it: In order to avoid WTO anti dumping regulations it can only be sold at cost less 5% but nobody is going to pay the price. G2G deals have been talked about so the price remains hidden (somewhat).

Thailand has sold 240,000 tonnes of rice to African country Ivory Coast in a government to government deal estimated at $145 million, according to the Thai commerce minister, Boonsong Teriyapirom.

http://wealthwisemag.com/wealthwise/http:/wealthwisemag.com/wealthwise/thailand-and-ivory-coast-in-million-dollars-rice-deal.html'> Here

$604 a ton. Can't find exact details on the deal but I think we can be sure it was not at $604 a ton and it has also be said that IC had to throw away (animal food?) some 20% of the shipment. The Thai government has also said it has done deal with other governments but this has been denied by the 'other governments'. Sea ports etc. have not shown activity to suggest large quantities of rice are being moved either. Couple of hundred thousand tonnes of rice and ship passing in the night just does not gel.

Give it away: I've not looked into this in depth but it does look like it could still be considered dumping by the WTO unless it went via the UN for the starving in Africa for example. You would be hard pressed to find anyone willing to complain about such a noble gesture.

Burn it: Moisture content is too high among other issues to make it a viable fuel. I don't think even the present government of Thailand would do it given the moral and ethical issues that would arise from doing such a thing.

Animal feed: What of the people involved in the existing animal feed industry?

I can't see a way out and solving problems (finding a way out of things) is what I do for a living. I say living but I do it for free. I'm in the fortunate position of no longer having to accumulate wealth BUT I still love the thrill and good feeling of solving problems so I do it for free to help others. Anyway...

What options are left?

Turn it into alcohol - then use it as a fuel or drink it.

If it's got a high moisture content it will ferment anyway, so make use of this natural phenomenon.

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

Turn it into alcohol - then use it as a fuel or drink it.

If it's got a high moisture content it will ferment anyway, so make use of this natural phenomenon.

Turn it into alcohol - then use it as a fuel or drink it.

If it's got a high moisture content it will ferment anyway, so make use of this natural phenomenon.

18 million tonnes converted into alcohol? There'd not be a sober man in the country for months, maybe years. Not many sober women either.

So a reduction in rice growing, 'cos the farmers are legless.

Problem solved for a decade.

So a reduction in rice growing, 'cos the farmers are legless.

Problem solved for a decade.

And a new problem, because there wouldn't be any seed rice left.

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

Tchentelmenn!

nobody mentchions bier? sinze dekades Thai brauweries are partly substituting barley malt with reis!

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

Tchentelmenn!

nobody mentchions bier? sinze dekades Thai brauweries are partly substituting barley malt with reis!

Nobody actually mentioned lao kao either. Isan villagers aren't choosy; they'll drink either. Not to mention the distilled spirits which they call whisky.

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

That's a lot of vinegar. I don't know the specifics of how to make it but let's say each kilo of rice requires 1 litre of water (1l=1kg). Is there a gap in the market for 18 billion litres of rice vinegar? Even if there is you will still be left with what remains which I imagine will be more that 18 million ton.

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

That's a lot of vinegar. I don't know the specifics of how to make it but let's say each kilo of rice requires 1 litre of water (1l=1kg). Is there a gap in the market for 18 billion litres of rice vinegar? Even if there is you will still be left with what remains which I imagine will be more that 18 million ton.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2110567_make-rice-vinegar.html

I take it we have mountains of yeast and sugar to get rid of as well. Incidentally I pickle my own home grown gherkins and make vinegar using our own rice, better than paying 100 Baht a jar in Rimping.

You can make rice vinegar, which can be used for pickling not only as a condiment to bung on your chips.

That's a lot of vinegar. I don't know the specifics of how to make it but let's say each kilo of rice requires 1 litre of water (1l=1kg). Is there a gap in the market for 18 billion litres of rice vinegar? Even if there is you will still be left with what remains which I imagine will be more that 18 million ton.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2110567_make-rice-vinegar.html

I take it we have mountains of yeast and sugar to get rid of as well. Incidentally I pickle my own home grown gherkins and make vinegar using our own rice, better than paying 100 Baht a jar in Rimping.

Cheers. Well, it blows that idea out the water.

Well done with the pickling too.

Not much has changed it seems.

I was chatting to a fella earlier about EU trade and specifically with regard to the CAP. I mentioned the riceberg and he suggested the best way forward would be to sell off the whole lot for whatever Thailand can get for it. But, to do it within a 24 hour (48 at worst) time period so when the WTO phoned to complain they could say sorry, say they would not do it again but they had no option other than to honour the agreements for that already sold. A percentage of the money should be kept to one side in order to smooth over any bumps.

I can't see it working myself.